The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is inviting comments on a proposed rule to change container requirements under the federal marketing order for oranges and grapefruit grown in the Lower Rio Grande Valley in Texas. The rule was recommended by the Texas Valley Citrus Committee to revise container requirements and align them with current industry practices.
The proposed rule would:
- remove five authorized containers no longer in use;
- add seven containers now widely accepted throughout the industry;
- update the description of one container to allow its use for both oranges and grapefruit; and
- modify the description of another container to indicate it is the standard container used by the industry.
The proposed rule was published in the Federal Register July 6, 2018. Written comments must be received by Aug. 6, 2018.
Comments should be posted at www.regulations.gov, faxed to (202) 720-8938 or mailed to Docket Clerk, Marketing Order and Agreement Division, Specialty Crops Program, AMS, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, STOP 0237, Washington, DC 20250-0237. All comments in response to this proposed rule submitted before the deadline will be considered and made available for public review.
More information about the marketing order regulating the Handling of Oranges and Grapefruit Grown in the Lower Rio Grande Valley in Texas is available on the AMS Texas Citrus webpage.
Authorized by the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937, marketing orders are industry-driven programs that help producers and handlers achieve marketing success by leveraging their own funds to design and execute programs that they would not be able to do individually. The Agricultural Marketing Service provides oversight of marketing orders and agreements, which helps ensure fiscal accountability and program integrity.
Source: USDA AMS