Cleaning and Reinspection of Farmers Stock Peanuts

This rule amends regulations for the peanut price support program to, pending comment, ease conditions for marketing Segregation 3 peanuts by allowing the peanuts to be reconditioned and regraded in certain limited instances. Peanuts are graded as ``Segregation 3'' peanuts when they are found by visual inspection to have Aspergillus flavus (A. flavus) mold. This rule would allow a farmer whose peanuts were found at a buying point inspection to have the mold to reclean those peanuts at the buying point and have them visually reinspected within 24 hours. The farmer could obtain such a re-inspection only once for any given lot. This rule follows litigation in which all segments of the industry were involved and buying point inspection procedures were at issue. This rule is issued as an interim rule to allow relief with respect to the upcoming crop (the 1998 crop) which should come to market shortly. However, comments on all inspection options related to the price support program for peanuts are solicited and should be offered by all interested parties.