An official website of the State of Maryland.

Maryland.gov Translate

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Maryland Department of Agriculture

Commodity Grading Services

About Commodity Grading Services

The Grading Services Section provides grading and official certification of the quality, size, weight, and/or the production or processing practices of agricultural commodities. Grading is the evaluation of an agricultural commodity for compliance with official standards. Certification is the official documentation of the grading evaluation and the identification of the graded commodity with an official grademark or seal. MDA inspectors representatively sample eggs, poultry, meat, fruit, vegetables and grain for producers and processors.  Product that meets the required standards is labeled with an official grademark or seal. The section also conducts audits to determine a producer or processors compliance with standards for animal husbandry, food security, HACCP, processing plant sanitation, good agricultural practices and good handling practices.

Grading standards & staff qualifications

The Grading Services Section uses both U.S. Department of Agriculture and State of Maryland grading standards depending on the type of certification requested by the producer or processor. Maryland Department of Agriculture inspectors are licensed by USDA to perform poultry, egg, meat, fruit and vegetable certification and have received USDA training in the USDA standards for grain. MDA employees conducting audits have successfully completed ISO 9000 Lead Auditor training. Any product certified to USDA standards is identified with the USDA shield. The standards used are the same as those used by USDA graders throughout the United States providing for a common language concerning product quality nationwide. Product certified to state standards is identified by the State of Maryland seal.

Contact & program funding

Consumers purchasing officially graded agricultural commodities can be assured the product meets the standards indicated on the label. Anyone with questions about standards or who wishes to request service should contact the Maryland Department of Agriculture at (410) 841-5769 (Annapolis) or (410) 543 6630 (Salisbury).

The services provided by this section are funded entirely by fees charged to the processors or producers using the service.​​​

Fruit & vegetable grading/certification

MDA's Food Quality Assurance Program administers the fruit and vegetable grading program through a State Trust Fund Agreement with the USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service. MDA employees are licensed by USDA/AMS and perform both shipping point and destination market inspections to certify the grade of fruits and vegetables throughout Maryland. The program is funded by fees charged to users either on a full time contract basis or an as needed fee basis. In some cases, fees established by USDA/AMS apply to destination market inspections. 

USDA grade standards

​Eighty five fresh fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, peanuts and related commodities can be traded on a uniform basis coast to coast and overseas, by buyers and sellers who use official USDA grade standards.  The 158 USDA grade standards for these commodities can be found on the USDA website.​ Official grading is voluntary unless it is required by a marketing order, marketing agreement, export/import requirements or the buyer.  Producers may sell and ship uninspected produce labeled with a U.S. grade but the product is required to meet the grade standards and can be subject to an official inspection requested by the buyer.

Inspections

Shipping point inspections are conducted by MDA federally licensed graders to establish the quality and condition of produce. Producers and shippers voluntarily use this service to lessen rejections and establish a fair basis for settling disputes concerning grade, condition, pack, etc.  Shipping point inspections are also conducted by MDA staff to meet export and USDA commodity purchase requirements.

Destination market inspections are requested by receivers of fruits and vegetables such as wholesalers, retailers, institutional buyers and government agencies.  These inspections can be requested for grade and/or condition when the receiver wants to verify the product meets specifications. These inspections are frequently used to mediate disputes between buyers and sellers. MDA offers destination market inspections out of Salisbury and Hagerstown. USDA offers this service out of the Jessup market.

Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA)

The Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA) fosters trading practices in the marketing of fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables in interstate and foreign commerce. It prohibits unfair and fraudulent practices and provides a means of enforcing contracts.  Official certificates issued by MDA staff documenting grading based on U.S. Grade standards are accepted as legal evidence in all Federal courts where these cases may be heard.

Additional fruit & vegetable services

Other fruit and vegetable services offered by the Food Quality Assurance program include audits conducted by MDA staff that have completed ISO 9000 Lead Auditor training to verify compliance with Good Agricultural Practices, Good Handling Practices and Food Security.

Poultry & egg grading

MDA's Food Quality Assurance Program administers the poultry and egg grading program through a State Trust Fund Agreement with the USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service. MDA employees are licensed by USDA/AMS and perform grading and certification services for poultry and eggs throughout Maryland. All product identified with the USDA grade shield is produced under the continuous supervision of a licensed grader. The program is funded by fees charged to users either on a full time contract basis or an as needed fee basis.

USDA Grade Shield Standards

Poultry and eggs can be traded on a uniform basis coast to coast and overseas, by buyers and sellers who use official USDA standards and grades. Consumers who purchase poultry and eggs identified with the USDA grade shield can be assured of the quality of the product they are purchasing. 

Poultry

MDA graders ensure poultry labeled with the USDA grade shield does not have disjointed or broken bones, is plump and meaty, does not have feathers, cuts, tears or bruises and boneless products are free of bone, cartilage, tendons and bruises. All poultry bearing the USDA grade shield must also meet the wholesomeness requirements of the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service. 

Eggs

Eggs bearing the USDA grade shield are monitored for freshness, cleanliness and defects. MDA graders also continuously monitor plant sanitation during the processing of the eggs. The USDA standards and grades can be found at on the USDA website.

Additional poultry & egg services

Several other services related to USDA/AMS's Poultry Programs are offered by the Food Quality Assurance Program. Official test weighing of poultry can be conducted to resolve disputes between buyers and sellers.  MDA's experienced staff can provide assistance to volume buyers of poultry and eggs to develop specifications with requirements that are more stringent or in addition to the USDA requirements.  ISO 9000 trained auditors are available to conduct plant systems, food security and animal husbandry audits for egg producers and processors.

Grain grading & inspection

MDA's Grain Grading program is designated by the USDA's Federal Grain Inspection Service to provide official inspection and weighing services for all domestic markets and for grain exported in containers. All other official inspection and weighing services for export must be conducted by USDA's FGIS Field Office in Toledo, Ohio. Both on site sampling and inspection/analysis of submitted samples are provided through MDA's Annapolis office. Submitters of samples should verify the required sample size prior to submission. An official USDA FGIS certificate documenting the results of official inspection and weighing services will be mailed, faxed or emailed to the requester. The program is funded by fees​​ - DOC charged to users on a full time contract basis, an as needed fee basis or per sample.

Sample analysis & grading requests

Grain samples can be examined for damage, foreign material, color and moisture content in addition to other quality factors. Samples can be analyzed for mycotoxins such as vomitoxin and aflatoxin. Grain producers and marketers request grading to determine quality factors affecting the price or the appropriate use of the product. Descriptions of quality factors for grain are available on the USDA website.