WSR 97-05-054
PERMANENT RULES
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
[Order 6015--Filed February 19, 1997, 8:35 a.m.]
Date of Adoption: February 17, 1997.
Purpose: Improve the marketing of fresh asparagus by upgrading the Washington consumer pack grade standards.
Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Amending chapter 16-409 WAC.
Statutory Authority for Adoption: Chapter 15.17 RCW, Standards of grades and packs.
Adopted under notice filed as WSR 97-02-098 on January 2, 1997.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, amended 1, repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's own Initiative: New 0, amended 1, repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, amended 1, repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, amended 1, repealed 0.
Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing.
February 17, 1997
Jim Jesernig
Director
AMENDATORY SECTION (Amending Order 6008, filed 12/17/96, effective
1/17/97)
WAC 16-409-020 Washington standards--Grades. (1) Washington extra fancy shall consist of:
(a) Clean, fresh stalks of asparagus, fairly uniform in length, well trimmed, fairly straight, not wilted, and which are free from decay and damage caused by spreading or broken tips, dirt, disease, insects, or mechanical or other means. Stalks shall have at least eighty-five percent green color.
(b) Stalks within individual containers shall meet one of the following designated sizes: Jumbo, large, or standard.
(2) Washington extra fancy tips shall consist of:
(a) Clean, fresh stalks of asparagus, fairly uniform in length, well trimmed, fairly straight, not wilted, and which are free from decay and damage caused by spreading or broken tips, dirt, disease, insects, or mechanical or other means. Stalks shall be all green.
(b) Stalks within the individual containers shall meet one of the following designated sizes: Jumbo, large, standard, or small.
(3) Washington fancy shall consist of:
(a) Clean, fresh stalks of asparagus, fairly uniform in length, fairly well trimmed, not wilted and not badly misshapen, and which are free from decay and serious damage caused by spreading or broken tips, dirt, disease, insects, mechanical or other means. Stalks shall have at least eighty-five percent green color.
(b) Each stalk shall have a diameter of not less than four-sixteenths inch.
(4) Washington consumer pack shall consist of:
(a) Clean, fresh stalks of asparagus ((and may be of random
length)), fairly uniform in length, fairly well trimmed, which are fairly
straight, not wilted and which are free from decay and damage caused by
spreading or broken tips, dirt, disease, insects, mechanical or other
means. Stalks shall ((show not more than one and one-half inches of
white)) have at least eighty-five percent green color.
(b) Each stalk shall have a diameter of not less than four-sixteenths inch.
(5) Culls.
(a) Asparagus which is not graded in conformity with Washington extra fancy, Washington extra fancy tips, Washington fancy, Washington consumer pack, or U.S. No. 1, or U.S. No. 2 shall be designated as "culls."
(b) Culls shall not be marketed if more than ten percent by count of the stalks show white in excess of two inches.
(6) Any lot of fresh asparagus, including "culls" marketed within
the state of Washington, shall have not more than ten percent of stalks
with white in excess of two inches, nor more than ten percent of stalks
which are less than four-sixteenths inch in diameter.
[Statutory Authority: Chapter 15.17 RCW. 97-01-081 (Order 6008), 16-409-020, filed 12/17/96, effective 1/17/97; 85-07-028 (Order 1848), 16-409-020, filed 3/15/85; 83-06-049 (Order 1787), 16-409-020, filed 3/1/83; Order 795, Regulation 2(1), (2), effective 2/16/60.]