TITLE 7 - AGRICULTURE

SUBTITLE B - REGULATIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

CHAPTER IX - AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (MARKETING AGREEMENTS AND ORDERS; FRUITS, VEGETABLES, NUTS), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

PART 916 - NECTARINES GROWN IN CALIFORNIA

916.350 - California Nectarine Container and Pack Regulation.

  (a) During the period beginning April 1 and ending October 31, no handler shall ship any package or container of any variety of nectarines except in accordance with the following terms and conditions: (1) Such nectarines, when packed in any closed package or container, except master containers of consumer packages, individual consumer packages, and five down Euro containers, shall conform to the requirements of standard pack: Provided, That nectarines in any such volume-filled container need only be filled to within one-inch of the top of the container.

  (2) Each package or container of nectarines shall bear, on one outside end in plain sight and in plain letters, the word nectarines and, except for consumer packages in master containers and consumer packages mailed directly to consumers, the name of the variety, if known, or, when the variety name is not known, the words unknown variety. A marketing name, trade mark, or brand name may be associated with the variety name, but cannot be substituted for the variety name.

  (3) Each package or container of nectarines, except for consumer packages in master containers and consumer packages mailed directly to consumers, shall bear on one outside end clearly and legibly in plain sight and in plain letters the words U.S. Mature or US MAT if such nectarines are mature as defined in the United States Standards for Grades of Nectarines (7 CFR 51.3145 through 51.3160); or may instead bear on one outside end clearly and legibly in plain sight and in plain letters the words California Well Matured or CA WELL MAT if such nectarines are well matured as defined in 916.356.

  (4) Each package or container of nectarines shall bear, on one outside end in plain sight and in plain letters, the name and address of the shipper.

  (5) Each package or container of nectarines, except consumer packages mailed directly to consumers, shall bear, on one outside end in plain sight and in plain letters, the following count and/or size description of the nectarines as applicable.

  (i) The size of nectarines packed in molded forms (tray-packs) in the No. 22D and the No. 32 standard boxes, or consumer packages; No. 22G standard lug boxes, experimental containers; or the No. 12B fruit (peach) boxes or flats; and the size of wrapped nectarines packed in rows in No. 12B fruit (peach) boxes shall be indicated in accordance with the number of nectarines in each container, such as 80 count, 88 count, etc.

  (ii) The size of nectarines in molded forms (tray-packs) in experimental containers, and in the No. 22G standard lug boxes, shall be indicated according to the number of such nectarines when packed in molded forms in the No. 22D standard lug box or the No. 32 standard box, in accordance with the requirements of standard pack, such as 80 size, 88 size, etc., along with count requirements in paragraph (a)(5)(i) of this section.

  (iii) The size of nectarines loose-filled or tight-filled in any container shall be indicated according to the number of such nectarines when packed in molded forms in the No. 22D or No. 32 standard lug box in accordance with the requirements of standard pack, such 80 size, 88 size, etc.

  (iv) The size of nectarines, when packed in loose-filled or tight-filled containers, shall be marked in accordance with the following table 1 and table 2 which specify the tray-pack size designation in Column A with the corresponding maximum number of nectarines in a 16-pound sample of each size of the fruit in Column B: Provided, That the following procedure shall be used in determining whether nectarines meet the minimum size requirements specified for each size category in this section applying the 16-pound sample. A sample consisting of one-half of the specified number of fruit for a particular size category shall be used, provided such sample weighs at least eight pounds. When one-half the specified number of fruit in a sample results in a number ending with one-half a fruit, the smaller full number of fruit shall be used to determine the sample weight. If a sample fails with respect to minimum size requirements on the basis of an 8-pound sample, a 16-pound sample shall be used to determine if the fruit meets the minimum size requirements.

Table 1_Weight Count Standards for All Varieties of Nectarines Packed in Loose-Filled or Tight-Filled Containers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Column B_ Maximum number of nectarines in a 16-pound sample applicable to varieties specified in Column A_ Tray pack size designation paragraphs (a)(2)(ii), (a)(3)(ii), (a)(4)(ii), (a)(5)(ii), (a)(7)(ii), and (a)(8)(ii) of 916.356 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 108..................................................... 100 96...................................................... 90 88...................................................... 84 84...................................................... 78 80...................................................... 75 72...................................................... 68 70...................................................... 63 64...................................................... 57 60...................................................... 53 56...................................................... 48 54...................................................... 45 50...................................................... 42 48...................................................... 41 44...................................................... 36 42...................................................... 34 40...................................................... 32 36...................................................... 29 34...................................................... 27 32...................................................... 25 30...................................................... 23 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Table 2_Weight-Count Standards for All Varieties of Nectarines Packed in Loose-Filled or Tight-Filled Containers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Column B_ Maximum Number of nectarines in a 16-pound sample applicable to Column A_ Tray pack size designation varieties specified in paragraphs (a)(6)(ii) and (a)(9)(ii) of 916.356 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 108..................................................... 92 96...................................................... 87 88...................................................... 80 84...................................................... 76 80...................................................... 72 72...................................................... 65 70...................................................... 62 64...................................................... 56 60...................................................... 53 56...................................................... 47 54...................................................... 45 50...................................................... 42 48...................................................... 41 44...................................................... 36 42...................................................... 34 40...................................................... 32 36...................................................... 29 34...................................................... 27 32...................................................... 25 30...................................................... 23 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ (6) Each No. 22D standard lug box, No. 22G standard lug box, or No. 32 standard box of loose-filled nectarines shall bear on one outside end, in plain sight and in plain letters, the words 25 pounds net weight.

