Notice2026-09063
United States Standards for Grades of Nectarines
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
May 7, 2026
Issuing agencies
Agriculture DepartmentAgricultural Marketing Service
Abstract
The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) proposes to revise the United States (U.S.) Standards for Grades of Nectarines. AMS is proposing to remove "speckling", as a type of defect when grading nectarines, since speckling is strictly a cosmetic issue and does not affect the internal quality, shelf life, or lead to any negative flavors of the affected nectarines. In fact, nectarines with higher sugar content, or sweetness, have been correlated with increased amounts of speckling. These changes would bring the grade standards in line with the present quality levels being marketed today and would provide guidance in the effective utilization of this commodity.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 88 (Thursday, May 7, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 88 (Thursday, May 7, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24801-24802]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-09063]
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Notices
Federal Register
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This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
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Federal Register / Vol. 91, No. 88 / Thursday, May 7, 2026 /
Notices
[[Page 24801]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service
[Document Number AMS-SC-25-0586]
United States Standards for Grades of Nectarines
AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the Department of
Agriculture (USDA) proposes to revise the United States (U.S.)
Standards for Grades of Nectarines. AMS is proposing to remove
``speckling'', as a type of defect when grading nectarines, since
speckling is strictly a cosmetic issue and does not affect the internal
quality, shelf life, or lead to any negative flavors of the affected
nectarines. In fact, nectarines with higher sugar content, or
sweetness, have been correlated with increased amounts of speckling.
These changes would bring the grade standards in line with the present
quality levels being marketed today and would provide guidance in the
effective utilization of this commodity.
DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before July 6, 2026.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments to the
Standardization Branch, Specialty Crops Inspection Division, Specialty
Crops Program, Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S. Department of
Agriculture, National Training and Development Center; 100 Riverside
Parkway, Suite 101, Fredericksburg, Virginia 22406; fax: (540) 361-
1199, or via the internet at: <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a>. Comments
should reference the docket number and the date and page numbers of
this issue of the Federal Register. All comments submitted in response
to this notice will become a part of the public record and be made
available to the public without change, including any personal
information submitted with your comment, at <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Andrew Buss, at the address above, by
phone (231) 260-5913; fax (540) 361-1199; or email at
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#5839363c2a3d2f763a2d2b2b182d2b3c39763f372e"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="ec8d82889e899bc28e999f9fac999f888dc28b839a">[email protected]</span></a>. Copies of the proposed U.S. Standards for Grades
of Nectarines are available at <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a>. Copies of
the current U.S. Standards for Grades of Nectarines are available at
<a href="https://www.ams.usda.gov/grades-standards/fruits">https://www.ams.usda.gov/grades-standards/fruits</a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 203(c) of the Agricultural Marketing
Act of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1621-1627), as amended, directs and authorizes
the Secretary of Agriculture ``to develop and improve standards of
quality, condition, quantity, grade, and packaging, and recommend and
demonstrate such standards in order to encourage uniformity and
consistency in commercial practices.''
AMS is committed to carrying out this authority in a manner that
facilitates the marketing of agricultural commodities and makes copies
of official standards available upon request. The U.S. Standards for
Grades of Fruits and Vegetables that no longer appear in the Code of
Federal Regulations are maintained by USDA, AMS, Specialty Crops
Program at the following website: <a href="http://www.ams.usda.gov">http://www.ams.usda.gov</a>. AMS is
proposing revisions to the U.S. Standards for Grades of Nectarines
using the procedures that appear in part 36 of Title 7 of the Code of
Federal Regulations (7 CFR part 36).
Background
On August 29, 2025, AMS received a petition from the California
Fresh Fruit Association (CFFA), a voluntary, nonprofit agricultural
trade association that advocates on behalf of its members within the
California fresh fruit industry. CFFA consists of more than 300
members, which include growers, shippers, and marketers of several
different types of fruit. The petitioners represent over 95 percent of
the producers of nectarines. AMS has worked closely with CFFA
throughout the development of the proposed revisions, soliciting their
comments and suggesting about the standards through discussion drafts
and presentations.
