(a) No handler shall handle any avocados for the fresh market from the production area to any point outside thereof in containers having a capacity of more than 4 pounds of avocados unless the containers meet the requirements specified in this section: Provided, That the containers authorized in this section shall not be used for handling avocados for commercial processing into products pursuant to § 915.55(c). All avocados shall be packed in containers of 33, 31, 24, 12, and 8.5 pounds designated net weights and shall conform to all other applicable requirements of this section:

(1) Containers shall not contain less than 33 pounds net weight of avocados, except that for avocados of unnamed varieties, which are avocados that have not been given varietal names, and for Booth 1, Fuchs, and Trapp varieties, such weight shall be not less than 31 pounds. Not more than 10 percent, by count, of the individual containers in any lot may fail to meet the applicable specified weight. No container in any lot may contain a net weight of avocados exceeding 2 pounds less than the specified net weight; or

(2) Containers shall not contain less than 24 pounds net weight of avocados: Provided, That not to exceed 5 percent, by count, of such containers in any lot may fail to meet such weight requirement. All avocados packed at this designated net weight shall be placed in two layers and the net weight of all avocados in any such container shall not be less than 24 pounds: Provided, That the requirement as to placing avocados in two layers only shall not apply to such container if each of the avocados therein weighs 14 ounces or less; or

(3) Containers shall not contain less than 12 pounds net weight of avocados: Provided, That not to exceed 5 percent, by count, of such containers in any lot may fail to meet such weight requirement. All avocados packed at this designated net weight shall be placed in one layer only and the net weight of all avocados in any such container shall not be less than 12 pounds; or

(4) Containers shall not contain less than 8.5 pounds net weight of avocados: Provided, That not to exceed 5 percent, by count, of such containers in any lot may fail to meet such weight requirement. All avocados packed at this designated net weight shall be placed in one layer only and the net weight of all avocados in any such container shall not be less than 8.5 pounds. Such containers shall be for export shipments only.

(5) Such other types and sizes of containers as may be approved by the Avocado Administrative Committee, with the approval of the Secretary, for testing in connection with a research project conducted by or in cooperation with said committee: Provided, That the handling of each lot of avocados in such test containers shall be subject to prior approval, and under the supervision of, the Avocado Administrative Committee.

(b) The limitations set forth in paragraph (a) of this section shall not apply to master containers for individual packages of avocados: Provided, That the markings or labels, if any, on the individual packages within such master containers do not conflict with the markings or labels on the master container.

(c) No handler shall handle any avocados for the fresh market in 20-bushel plastic field bins to destinations inside the production area.

(d) Avocados handled for the fresh market in containers other than those authorized under § 915.305(a) and shipped to destinations within the production area must be packed in 1-bushel containers.

(e) All containers in which the avocados are packed must be new, and clean in appearance, without marks, stains, or other evidence of previous use.

[63 FR 37480, July 13, 1998, as amended at 64 FR 69383, Dec. 13, 1999; 65 FR 15205, Mar. 22, 2000; 70 FR 36470, June 24, 2005; 73 FR 66719, Nov. 12, 2008; 88 FR 82232, Nov. 24, 2023]

(a) No handler shall handle any variety of avocados grown in the production area unless:

(1) Such avocados grade at least U.S. Combination, except that avocados handled to destinations within the production area grade at least U.S. No. 2.

(2) Such avocados are in containers authorized under § 915.305, when handled to points outside the production area.

(3) Such avocados are packed in accordance with standard pack, when handled in containers authorized under § 915.305.

(4) Such avocados are in containers marked with a Federal-State Inspection Service lot stamp number, when handled in containers authorized under § 915.305: Provided, That when inspection occurs after palletization, only all exposed or outside containers of avocados must be plainly marked with the lot stamp number corresponding to the lot inspection conducted by an authorized inspector.

(5) Such avocados are in containers marked with a Federal-State Inspection Service (FSIS) lot stamp number applied to an adhesive tape seal affixed to the container in a manner to prevent the container from being opened and/or the fruit being removed without breaking the seal, when handled in containers other than those authorized under § 915.305. The stamp and tape shall be affixed to the container by the FSIS or by the handler under the supervision of the FSIS. Only stamps and tape which have been approved by the Specialty Crops Inspection Division, Specialty Crops Program, Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, may be used for purposes of stamping and sealing containers to meet these requirements.

(6) Such avocados when handled in containers authorized under § 915.305, except for those to export destinations, are marked once with the grade of fruit in letters and numbers at least 1 inch in height on the top or one side of the container, not to include the bottom.

(7) Such avocados when handled in containers other than those authorized under § 915.305(a) for shipment to destinations within the production area are marked once with the grade of fruit in letters and numbers at least 3 inches in height on the top or one side of the container, not to include the bottom. Each such container is also to be marked at least once with either the registered handler number assigned to the handler at the time of certification as a registered handler or with the name and address of the handler.

(b) The provisions of paragraphs (a)(2), (a)(3), (a)(4), (a)(5), and (a)(6) of this section shall not apply to individual packages of avocados weighing four pounds or less, net weight, in master containers.

(c) Terms pertaining to grades and standard pack mean the same as those defined in the United States Standards for Florida Avocados (7 CFR 51.3050 through 51.3069).

[50 FR 32553, Aug. 13, 1985, as amended at 56 FR 36080, July 31, 1991; 57 FR 3716, Jan. 31, 1992; 57 FR 48931, Oct. 29, 1992; 60 FR 42770, Aug. 17, 1995; 61 FR 31006, June 19, 1996; 63 FR 37480, July 13, 1998; 73 FR 66719, Nov. 12, 2008; 78 FR 51043, Aug. 20, 2013; 79 FR 67039, Nov. 12, 2014; 88 FR 82232, Nov. 24, 2023]

(a) No handler shall handle any variety of avocados, except Hass, Fuerte, Zutano, and Edranol, grown in the production area unless:

(1) Any portion of the skin of the individual avocados has changed to the color normal for that fruit when mature for those varieties which normally change color to any shade of red or purple when mature, except for the Linda variety; or

(2) Such avocados meet the minimum weight or diameter requirements for the Monday nearest each date specified, through the Sunday immediately prior to the nearest Monday of the specified date in the next column, for each variety listed in the following table I: Provided, that avocados may not be handled prior to the earliest date specified in column A of such table for the respective variety; Provided further, There are no restrictions on size or weight on or after the date specified in column D; Provided further, That up to a total of 10 percent, by count to the individual fruit in each lot may weigh less than the minimum specified or be less than the specified diameter, except that no such avocados shall be over 2 ounces lighter than the minimum weight specified for the variety: Provided further, That up to double such tolerance shall be permitted for fruit in an individual container in a lot.

(3) Avocados which fail to meet the maturity requirements specified in this section must be maintained under the supervision of the Federal or Federal-State Inspection Service using the Positive Lot Identification program, and when presented for reinspection, must meet the maturity requirements which correspond to the date of the original inspection.

(4) The requirements listed in table I of this section are in effect annually from April 16 through April 15 of the following year, with an exception for the requirements for Guatemalan seedling which are in effect annually from June 9 to June 8 of the following year.

(b) The term diameter means the greatest dimension measured at a right angle to a straight line from the stem to the blossom end of the fruit.

[59 FR 30869, June 16, 1994, as amended at 64 FR 53185, Oct. 1, 1999; 71 FR 11294, Mar. 7, 2006; 73 FR 26945, May 12, 2008; 79 FR 55353, Sept. 16, 2014; 87 FR 8143, Feb. 14, 2022]