  (7) Each No. 22E standard lug box of loose-filled nectarines shall bear on one outside end, in plain sight and in plain letters, the words 35 pounds net weight.

  (8) Each five down Euro container of loose-filled nectarines shall bear on one outside end in plain sight and in plain letters the words 29 pounds net weight.

  (9) Each bulk bin container of loose-filled nectarines shall contain not less than 100 pounds net weight, and bear on one outside panel, in plain sight and in plain letters, the following information: (i) The name and address (including zip code) of the shipper.

  (ii) The net weight.

  (10) Each master container when filled with nectarines packed in consumer packages shall bear on one outside end in plain sight and in plain letters the following information: (i) The number of individual consumer packages, the net weight of each consumer package, and the size description of the contents: Provided, That when consumer packages of different sizes of nectarines are contained in a master container, the size description of the contents shall indicate the minimum size contained therein, using the terms Minimum size 60 and larger, or Minimum size 70 and larger, etc., as applicable.

  (ii) The name and address (including zip code) of the shipper.

  (11) Each individual consumer package shall bear the name and address, including the zip code, of the shipper and the net weight. When a consumer package is not in a master container, it must also bear the number of nectarines contained in the package, the name of the variety, if known, or if the variety is not known, the words Unknown Variety, and be marked as specified in paragraph (a)(3) of this section.

  (b) As used in this section, standard pack and fairly uniform in size shall have the same meaning as set forth in the U.S. Standards for Grade of Nectarines (Secs. 51.3145 to 51.3160) and all other terms shall have the same meaning as when used in the amended marketing agreement and order. A No. 12B standard fruit box measures 2 3/8 to 7 1/8 11 1/2 16 1/8 inches, a No. 22D standard lug box measures 2 7/8 to 7 1/8 13 1/2 16 1/8 inches, a No. 22E standard lug box measures 8 3/4 13 1/2 16 1/8 inches, a No. 22G standard lug box measures 7 3/8 to 7 1/2 13 1/4 15 7/8 inches, a No. 32 standard box measures 5 3/4 to 7 1/4 12 19 3/4 inches, a No. 35 standard box measures 3 1/2 to 7 15/16 15 9/16 to 15 13/16 23 1/4 to 23 3/4 inches, and a No. 36 standard box measures 5 to 6 1/2 13 1/4 17 1/4 inches. All dimensions are given in depth (inside dimensions) by width and by length (outside dimensions). Individual consumer packages means packages holding 15 pounds or less net weight of peaches.

Tree ripe means tree ripened and fruit shipped and marked as tree ripe, tree ripened, or any similar terms using the words tree and ripe must meet the minimum California Well Matured standards.

  (c) Each container of nectarines in plastic, 1219 3/4 inch reusable and recyclable containers shall meet and bear, on the container lid or on the outside end, all applicable marking requirements under the order.

  (d) During the period April 1 through October 31, 2005, each container or package when packed with nectarines meeting the CA Utility quality requirements, shall bear the words CA Utility, along with all other required container markings, in letters at least 3/8 inch in height on the visible display panel. Consumer bags or packages must also be clearly marked on the consumer bags or packages as CA Utility, along with all other required markings, in letters at least 3/8 inch in height.

[50 FR 39074, Sept. 27, 1985, as amended at 54 FR 27860, July 3, 1989; 55 FR 24221, June 15, 1990; 56 FR 40223, 40224, Aug. 14, 1991; 57 FR 20738, May 15, 1992; 59 FR 15838, Apr. 5, 1994; 59 FR 31120, June 17, 1994; 61 FR 13390, Mar. 27, 1996; 61 FR 31391, June 20, 1996; 63 FR 16039, Apr. 1, 1998; 64 FR 19031, Apr. 19, 1999; 65 FR 15212, Mar. 22, 2000; 67 FR 16294, Apr. 5, 2002; 68 FR 17264, Apr. 9, 2003; 68 FR 48255, Aug. 13, 2003; 69 FR 15649, Mar. 25, 2004; 69 FR 19756, Apr. 14, 2004; 70 FR 16389, Mar. 31, 2005]