The Agricultural Marketing Service, (AMS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) facilitates the fair and efficient marketing of agricultural products by maintaining voluntary grade standards for Beans, Whole Dry Peas, Split Peas, and Lentils, which provide a uniform language for describing the quality of these commodities in the marketplace. These standards may cover (but are not limited to) terms, classes, quality levels, performance criteria, and inspection requirements. Procedures contained in this part set forth the process which AMS will follow in developing, issuing, revising, suspending, or terminating the U.S. standards for Beans, Whole Dry Peas, Split Peas, and Lentils. Communications about AMS standards in general should be addressed to the Administrator, AMS, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-3601.

(a) AMS will develop, revise, suspend, or terminate grade standards if it determines that such action is in the public interest. AMS encourages interested parties to participate in the review, development, and revision of grade standards. Interested parties include growers, producers, processors, shippers, distributors, consumers, trade associations, companies, and State or Federal agencies. Such persons may at any time recommend that AMS develop, revise, suspend, or terminate a grade standard. Requests for action should be in writing, and should be accompanied by a draft of the suggested change, as appropriate.

(b) AMS will:

(1) Determine the need for new or revised standards;

(2) Collect technical, marketing, or other appropriate data;

(3) Conduct research regarding new or revised standards, as appropriate; and

(4) Draft the proposed standards.

(c) If AMS determines that new standards are needed, existing standards need to be revised, or the suspension or termination of existing standards is justified, AMS will undertake the action with input from interested parties.

(a) After developing a standardization proposal, AMS will publish a notice in the Federal Register proposing new or revised standards or suspending or terminating existing standards. The notice will provide a sufficient comment period for interested parties to submit comments.

(b) AMS will simultaneously issue a news release about these actions, notifying the affected industry and general public. AMS will also distribute copies of proposals to anyone requesting a copy or to anyone it believes may be interested, including other Federal, State, or local government agencies.

(c) All comments received within the comment period will be made part of the public record maintained by AMS, will be available to the public for review, and will be considered by AMS before final action is taken on the proposal.

(d) Based on the comments received, AMS's knowledge of standards, grading, marketing, and other technical factors, and any other relevant information, AMS will decide whether the proposed actions should be implemented.

(e) If AMS concludes that the changes as proposed or with appropriate modifications should be adopted, AMS will publish the final changes in the Federal Register as a final notice. AMS will make the grade standards and related information available in printed form and electronic media.

(f) If AMS determines that proposed changes are not warranted, or otherwise are not in the public interest, AMS will either publish in the Federal Register a notice withdrawing the proposal, or will revise the proposal and again seek public input.