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Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Grading Services
Thanks to the highly efficient marketing system in the United States, fruits and vegetables can be grown where climate, soil, and geography are most suitable and delivered fresh and wholesome to consumers thousands of miles away.
If you're part of this far-flung system—a grower, shipper, processor, or receiver— or if you're an institutional feeder, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s official grading services can play a vital role in the smooth functioning of your business.
For sellers, there is assurance that prod- ucts meet specific grade or contract requirements; for buyers, assurance that they are getting the quality they expect, regardless of whether the shipper is across town or across the country.
Grade Standards
As the basis for the grading services, USDA has developed official grade stan- dards for fresh fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, peanuts, and related commodities. The grade standards describe the quality requirements for each grade of a com- modity, giving the industry a common language for selling and buying.
USDA has established a policy to gradu- ally phase in four uniform grade names— U.S. Fancy, U.S. No. 1, U.S. No. 2, and U.S. No. 3—to represent available levels of quality. Although the number of grades included in a standard may vary, two or three are usually enough to meet normal trading demands for most fruits and vegetables.
If your request for official grading is based on U.S. grade standards, the offi- cial certificate covering your shipment will show which USDA grade the product meets. If there are no U.S. grade stan- dards for your product, or if you request
a quality or condition inspection based on a State grade or your own specifica- tions, USDA graders can certify the product’s quality or condition on that basis. These certificates are accepted as legal evidence in all Federal courts and in nearly all State courts.
Grading Services
The grading services are divided into two main categories—shipping point grading and terminal market grading. The bulk of grading is conducted at shipping point as the produce is being packed for shipment to market. A ship- ment of produce also may be graded at its destination to determine its current grade, either for the receiver's use in handling the lot or to settle questions which may arise between shipper and receiver.
To provide grading service nationwide, USDA maintains cooperative grading agreements with State Departments of Agriculture and other State agencies. Agreements are now in force in 48 States and Puerto Rico.
The grading service performed under these agreements is operated jointly by USDA's Food Safety and Quality Service (FSQS) and cooperating State agencies, and is known as the Federal-State Grad- ing Service. FSQS establishes basic grading policies and procedures and fur- nishes overall direction.
Under these Federal-State agreements, Federally-licensed graders perform their work throughout the country at points of origin. Often, these shipping point graders work in the fields while a crop is being harvested.
USDA grader inspects grapes at shipping point.
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In addition, Federal grading service is provided in 75 of the largest terminal markets in the country, with assistance from the cooperating State agencies in certain of these markets.
All grading is voluntary except in those areas where producers have adopted Federal or State marketing orders which establish minimum quality standards.
For Shippers
Shippers of fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, and related products can have their produce graded for quality and condition at shipping point. This establishes the quality of the commodities at time of shipment, for sales purposes or for veri- fying compliance with contract terms. The Federal-State Grading Service main- tains seasonal or year-round offices in all major shipping areas.
Far left: Terminal market grading of cherries.
Left: Pressure testing determines the stage of ripeness in apples. 5
The pulp temperature of lettuce is taken as part of the grading process.
For Receivers
Receivers in terminal markets through- out the country can have shipments of produce graded for both quality and con- dition or for condition only. Many receivers use the grading service to determine whether or not a shipment meets contract terms at time of arrival, to help them decide the best use for a particular shipment, or as an aid in sell- ing. Grading service on any shipment is available to anyone with a financial inter- est in the commodity.
Receivers, aS a group, or as individuals, may enter into a special contract with USDA to have their entire volume of rail car and trucklot receipts graded. This special contract service will be granted only when the anticipated volume is large enough to cover grading costs and when sufficient grading staff is available.
For Institutional Buyers and Government Agencies
Federal, State, and local governments, airlines, hospitals, schools, hotels, and other large feeding establishments make extensive use of the Federal and Federal- State Grading Services.
The grading service will help institutional buyers draw up specifications—using U.S. grade standards wherever appropri- ate—to describe the quality of produce they need, and then inspect deliveries to assure that they fit the specifications. In the contract with suppliers, buyers can specify that all purchases must be certi- fied by USDA.
