[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 161 (Wednesday, August 20, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49279-49280]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-19770]
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Notices
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings,
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents
appearing in this section.
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Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 161 / Wednesday, August 20, 2014 /
Notices
[[Page 49279]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service
[Document No. AMS-FV-14-0025, FV-14-327]
United States Standard of Identity for Honey
AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the Department of
Agriculture (USDA) is soliciting comments on how a Federal standard of
identity for honey would be in the interest of consumers, the honey
industry, and U.S. agriculture.
DATES: Comments must be received by September 19, 2014.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments
via the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov or to Brian E. Griffin,
Standardization Branch, Specialty Crops Inspection Division, Fruit and
Vegetable Program, Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S. Department of
Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Room 0709-South Building;
STOP 0247, Washington, DC 20250; telephone (202) 720-5021; fax (202)
690-1527, email [email protected]. Comments should make
reference to the date and page number of this issue of the Federal
Register and will be made available for public inspection at the above
office during regular business hours.
Please be advised that all comments submitted in response to this
notice will be included in the record and will be made available to the
public on the Internet via http://www.regulations.gov. Also, the
identity of the individuals or entities submitting the comments will be
made public.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brian E. Griffin, Standardization
Branch, Specialty Crops Inspection Division, Agricultural Marketing
Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, telephone (202) 720-5021or fax
(202) 690-1527.
Background
Section 10012 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (Pub. L. 113-79), the
2014 Farm Bill, charged the Secretary with developing a report
describing how a Federal standard of identity for honey would be in the
interest of consumers, the honey industry, and U.S. agriculture.
Section 10012 specifically states, ``In preparing the report required
under subsection (a), the Secretary shall take into consideration the
March 2006, Standard of Identity citizens petition filed with the Food
and Drug Administration, including any current industry amendments or
clarifications necessary to update that petition.''
In 2006, members of the honey producing, packing, and importing
industries petitioned the FDA to develop a standard of identity for
honey. A copy of the petitioner's request is available as a supporting
document for this notice at-http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=FDA-2006-P-0207-0008.
The FDA is the agency responsible for developing a standard of
identity for commodities such as honey. The Food Drug and Cosmetic Act
(FDCA) directs the FDA to establish definitions and standards for food
(21 U.S.C. Sec. 341). In an effort to promote honesty and fair dealing
for the benefit of consumers, the FDA is authorized to establish, by
regulation, a common or usual name, a reasonable definition and
standard of identity, a reasonable standard of quality, and reasonable
standards of fill of the container for any food. The petitioners
contended that ``the proposed standard will promote honesty and fair
dealing not only in the interest of consumers, but in the interest of
the honey industry as well.'' The petitioners also stated that ``a
compositional standard for honey will serve as a tool to help combat
the economic adulteration of honey.'' The petitioners requested that
the Commissioner of Food and Drugs adopt certain provisions of the
Codex Standard for Honey (CODEX STAN 12-1981, Rev.2 (2001)).
On October 5, 2011, FDA denied the petition concluding that no
standard of identity for honey was necessary (http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=FDA-2006-P-0207-0007). The FDA
recently published draft guidance for industry on proper labeling of
honey and honey products in the April 9, 2014 Federal Register Docket
No. FDA-2006-P-0207. In this notice, the FDA addresses the 2006
petition by the American Beekeeping Federation and several other honey-
related associations. The FDA believes that the petitioners' goals can
be achieved by FDA's existing authorities and that a standard of
identity for honey would not promote honesty and fair dealing in the
interest of consumers. To address the labeling issues relevant to the
petition, the FDA developed the draft guidance to advise the regulated
food industry on the proper labeling of honey and honey products to
help ensure that honey and honey products are not adulterated or
misbranded under sections 402 and 403 of the Federal Food, Drug, and
Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 342 and 343, respectively).
There are currently several standards for the inspection and
grading of honey. The U.S. Standards for Grades of Extracted Honey,
effective date May 23, 1985, and the U.S. Standards for Grades of Comb
Honey, effective date May 24, 1967, are voluntary U.S. grade standards
issued under the authority of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946
(Act). The Act provides for the development of official U.S. grades to
designate different levels of quality. These grade standards are
available for use by producers, suppliers, buyers, and consumers. Like
all standards for grades of fresh and processed fruits, vegetables, and
specialty crops, these standards are designed to facilitate orderly
marketing by providing a convenient basis for buying and selling, for
establishing quality control programs, and for determining loan values.
The standards also serve as a basis for the inspection and grading of
commodities by the Federal inspection service. Copies of the current
U.S. grade standards for extracted honey and comb honey are on the USDA
Web site at www.ams.usda .gov/scihome.
To provide an acceptable amount of guidance to help prevent the
economic adulteration of honey at some level, many states have adopted,
and/or are proposing to adopt, state-level standards of identity for
honey. While some are
[[Page 49280]]
following the 2006 honey industry petition and using an amended version
of the Codex Standard for Honey, CODEX standard 12-1981, Rev. 2 (2001),
variations in the state standards of identity for honey are inevitable.
The end result could lead to an assortment of standards that vary from
state to state and impede interstate commerce.
AMS is seeking comments on the petitioner's request for a standard
of identity for honey and, specifically, the adoption of deviations as
defined in the petitioner's request, and draft proposal. This notice
provides for a 30 day period for interested parties to comment on the
petitioners' request, and on how an appropriate Federal standard for
the identity of honey would be in the interest of consumers, the honey
industry, and United States agriculture.
Authority: Section 10012 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (Pub.
L. 113-79).
Dated: August 15, 2014.
Rex A. Barnes,
Associate Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-19770 Filed 8-19-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P