Onions Grown in South Texas; Change in Container Requirements

The Department of Agriculture (Department) is adopting, as a final rule, without change, the provisions of an interim final rule revising the container requirements for shipping onions to fresh processors under the South Texas onion marketing order. The marketing order regulates the handling of onions grown in South Texas and is administered locally by the South Texas Onion Committee (Committee). This rule continues to provide handlers additional marketing flexibility by allowing them to ship onions for peeling, chopping, and slicing in bulk trailer loads, 48-inch deep bulk bins, and tote bags. These changes allow the South Texas onion industry to better meet the needs of fresh processors and allow the industry to compete with other suppliers of onions for fresh processing.