USDA grader checks the quality of tomatoes before truck is unloaded.
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For Processors
Processors can contract with the Federal-State Grading Service for inspection of raw commodity deliveries. Trained graders will then be stationed at the processor's receiving stations to evaluate the produce as it is delivered— either on the basis of U.S. grade stan- dards or on specifications designed to fit the processor's particular needs. The official grading certificate can be used as an equitable basis for grower pay- ments. Many processors also find the grading reports useful in determining the storage life of the produce, adjusting their processing to varying qualities and conditions, and deciding the best use for particular lots of product.
Continuous Inspection
A special type of service, known as con- tinuous inspection, is also available to packers at shipping points and in termi- nal markets.
Pear ripeness is checked by manual pressure.
Continuous inspection means that one or more graders are assigned to your pack- ing plant during the full time packing is conducted. The grader observes plant conditions and preparation and packing of the product. Graders make frequent quality checks on the commodity from the packing lines and examine samples of the packed products to determine whether they meet the U.S. grade or specification for which the commodity is being packed.
Under this service the grader also gives the packinghouse management oral and written reports on the quality and condi- tion of the commodities being packed. On the basis of these reports, manage- ment can take immediate steps to cor- rect problems before they become serious and thus protect the quality of the pack.
This service is offered only to packers whose packing plants and facilities meet rigid sanitary requirements and are suitable for proper handling and packing operation. To receive this service, the
plant and facilities must first be inspected by specially qualified USDA or Federal-State graders to determine com- pliance.
Quality Control Aids
USDA has developed a number of visual aids, color standards, and guides to assure that the grade standards mean the same thing in all parts of the country.
Among the aids used to guide graders in rating quality factors are handpainted plaster models depicting shape, color, and types of defects; special plastic and glass color comparators; color photo- graphs, sketches, and booklets and charts illustrating types of defects and other factors.
Recently USDA initiated a program in which some visual aid materials are being made available for sale to the public. You can get details on available aids and the firms who manufacture them from the grading office nearest you.
Grapes are sized as part of the grading process. 9
How To Obtain Official Grading
For further information on grading services, contact Fruit and Vegetable Quality Division, Food Safety and Quality Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. 20250, or the appropri- ate Federal or Federal-State Grading Service office nearest you. The principal offices are listed below.
Federal Grading Offices at Terminal Markets
Contact the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Fresh Fruit and Vege- table Grading, at terminal market where you want inspection
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Albany, NY 12235 State Campus Bldg. No. 8
Asheville, NC 28806 570 Brevard Road
Atlanta, GA 30050 Administration Bldg. Room 205
State Farmers Market Forest Park, GA
Augusta, ME 04330 State Office Bldg.
Baltimore, MD Maryland Wholesale Produce Market
Bldg. B. Unit 13 Jessup, MD 20794
Baton Rouge, LA 70804 12055 Airline Highway Post Office Box 44184 Capitol Station
Belle Glade, FL 33430 U.S. Highway 441 North
Birmingham, AL 35203 726 Second Ave., North
Boston, MA 02149 Boston Market Terminal Room 1
34 Market Street Everett, MA 02149
Buffalo, NY 14206 176 Niagara Frontier Food Terminal, Room 8
Caribou, ME 04736 251 Main St.
Charlotte, NC 28203 2201 Park Road
Charleston, W. VA 25334 Charleston Farmers Market
Chicago, IL 60607 610 S. Canal Street Room 1160
Cincinnati, OH 45202 Federal Office Bldg. Room 3034
550 Main Street
Cleveland, OH 44115 3800 Woodland Ave.
Columbia, SC 29201 Administration Bldg. State Farmers Market
Columbus, OH 42315 710 State Office Bldg.
