Bureau of Farm Products 



James M. Cassidy, Chief 



With the retirement of key field personnel and the 

 resulting need to train new inspectors to accom- 

 modate its many services, the Bureau of Farm Products 

 underwent some major changes in 1988. 



The Bureau of Farm Products administers a diver- 

 sified quality-control program for farm products, includ- 

 ing the Federal-State Fruit and Vegetable Shipping Point 

 Inspection Service. It also enforces truth-in-labeling laws 

 for feed, seed, fertilizer and limestone, regulates certain 

 produce-branding labeling and storage laws, and collects 

 more than $100,000 annually in product registration and 

 inspection fees. In addition, the Bureau publishes a week- 

 ly wholesale Apple Report Hsting market prices and 

 storage-holding information. 



Because of the complexity of the various regulated 

 products, the Bureau's new inspectors were selected with 

 a great deal of thought regarding their ability to be trained 

 and to perform effectively in this inspectional field. 



Our young field staff is now fully trained and licensed 

 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which allows 

 them to issue federal certificates attesting to the quality, 

 condition and grade of Massachusetts produce ship- 

 ments. 



In addition, the inspectors analyze and test control- 

 led-atmosphere apple storage rooms; sjunple feed, seed 

 and fertilizer for testing at the West Experiment Station 

 at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst; inspect 

 and regulate produce at wholesale markets, retail store 

 and farm stands for conformance to certain labeling and 

 branding laws; keep accurate records of such transac- 

 tions; and perform other related duties as required by the 

 Bureau. 



1988 also brought a remarkable improvement in the 

 facilities and testing equipment at the West Experiment 

 Station. Ail of our feed, seed and fertilizer samples are 

 analyzed at this station for conformance with the label. 



A new computer program designed to sort out the 

 various grades and blends of fertilizer used on Mas- 

 sachusetts soils was introduced during this year. The 

 Uniform Fertilizer Tonnage Reporting System (UFTRS) 

 was developed by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) 

 and the entire program package was donated by TVA to 

 the Bureau so that tonnage reports would become more 

 accurate. During this year 90,495 tons of fertilizer was 

 applied to our soils. 



Fruit & Vegetable Inspection 



Demand for our inspection services again was 

 weighted heavily toward export apples, primarily those 

 shipped to the United Kingdom and Canada. Apples also 

 were inspected for shipment to California, where demand 

 has been increasing steadily. All totalled, more than 

 126,000 bushels of Massachusetts apples carried federal- 

 state inspection certificates for export. 



The export apple inspections are of major impor- 

 tance, primarily because of the demand for controlled-at- 

 mosphere stored apples, including our valuable Mcintosh 

 variety and quaUty packs. Mcintosh apples cannot be 

 grown successfully in European countries. The control- 

 led-atmosphere method of storing apples greatly 

 lengthens the marketing season, allowing shipment of 

 apples in good condition well into June. 



Inspection certificates also are issued for potatoes and 

 onions in the Connecticut Valley, and for cranberries on 

 Cape Cod. 



Feed Program 



Some 2,975 labels of animal feed, pet food and medi- 

 cated feed ingredients were reviewed and registered 

 during the year. Samples of products offered for sale 

 were drawn and tested at the West Experiment Station. 



Fertilizer Program 



A total of 1220 labels of fertilizer were reviewed and 

 registered. Tonnage taxes were assessed and collected 

 semi-annually. Assessment penalties in shortage of 

 guarantee level were levied, with fines collected turned 

 back to farmers or submitted to the state Treasury. 



Seed Program 



Bureau inspectors tested 715 official samples of 

 seed,crop seed, vegetables, lawn mixtures, flower tree and 

 shrub seed, etc., for truth in labeling. Stop-sale orders 

 were issued on violations, involving seed packages. Seed 

 was removed if it showed poor germination, noxious 

 weeds, or other unfit characteristics. Violations were sent 

 to the USDA Seed Branch for further action. 



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