AMS is proposing to revise the U.S. Standards for Grades of
Nectarines by removing speckling as a type of defect affecting the
quality of nectarines from sections Sec. 51.3156 Injury (Sec.
51.3156(h)(2)), Sec. 51.3157 Damage (Sec. 51.3157(g)(3)), and Sec.
51.3159 Serious Damage (Sec. 51.3159(h)(2)). Under these sections in
the current standards, any nectarines which possess speckling on more
than 50 percent of the surface can be scored as a defect. Speckling is
the occurrence of numerous yellow spots densely concentrated and
distinctly contrasting with the surface of a dark red colored fruit.
The designation of speckling as a defect under the current standards
has had a negative impact on California growers due to the fruit being
rejected due to speckling, despite meeting all other quality and safety
standards. A letter dated July 22, 2023, to Family Tree Farms from Dr.
Ioannis S. Minas, Associate Professor of Pomology at the Department of
Horticulture & Landscape Architecture at Colorado State University was
included with CFFA's petition. This letter describes nectarine skin
speckling as a natural characteristic of nectarines in which scientific
evidence shows fruit with higher sugar content (an indicator of
sweetness) is correlated with higher amounts of speckling on the skin
of the nectarine. This condition does not affect the internal quality,
shelf life, or lead to any negative flavors of the fruit. With recent
developments in breeding as a means to prioritize flavor, it would be
expected that speckling would increase along with any new varieties of
nectarines with higher sugar content (Brix). The proposed revisions to
the grade standards to remove speckling as a defect will better reflect
the current and foreseen future marketing of nectarines as consumer
preferences are favoring fruit with higher sugar content.
The following reflects AMS's proposed revisions to the definition
section of the U.S. Standards for Grades of Nectarines:
[[Page 24802]]
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Section Current text Proposed text
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51.3156(h)(2) Injury............................... Fairly smooth or smooth Fairly smooth or smooth
russeting or staining when russeting or staining when
the area exceeds 10 percent the area exceeds 10 percent
of the fruit surface: of the fruit surface.
Provided, That speckling
characteristic of certain
varieties shall not be
considered as russeting or
discoloration.
51.3157(g)(3) Damage............................... Fairly smooth or smooth Fairly smooth or smooth
russeting when the area russeting when the area
exceeds 15 percent of the exceeds 15 percent of the
fruit surface: Provided, fruit surface: Provided,
That discoloration occurring That discoloration
as yellow to brown staining occurring as yellow to
of the skin shall not be brown staining of the skin
considered as russeting and shall not be considered as
shall be considered as russeting and shall be
causing damage only when considered as causing
materially detracting from damage only when materially
the appearance of the detracting from the
nectarine, and that appearance of the
speckling characteristic of nectarine.
certain varieties shall not
be considered as russeting
or discoloration.
51.3159(h)(2) Serious Damage....................... Fairly smooth or smooth Fairly smooth or smooth
russeting when the area russeting when the area
exceeds 50 percent of the exceeds 50 percent of the
fruit surface: Provided, fruit surface: Provided,
That discoloration occurring That discoloration
as yellow to brown staining occurring as yellow to
of the skin shall not be brown staining of the skin
considered russeting and shall not be considered
shall be considered as russeting and shall be
causing serious damage only considered as causing
when seriously detracting serious damage only when
from the appearance of the seriously detracting from
nectarine, and that the appearance of the
speckling characteristic of nectarine.
certain varieties shall not
be considered as russeting
or discoloration.
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A 60-day period is provided for interested persons to submit
comments on the proposed revisions to the grade standards. Copies of
the proposed revised standards are available on the internet at <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a>. After the 60-day comment period, AMS would proceed
in accordance with 7 CFR 36.3(a)(1-3).
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1621-1627.
Erin Morris,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2026-09063 Filed 5-6-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P
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