Minimum standards for natural condition olives. (1) Except as otherwise provided in this section, no handler shall process any lot of natural condition olives for use in the production of packaged olives which has not first been:

Weighed on scales sealed by the State of California Department of Weights and Measures, an official certified weight certificate issued thereon, and a copy of such certificate furnished to the Federal or Federal-State Inspection Service and the committee; and

Size-graded, either by sample or by lot, under the supervision of any such inspection service and classified into separate size designations and a certification issued with respect thereto by such inspection service. Such size designations shall be in accordance with those set forth in the U.S. Standards for Grades of Canned Ripe Olives (7 CFR part 52) or subsequent amendments thereto, or such sizes as may be recommended by the committee and established by the Secretary: Provided, That, for the purpose of this part, the size designations in said standards shall be deemed to include the following additional size designations.

Each handler may satisfy the incoming and outgoing size requirements for any lot of olives under the conditions set forth in subdivisions (i), (ii), and (iii) of this paragraph: Provided, That any such lot shall be kept intact under surveillance by the inspection services:

When the Secretary authorizes use of limited size olives for limited use styles during any crop year, any lot of limited use size olives may be used in the production of packaged olives for limited use styles without an outgoing inspection if such olives are within the following average count range for that variety group, and meet such further size requirements as recommended by the committee with the approval of the Secretary:

When limited use size olives are not authorized for limited use styles during any crop year, any lot of the minimum canning size olives may be used in the production of packaged olives for limited use styles without an outgoing inspection for size if such olives are within the following average count range for that variety group, and meet such further size requirements as recommended by the committee with approval of the Secretary:

The committee may recommend, subject to approval by the Secretary, size certification procedures for olives used in the production of canned whole or pitted styles of olives: Provided, That if size certification for canned whole or pitted styles is implemented, marketing order sizes shall be adopted and size requirements in the U.S. Grade Standards shall not apply. Size certification of such styles shall be applicable to any or all sizes of olives recommended by the committee and approved by the Secretary pursuant to § 932.52(a)(2). Size certification procedures recommended to the Secretary may include but are not limited to the establishment of average count ranges, acceptable count ranges, and approximate counts (midpoints) for each variety or variety group.

Each handler shall, under the supervision of any such inspection service, dispose of into noncanning use an aggregate quantity of olives, comparable in size and characteristics and equal to the quantities shown on the certification for each lot to be:

Variety Group 1 olives, except the Ascolano, Barouni, and St. Agostino varieties, of a size which individually weigh less than 1/90 pound;

Variety Group 1 olives of the Ascolano, Barouni, and St. Agostino varieties of a size which individually weigh less than 1/140 pound;

Variety Group 2 olives, except the Obliza variety, of a size which individually weigh less than 1/180 pound;

Variety Group 2 olives of the Obliza variety of a size which individually weigh less than 1/140 pound;

Such other sizes for the foregoing variety groups as are not authorized for limited use pursuant to § 932.52; and

Olives classified as culls.

Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (a)(3) of this section, a handler may (i) meet any deficit in such handler's undersize obligation in one variety by disposing of, under supervision of the inspection service, as other than canned ripe olives, an equal quantity of undersize olives, of any other variety, or by so disposing of an equal quantity of olives of that or any other variety of sizes larger than undersize of a quality better than culls, and (ii) meet any deficit in such handler's cull obligation in one variety by so disposing of an equal quantity of cull olives of any other variety, or by so disposing of an equal quantity of olives of any variety of sizes larger than undersize of a quality better than culls.

Each handler shall hold at all times a quantity of olives equal to the quantities required in paragraph (a)(3) of this section, less any quantity previously disposed of as specified in such subparagraph.

Whenever a handler receives a lot of natural condition olives, or makes a separation resulting in a sublot, solely for use in the production of green olives or canned ripe olives of the “tree-ripened” type, he may handle such lot or sublot without regard to the provisions of this section and § 932.52 only if (1) he notifies the committee upon receiving such a lot or making such a separation; (2) the identity of all such lots and sublots of olives is maintained by keeping them separate and apart from other olives he receives; (3) the packaged olives produced from such lots and sublots after processing are canned ripe olives of the “tree-ripened” type or green olives; and (4) there are no outgoing regulations pursuant to § 932.52 then applicable to packaged olives that are canned ripe olives of the “tree-ripened” type or green olives.

1. At 56 FR 49669, Oct. 1, 1991, in § 932.51, paragraphs (a)(3) (i), (ii), (iii), (iv) and the words “for the foregoing variety groups” in paragraph (a)(3)(v) were suspended indefinitely.

2. At 81 FR 46569, July 18, 2016, in § 932.51 paragraphs (a)(1)(ii) through (a)(5) were suspended indefinitely.