Oranges and Grapefruit Grown in Lower Rio Grande Valley in Texas; Relaxation of Container and Pack Requirements

The Department of Agriculture (USDA) is adopting, as a final rule, without change, an interim rule implementing a recommendation from the Texas Valley Citrus Committee (Committee) that relaxed the container and pack requirements prescribed under the marketing order for oranges and grapefruit grown in the Lower Rio Grande Valley in Texas (order). The Committee locally administers the order and is comprised of producers and handlers of Texas citrus operating within the area of production. The interim rule added the word "approximate" to the size specifications of three regulated containers to make the language consistent with other containers specified under the order. This change provides uniformity in the descriptions of containers and helps prevent potential compliance violations stemming from slight variations in container dimensions.