Dallas, TX 75201 910 S. Pearl Expressway Room 214
Denver, CO 80203 1525 Sherman St. Room 406
Detroit, MI 48209 Detroit Union Produce Terminal, Room 82 7201 West Fort Street
Dover, DE 19901 State of Delaware Dept. of Agriculture South Dupont Highway
El Paso, TX 79901 724 E. Overland
Grand Rapids, MI 49426 5551 Marlin Avenue Hudsonville, MI
Harrisburg, PA 17120 2301 N. Cameron St. Room 312
Hartford, CT 06115 State Office Bldg. Room G-3
Honolulu, HI 96814 1428 S. King Street
Houston, TX 77023 3100 Produce Row, Room 14
Indianapolis, IN 46218 Terminal Office Bldg. Rooms 4&5
4101 Massachusetts Ave.
Jacksonville, FL 32205 3333 Edgewood Ave., N. Unit 46
Kansas City, MO 64106 U.S. Court House, Rm. 123 811 Grand Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90021 784 S. Central Ave., Room 266
Louisville, KY 40218 No. 1 Produce Terminal
Memphis, TN 38103 Federal Office Bldg., Room 444
167 N. Main Street
Miami, FL 33136 1350 N.W., 12th Ave. Room 530
Mobile, AL 36601 Grain Inspection Office Alabama State Docks
Monett, MO 65708 8th and Broadway
Montgomery, AL 36109 Richard Beard Bldg. Room 200
1445 Federal Drive
Nashville, TN 37204 Ellington Agri. Center Hogan Road
Newark, NJ 07102 Room 839, Federal Bldg. 970 Broad Street
New Orleans, LA 70113 5027 U.S. Postal Service Bldg.
701 Loyola Ave.
New York, NY 10474 28-A Hunts Point Market Bronx, NY 10474
Norfolk, VA 23502 3661 Virginia Beach Blvd. Room 115
Oklahoma City, OK 73105 122 State Capitol Bldg.
Philadelphia, PA 19148 293 Produce Bldg. 3301 S. Galloway St.
Phoenix, AZ 85061 2901 W. Fairmount Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15222 832-A Federal Bldg. 1000 Liberty Ave.
Portland, OR 97214 606 S.E. 9th Street
Providence, RI 02903 Veterans Memorial Bldg. Room 204
83 Park Street
Raleigh, NC 27611 350 State Agriculture Bldg.
Richmond, VA 23219 203 N. Governor St., Room 328
Riverhead, NY 11901 127 East Main St.
Roanoke, VA 24012 5223 Williamston Road, N.E.
Rochester, NY 14623 Genesee Valley Regional Market 900 Jefferson Rd.
Sacramento, CA 95814 1220 “‘N”’ St., Room A-262
St. Louis, MO 63102 Unit 1 Produce Row, Room 202
St. Paul, MN 55155 670 State Office Bldg.
Salt Lake City, UT 84114 Laboratory Bldg. State Capitol
San Antonio, TX 78207 244 Administration Bldg. 1500 S. Zarzamora St.
San Francisco, CA 94111 739 Appraisers Bldg. 630 Sansome Street
San Juan, PR 00623 Army Terminal Pier Cantano, PR
Savannah, GA 31408 State Farmers Markets
Seattle, WA 98108 5507 Sixth Ave., S.
Shreveport, LA 71101 State Office Bldg. Room 313
1237 Murphy Street
Springfield, IL 62706 Emmerson Bldg. State Fairgrounds
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Syracuse, NY 13208 2100 Park Street Room 206-207
Tampa, FL 33680
Tampa Wholesale Produce Market
Room 58
28th St. &E
Hillsborough Ave.
Trenton, NJ 08625
New Jersey Dept. of Agriculture Division of Regulatory Service John Fitch Plaza
Washington, DC 20250
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Fruit and Vegetable Quality
Division—Food Safety and Quality Service
Wilkes-Barre, PA 18701
Penn Place, Room 2203 20 N. Pennsylvania Ave.
Youngstown, OH 44503 9 West Front Street Room 223
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Headquarters For Federal-State Inspection Service*
Alabama
Richard Beard Bldg. Room 200
1445 Federal Drive Montgomery, AL 36109
Arizona 2901 W. Fairmount Ave. Phoenix, AZ 85061
Arkansas 122 State Capitol Bldg. Oklahoma City, OK 73105
California
1220 ‘‘N’”’ Street
Room A-262 Sacramento, CA 95814
Colorado
1525 Sherman Street Room 406
Denver, CO 80203
*Local offices are maintained in major shipping areas. Check your
local telephone directory under
Federal-State or State department
of agriculture.
