USDA Issues New Rules and Regulations on Standards for Grades of Grapefruit and Oranges

On October 29,2020, The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has revised the "U.S. Standards for Grades of Grapefruit and Grades of Oranges". The implementation of these standards will be allowed for all countries of U.S except for Texas and States Other Than Florida, California and Arizona.

In pursuant to requirements set forth in the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA) (5 U.S.C. 601–612), AMS has considered the economic impact of this rule on small entities.

The Regulatory Flexible Analysis highlights the following requirements to be met for all fruits and vegetables:

• The revision will convert the Acceptable Quality Level (AQL) tables from showing the acceptable number of allowable defective fruit in each grade.
• Percentage of defects permitted in each grade will be shown;
• Revision of the minimum sample size to 25 fruit; update size classifications; remove references to Temple oranges from the orange standards for grade; and more closely align terminology in both grade standards with Florida and California citrus standard.

The Standard Rule and Regulation will come into effect from November 30, 2020.