USDA proposes a special 5 percent grape shatter allowance
USDA proposes a special 5 percent grape shatter allowance
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has proposed a lowered grade standard for fresh table grapes.
The proposal was announced Feb. 26 in the Federal Register as the USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service sought changes requested by the Fresno- based California Grape & Tree Fruit League to revise the tolerances to include an allowance for shattered berries. This proposal is offered due to the change of pack style from mostly plain pack to consumer-size units.
There is a 30-day comment period on these changes, with comments on the changes due to AMS by March 27.
According to the Federal Register, this is a "revision to the voluntary standards to add a 5 percent allowance for shattered berries in consumer containers for shipment that are en route or at destination."
The proposed changes are receiving two very different interpretations from industry groups.
Barry Bedwell, president of the league, told The Produce News Feb. 27 that his group supports the change, although the 5 percent additional tolerance is half what was initially asked for by the California grape industry. "Originally we asked for 10 percent, and we feel that is proper."
He said that "any movement" in the standards to recognize the evolution of grape packaging is a step in the right direction. The use of bags and clamshells to merchandise grapes at the retail level and the related "ability to market without loss to shatter" is the key part of the proposal.
The industry will "evaluate the changes down the road," should the proposal become law, but Mr. Bedwell said that consumers have indicated they still view grapes that have fallen off the stem within a package as "excellent quality" grapes.
Mr. Bedwell said that "an overwhelming majority" of table grapes now sold in the United States are in bags or plastic clamshell packaging.
The new packaging was driven by retailer losses from shattered grape clusters within traditional shipping lugs. Loose grapes at the bottom of the boxes were unsalvageable and could roll onto retail display floors, thus creating a retailer liability, Mr. Bedwell said.
The proposal to change the grape shatter standards has been discussed "for a number of years," Mr. Bedwell said, noting that grade standards such as grape decay and wet, sticky grapes will not change.
A very different evaluation of the proposed changes comes from Patrick Davis, president of the North American Perishable Agricultural Receivers, based in Arlington, VA.
Mr. Davis said Feb. 26 that "revising the standards to include this separate 5 percent allowance would mean that shattered berries would not be scored as a defect against the current 12 percent total tolerance for U.S No. 1 until the amount of shattered berries first exceeds the special 5 percent allowance. This means that loads of table grapes would qualify for U.S. No. 1 until they exceed a total tolerance of 17 percent shatter/defects. An additional tolerance of 3 percent would be added to the total in situations where PACA good delivery tolerances apply, for a grand total of 20 percent."
Mr. Davis noted that the league's earlier proposal to create a special 10 percent allowance for shatter was withdrawn by USDA on June 29. "NAPAR, the only association filing comments against that proposal, pointed out that shatter grapes were perceived to be of lower quality and reduced shelf life when compared to bunched grapes. AMS agreed with our assessment that a 10 percent allowance for shatter would 'weaken the standard and reduce consumer confidence of the grade' and withdrew the proposal," he said. The league then insisted that the issue be reconsidered.
Mr. Davis said that NAPAR sensed a potential release of a new proposal, so it commissioned Deibel Laboratories in Bethlehem, PA, to conduct microbiological tests of several grape varieties to determine if any differences occur in the levels of microbiological growth between shatter and bunched grapes at ambient and refrigerated temperatures. He said the test results concluded "that the shatter grapes would have shorter shelf life periods, as the shatter grapes were more likely to produce higher bacterial counts when compared to the bunch grapes at refrigerated temperatures.
"The existing tolerance level of 12 percent for total defects within the U.S. No. 1 grade for table grapes is more than adequate," Mr. Davis continued. "Any augmentation of tolerances by creating a special allowance for shatter only serves to reduce product quality and shorten shelf life."
He added that most retailers and large produce wholesalers already have their own internal grape standards, which have a much lower tolerance for shatter than what already exists according to USDA rules.
Mr. Davis expects those high independent standards to remain in place, which will force grapes of the new lower standard "downhill" to the warehouses of "small receivers, who are typically on terminal markets."
Mr. Davis encouraged produce receivers to respond within the 30-day comment period to "generate as much attention to this issue as possible, as the window of opportunity to get your voice heard will close on March 27.
"NAPAR will be filing comments with AMS on behalf of the entire membership and will soon be sending additional information to assist members in drafting their own comments," Mr. Davis continued. "It is very important that members send in their own comments on this issue."