Connecticut
State Office Bldg. Room G-3 Hartford, CT 06115
Delaware
State of Delaware Department of Agriculture South Dupont Highway Dover, DE 19901
Florida
Florida Citrus Bldg.
550 Third Street, NW Winter Haven, FL 33880
Georgia
Florida Citrus Bldg.
550 Third Street, NW Winter Haven, FL 33880
Hawaii 1428 South King Street Honolulu, HA 96814
Idaho
4696 Overland Road Suite 576
Boise, ID 83705
Illinois
610 South Canal Street room 1160
Chicago, IL 60607
Indiana
Terminal Office Bldg. rooms 4&5
4101 Massachusetts Ave. Indianapolis, IN 46218
lowa 670 State Office Bldg. St. Paul, MN 55155
Kansas 122 State Capitol Bldg. Oklahoma City, OK 73105
Kentucky No. 1 Produce Terminal Louisville, KY 40218
Louisiana
12055 Airline Highway P.O. Box 44184
Capital Station
Baton Rouge, LA 70804
Maine 251 Main Street Caribou, ME 04736
Maryland
State of Delaware Department of Agriculture South Dupont Highway Dover, DE 19901
Massachusetts Boston Market Terminal Room 1
34 Market Street Everett, MA 02149
Michigan
Lewis Cass Bldg.
300 South Walnut Lansing, MI 48901
Minnesota
670 State Office Bldg. St. Paul, MN 55155 Mississippi
12055 Airline Highway P.O. Box 44184
Capital Station
Baton Rouge, LA 70804
Missouri 122 State Capitol Bldg.
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
Montana
4696 Overland Road Suite 576
Boise, ID 83705
Nevada
Laboratory Bldg.
State Capitol
Salt Lake City, UT 84114
New Hampshire Boston Market Terminal Room 1
34 Market Street Everett, MA 02149
New York
Div. of Farm Prod. Serv. Depart. of Agri. & Mdts. State Campus Bldg. No. 8 Albany, NY 12235
New Jersey
Room 293 Produce Bldg. 3301 S. Galloway Street Philadelphia, PA 19148
New Mexico
1301 West Expressway Ave.
Alamo, TX 78516
North Carolina 901 East Boulevard Williamston, NC 27892
North Dakota 670 State Office Bldg. St. Paul, MN 55155
Ohio
710 State Office Bldg. 550 Main Street Columbus, OH 42315
Oklahoma 122 State Capitol Bldg. Oklahoma City, OK 73105
Oregon Agriculture Bldg. Room 109 Salem, OR 97310
Pennsylvania 2301 North Cameron Street Harrisburg, PA 17120
Puerto Rico Army Terminal Pier Catano, PR 00623
Rhode Island
Veterans Memorial Bldg. Room 204
83 Park Street Providence, RI 02903
South Carolina Administration Bldg. State Farmers Market Columbia, SC 29201
South Dakota 670 State Office Bldg. St. Paul, MN 55155
Tennessee
Ellington Agri. Center Hogan Road Nashville, TN 37204
Texas 1301 West Expressway Ave. Alamo, TX 78516
Utah
Laboratory Bldg.
State Capitol
Salt Lake City, UT 84114
Vermont
Boston Market Terminal Room 1
34 Market Street Everett, MA 02149 Virginia
U.S. Dept. of Agriculture FSQS
Fruit & Veg. Quality Div. Washington, DC 20250
Washington General Admin. Bldg. Room 418
Olympia, WA 98504
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West Virginia U.S. Dept. of Agri. FSQS
Fruit & Veg. Quality Div.
Washington, DC 20250
Wisconsin
610 South Canal Street Room 1160
Chicago, IL 60607 Wyoming
1525 Sherman Street Room 406
Denver, CO 80203
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The Food Safety and Quality Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, offers its pro- grams to all eligible persons regardless of race, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, or handicap.
This publication supersedes AMS-520, ‘‘Official
Grade Standards and Inspection for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables.”
July 1980