Regulations last checked for updates: Nov 25, 2024

Title 7 - Agriculture last revised: Nov 20, 2024
§ 905.306 - Orange, Grapefruit, Tangerine and Tangelo Regulation.

(a) No handler shall ship between the production area and any point outside thereof, in the 48 contiguous States and the District of Columbia of the United States, any variety of fruit listed in column (1) of Table I, except for Ambersweet and Temple, unless such variety meets the applicable minimum grade and size (with tolerances for size as specified in paragraph (c) of this section) specified for such variety in columns (2) and (3) of Table I: Provided, That all grapefruit meet the minimum maturity requirements specified in paragraph (e) of this section.

Table I

Variety Regulation period Minimum grade Minimum
diameter
(inches)
(1)(2)(3)(4)
Oranges
Early and midseasonU.S. No. 12 4/16
NavelU.S. No. 12 4/16
Valencia and other late typeSeptember 1-May 14
May 15-June 14
U.S. No. 1
U.S. No. 1 Golden
2 4/16
2 4/16
June 15-August 31U.S. No. 2, External/U.S. No. 1, Internal2 4/16
Grapefruit, SeedlessU.S. No. 13
Tangerines:
FallgloU.S. No. 12 6/16
HoneyFlorida No. 12 6/16
SunburstU.S. No. 12 6/16
TangelosU.S. No. 12 8/16

(b) No handler shall ship to any destination outside the 48 contiguous States and the District of Columbia of the United States any variety of fruit listed in column (1) of Table II, except for Ambersweet and Temple, unless such variety meets the applicable minimum grade and size (with tolerances for size as specified in paragraph (c) of this section) specified for such variety in columns (2) and (3) of Table II: Provided, That all grapefruit meet the minimum maturity requirements specified in paragraph (e) of this section.

Table II

Variety Minimum grade Minimum
diameter
(inches)
(1)(2)(3)
OrangesU.S. No. 12 4/16
NavelsU.S. No. 1 Golden2 4/16
Grapefruit, SeedlessU.S. No. 13
Tangerines:
FallgloU.S. No. 12 6/16
HoneyFlorida No. 12 6/16
SunburstU.S. No. 12 6/16
TangelosU.S. No. 12 8/16

(c) Size tolerances. To allow for variations incident to proper sizing in the determination of minimum diameters as prescribed in Tables I and II, not more than 10 percent, by count, of the fruit in any lot of containers may fail to meet the minimum diameter size requirements, and not more than 15 percent, by count, in any individual sample may fail to meet the minimum diameter size requirements specified: Provided, That such tolerances for other than Navel and Temple oranges shall be based only on the oranges in the lot measuring 2 14/16 inches or smaller in diameter.

(d) Terms used in the marketing order including Improved No. 2 grade for grapefruit, when used herein, mean the same as is given to the terms in the order; Florida No. 1 grade for Honey tangerines means the same as provided in Rule No. 20-35.03 of the Regulations of the Florida Department of Citrus, and terms relating to grade, except Improved No. 2 grade for grapefruit and diameter, shall mean the same as is given to the terms in the revised U. S. Standards for Grades of Florida Oranges and Tangelos (7 CFR 51.1140 through 51.1179), the revised U. S. Standards for Florida Tangerines (7 CFR 51.1810 through 51.1837), or the revised U. S. Standards for Grades of Florida Grapefruit (7 CFR 51.750 through 51.784).

(e)(1) All grapefruit shipped under the order shall meet minimum maturity requirements of 8.0 percent soluble solids (sugars) and 7.5 to 1 solids to acid ratio or shall comply with one of the alternate equivalent soluble solids and solids to acid ratio combinations set forth in Table III: Provided, That the minimum ratio shall not drop below 7.2 even if the soluble solids (sugars) reaches a level higher than 9.6.

(2) Notwithstanding the provision of paragraph (e)(1) of this section, for the period December 23, 2004 to July 31, 2005, all grapefruit shipped under the order shall meet minimum maturity requirements of 7.5 percent soluble solids (sugars) and 7.5 to 1 solids to acid ratio or shall comply with one of the alternate equivalent soluble solids and solids to acid ratio combinations set forth in Table III: Provided, That the minimum ratio shall not drop below 7.2 even if the soluble solids (sugars) reaches a level higher than 9.6.

Table III

Minimum total solids (sugars), % Solids to acid minimum ratio
8.0 to (not including) 9.17.50 to 1
9.1 to (not including) 9.27.45 to 1
9.2 to (not including) 9.37.40 to 1
9.3 to (not including) 9.47.35 to 1
9.4 to (not including) 9.57.30 to 1
9.5 to (not including) 9.67.25 to 1
9.6 and greater7.20 to 1
[46 FR 60171, Dec. 8, 1981] Editorial Note:For Federal Register citations affecting § 905.306, see the List of CFR Sections Affected, which appears in the Finding Aids section of the printed volume and at www.govinfo.gov.
§ 905.350 - [Reserved]
authority: 7 U.S.C. 601-674.
cite as: 7 CFR 905.306