This proposed rule would revise the U.S. Standards for Grades of Table Grapes (European or Vinifera Type). These standards are issued under the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946.
The proposal was announced Feb. 26 in the Federal Register as the USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service sought changes requested by the Fresno- based California Grape & Tree Fruit League to revise the tolerances to include an allowance for shattered berries. This proposal is offered due to the change of pack style from mostly plain pack to consumer-size units.
There is a 30-day comment period on these changes, with comments on the changes due to AMS by March 27.
According to the Federal Register, this is a "revision to the voluntary standards to add a 5 percent allowance for shattered berries in consumer containers for shipment that are en route or at destination."
The proposed changes are receiving two very different interpretations from industry groups.
Barry Bedwell, president of the league, told The Produce News Feb. 27 that his group supports the change, although the 5 percent additional tolerance is half what was initially asked for by the California grape industry. "Originally we asked for 10 percent, and we feel that is proper."
He said that "any movement" in the standards to recognize the evolution of grape packaging is a step in the right direction. The use of bags and clamshells to merchandise grapes at the retail level and the related "ability to market without loss to shatter" is the key part of the proposal.
The industry will "evaluate the changes down the road," should the proposal become law, but Mr. Bedwell said that consumers have indicated they still view grapes that have fallen off the stem within a package as "excellent quality" grapes.
Mr. Bedwell said that "an overwhelming majority" of table grapes now sold in the United States are in bags or plastic clamshell packaging.
The new packaging was driven by retailer losses from shattered grape clusters within traditional shipping lugs. Loose grapes at the bottom of the boxes were unsalvageable and could roll onto retail display floors, thus creating a retailer liability, Mr. Bedwell said.
The proposal to change the grape shatter standards has been discussed "for a number of years," Mr. Bedwell said, noting that grade standards such as grape decay and wet, sticky grapes will not change.
A very different evaluation of the proposed changes comes from Patrick Davis, president of the North American Perishable Agricultural Receivers, based in Arlington, VA.
Mr. Davis said Feb. 26 that "revising the standards to include this separate 5 percent allowance would mean that shattered berries would not be scored as a defect against the current 12 percent total tolerance for U.S No. 1 until the amount of shattered berries first exceeds the special 5 percent allowance. This means that loads of table grapes would qualify for U.S. No. 1 until they exceed a total tolerance of 17 percent shatter/defects. An additional tolerance of 3 percent would be added to the total in situations where PACA good delivery tolerances apply, for a grand total of 20 percent."
Mr. Davis noted that the league's earlier proposal to create a special 10 percent allowance for shatter was withdrawn by USDA on June 29. "NAPAR, the only association filing comments against that proposal, pointed out that shatter grapes were perceived to be of lower quality and reduced shelf life when compared to bunched grapes. AMS agreed with our assessment that a 10 percent allowance for shatter would 'weaken the standard and reduce consumer confidence of the grade' and withdrew the proposal," he said. The league then insisted that the issue be reconsidered.
Mr. Davis said that NAPAR sensed a potential release of a new proposal, so it commissioned Deibel Laboratories in Bethlehem, PA, to conduct microbiological tests of several grape varieties to determine if any differences occur in the levels of microbiological growth between shatter and bunched grapes at ambient and refrigerated temperatures. He said the test results concluded "that the shatter grapes would have shorter shelf life periods, as the shatter grapes were more likely to produce higher bacterial counts when compared to the bunch grapes at refrigerated temperatures.
"The existing tolerance level of 12 percent for total defects within the U.S. No. 1 grade for table grapes is more than adequate," Mr. Davis continued. "Any augmentation of tolerances by creating a special allowance for shatter only serves to reduce product quality and shorten shelf life."
He added that most retailers and large produce wholesalers already have their own internal grape standards, which have a much lower tolerance for shatter than what already exists according to USDA rules.
Mr. Davis expects those high independent standards to remain in place, which will force grapes of the new lower standard "downhill" to the warehouses of "small receivers, who are typically on terminal markets."
Mr. Davis encouraged produce receivers to respond within the 30-day comment period to "generate as much attention to this issue as possible, as the window of opportunity to get your voice heard will close on March 27.
"NAPAR will be filing comments with AMS on behalf of the entire membership and will soon be sending additional information to assist members in drafting their own comments," Mr. Davis continued. "It is very important that members send in their own comments on this issue."
This proposed rule would revise the U.S. Standards for Grades of Table Grapes (European or Vinifera Type). These standards are issued under the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946.
