More restrictive grade regulation

(a) Incoming and outgoing regulation. Whenever the estimated season average price to producers for prunes does not exceed the parity level specified in section 2(1) of the act, the minimum standards which handlers' receipts of natural condition prunes are required to meet pursuant to § 993.49(a) shall be the standards specified in §§ 993.49(a) and 993.97(I), and the minimum standards which handlers' shipments or other final dispositions of prunes are required to meet pursuant to § 993.50(a) shall be the applicable standards set forth in § 993.97 Exhibit A; minimum standards, except that the following revised tolerance allowances shall apply in lieu of the tolerance allowances prescribed in paragraphs I C(2), II C(3), I C(5) and II C(6) of § 993.97 as follows:

(1) The combined tolerance allowance for off-color, inferior meat condition, end cracks, fermentation, skin or flesh damage, scab, burned, mold, imbedded dirt, insect infestation, and decay shall not exceed fifteen percent (15%), except that the first eight percent (8%) of end cracks shall be given one-half value and any additional percentage of end cracks shall be given full value.

(2) The combined tolerance allowance for mold, brown rot, imbedded dirt, insect infestation, and decay shall not exceed five percent (5%), and, within such tolerance, brown rot shall not exceed three percent (3%).

(b) Above parity situations. Whenever the estimated season average price to producers for prunes exceeds the parity level specified in section 2(1) of the act, the minimum standards set forth in § 993.97 shall apply in their entirety.

[27 FR 7540, Aug. 1, 1962, as amended at 59 FR 38113, July 27, 1994]