The USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has proposed to amend the U.S. Standards for Grades of Lemons. This amendment includes a definition for the term “seedless lemons” and would not be applied to affect grade, AMS says.
The proposed definition by AMS says that “when marked ‘seedless,’ a 100-count composite sample shall have not more than six fruit (or 6%) containing seeds (irrespective of number or development per fruit). Seeds would include fully developed and undeveloped seeds (or pips).”
AMS says it also proposes adding marking requirements for lemons that meet this seedless definition to help differentiate seedless lemons from lemons with seeds. AMS says these proposed marking requirements seek to provide buyers and consumers with clear information on the product being purchased and would not affect grade.
AMS’s proposed marketing requirement states that “when lots are marked ‘seedless,’ the term ‘seedless’ shall be legibly marked on at least 95% of the containers, including consumer units.”
Casey Creamer, president and CEO of California Citrus Mutual, says this is something the citrus industry pushed for, noting growers have put significant investments into growing seedless lemons. He says these revisions help to maintain a viable standard for seedless lemons in the future.
“The industry just felt strongly that we need to help set the marketplace for what the consumers can expect when they buy a seedless lemon, that they are truly getting no seeds or no seeds in their lemons,” he says. “This is an effort to protect the marketplace, which protects the growers that are making the investment in that it’s just a marketing standard.”
Creamer says USDA worked with the citrus industry to ensure this change worked for the industry.
This notice is published in the Federal Register and is open for comments for 60 days. Comments are due by Nov. 10.
