Agriculture Department, Agricultural Marketing Service
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is seeking public comments concerning revisions to the United States Standards for Grades of Carcass Beef. This request for comments stems from an American Wagyu Association petition, which requested that AMS consider adding marbling degrees to the USDA Prime grade for beef to better characterize modern genetics, which are not always differentiated within the current marbling degrees. AMS is also soliciting public comment on whether to eliminate the skeletal maturity requirement for carcasses determined by dentition to be under 30 months of age. Scientific research and data on beef tenderness suggest that the skeletal maturity requirement could be eliminated.
Document Headings Document headings vary by document type but may contain the following: the agency or agencies that issued and signed a document the number of the CFR title and the number of each part the document amends, proposes to amend, or is directly related to the agency docket number / agency internal file number the RIN which identifies each regulatory action listed in the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions See the Document Drafting Handbook for more details. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Marketing Service [Doc. No. AMS-LP-25-0485] ( printed page 42172) AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice; request for comments. SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is seeking public comments concerning revisions to the United States Standards for Grades of Carcass Beef. This request for comments stems from an American Wagyu Association petition, which requested that AMS consider adding marbling degrees to the USDA Prime grade for beef to better characterize modern genetics, which are not always differentiated within the current marbling degrees. AMS is also soliciting public comment on whether to eliminate the skeletal maturity requirement for carcasses determined by dentition to be under 30 months of age. Scientific research and data on beef tenderness suggest that the skeletal maturity requirement could be eliminated. DATES: Submit comments on or before September 8, 2026. ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments electronically at https://www.regulations.gov or to Chad Nelson, USDA Service Center, AMS, Livestock and Poultry Program, 451 East Deere Street, West Point, NE 68788. All comments should reference docket number AMS-LP-25-0485, the date of submission, and the page number of this issue of the Federal Register . All comments received will be posted without change, including any personal information provided. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONT…
Citation: 91 FR 42172
