April 19, 2022 

SECTION 32 SPECIFICATION 

for STONE FRUITS 

(Peaches, Nectarines, and Plums)

COMMODITY SPECIFICATION

for FRESH FRUIT JULY 2019 

This specification is for Section 32 purchases only.

Required Audits (Prerequisites) and General Requirements

Vendors or subcontractors who are supplying fresh peaches, nectarines, and plums (stone 

fruits) to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) through this new Section 32 

Purchase must ensure that each of their suppliers/subcontractors who grow, harvest, pack, 

hold, and handle product have approved and current food safety verification audits PRIOR to 

the bid opening date of the solicitation. Standard audit requirements can be found in the 

“Tendering Text” of the Solicitation. For this Section 32 stone fruit purchase, desk audits will 

be allowed. Carefully read the instructions attached to the solicitation for the desk audit 

requirements.

All fresh stone fruit must be of 100% domestic origin. When requested, the vendors will make 

all paperwork available to Specialty Crops Inspection (SCI) that confirms 100% domestic 

origin traceback from the shipping point/origin certificate to the origin orchard, including all 

steps in the process, a table of contents, and a narrative of all those steps.

The stone fruits must also meet all relevant requirements of the Commodity Specification for 

Fresh Fruit, July 2019, and the below individual commodity specific requirements.

Inspection and certification of the fresh stone fruits must be performed at shipping 

point/origin, during or after the final packaging, but before shipping. Inspection must be 

performed by SCI Federal or Federal-State Inspection Service only. Inspections under the 

Partners in Quality (PIQ) and Customer Assisted Inspection Program (CAIP) programs are 

not accepted for Commodity Procurement purchases. The contractor must contact and allow 

the USDA Inspector at least 72 hours advance notice when scheduling inspection service. 

All stone fruit deliveries must be “Positive Lot Identified” (PLI) in accordance with official 

SCI PLI methods.

When the type of pack is 12/2-pound bags packed into a master container, if relevant, the 

following requirement applies:

If the individual 2-pound bags are not closed, not sealed, are perforated, or are 

mesh, and are packed into an open master container (no complete top closure), then a 

Specialty 1400 Independence Avenue, SW.

Crops Room 1536-S, STOP 0240

Program Washington, DC 20250-0240
covering on the top of each master carton is required. The covering may be 

standard industry paper, fiber, or a pad.

The stone fruits must reach destination within 14 calendar days of the packing date, with day 

one being the packing date. When needed, adherence to this requirement will be determined 

by reviewing the labeled packing date and the shipping and receiving documents. 

If SCI inspection/certification at shipping point/origin meets all requirements of this 

specification and solicitation, it does not guarantee acceptance at destination. Product at 

destination must still meet all applicable specification and solicitation requirements with no 

additional tolerances allowed. Failure to meet these requirements may result in rejection of 

the load at destination. It is the vendor’s responsibility to ensure the delivery of acceptable 

product and the replacement of any failed deliveries with acceptable product. 

Individual Section 32 Stone Fruit Commodity Specifications 

Peaches 

1. Grade: U.S. No. 1. Shipping point tolerances apply. 

2. Types: All varieties of yellow or white flesh types are allowed. 

• Intermingling of types in a truck load is permitted, but they must be segregated 

within the truckload. However, intermingling of types in a single consumer unit

(bag), master carton, two-layer tray pack, or on a single pallet is not permitted. 

• If the variety is not declared on the consumer unit (bag), master carton, or two-layer

tray pack then the varieties may be intermingled in a truck load. 

• If the variety is declared on the consumer unit (bag), master carton, or two-layer

tray pack then the varieties must be segregated within the truckload. Intermingling 

of varieties in a single consumer unit (bag), master carton, two-layer tray pack, or 

on a single pallet is not permitted.

3. Acceptable degrees of firmness: Hard, Firm, or Firm Ripe, according to the U.S. 

Standards for Grades of Peaches. 

4. Maturity: The peaches must be “Mature” which means that the peach has reached the 

stage of growth which will insure a proper completion of the ripening process.

5. Type of Pack: 

• Two (2) layer tray pack (18 -20 lbs.) OR,

• Twelve two-pound (12/2) consumer units (bags) packed within a master container in 

which the top of a container may be open or closed. 

Consumer units (bags): All products shall be packed in new, good, clean, consumer units, 

which meet all applicable Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requirements and may be 

labeled or unlabeled.

6. Size: 
• For 18–20-pound two-layer tray pack: Size 48 to 64.

• For 12/2-pound bags per master container: Sizes - 54/56, 60/64, 70/72, 80/84 or 2 1⁄4 

to 2 3⁄4 inches in diameter. 

a) The numerical count or a count-size based on equivalent tray pack size 

designations, or the minimum diameter of the peaches packed in a closed master 

container must be indicated on the two-layer tray pack or master container, 

whichever is applicable. To allow for variations incident to proper sizing, not 

more than 10 percent, by count, of peaches in any lot may be below the specified 

minimum size and not more than 15 percent may be above the maximum 

specified size.

b) Peaches, in each offer unit (truckload) ordered delivered by USDA shall contain 

product of not more than three (3) adjacent sizes nor be in more than three

locations within the trailer at the time of inspection. Each size shall be segregated 

in the shipment with a minimum of intermingling of the sizes and no 

intermingling on a single pallet.

7. Labeling: In addition to the above required size or diameter marking requirements, the 

master container or two-layer tray pack will include standard FDA and industry labeling 

and must include the date of pack. The date of pack will be used for traceability in the 

event of a recall.

8. Refrigerated transport: The peaches must be transported to destination at an air 

temperature of 31 to 35 degrees F.

9. Destination Storage: Stored under refrigeration.

10. Truckload case count: 

• 12/2 pound consumer units (bags) – 1,430 master cartons per truckload.

• 18-20 pound two-layer tray packs – 1,936 two-layer tray packs per truckload.

11. Material Codes: Peaches

Package size and type Material code

12/2 lb. consumer units (bags) 111540

18-20 lb. Two-layer Tray Packs 111541

Nectarines 

1. Grade: U.S. No. 1. Shipping point tolerances apply.

2. Types: All varieties of yellow or white flesh types are allowed. 

• Intermingling of types in a truck load is permitted, but they must be segregated 

within the truckload. However, intermingling of types in a single consumer unit

(bag), master container, or on a single pallet is not permitted. 

• If the variety is not declared on the consumer unit (bag) or master container, then 

the varieties may be intermingled in a truck load. 

• If the variety is declared on the consumer unit (bag) or master container, then the
varieties must be segregated in the truckload. Intermingling of varieties in a single 

consumer unit (bag) or master carton, or on a single pallet is not permitted.

3. Acceptable degrees of firmness: Hard, Firm, or Firm Ripe, according to the U.S. 

Standards for Grades of Nectarines. 

4. Maturity: The nectarines must be “Mature” which means that the fruit has reached 

the stage of growth which will insure a proper completion of the ripening process.

5. Type of Pack: 

• Twelve two-pound (12/2) consumer units (bags) packed within a master container in 

which the top of a container may be open or closed. 

Consumer units (bags): All products shall be packed in new, good, clean, consumer 

units (bags), which meet all applicable FDA requirements and may be labeled or 

unlabeled.

6. Size: 

• For 12/2-pound bags per master container: Sizes – 54/56, 60/64, 70/72, 80/84, or 2 1⁄4 

inches to 2 3⁄4 inches in diameter.

a) The numerical count or a count-size based on equivalent tray pack size 

designations, or the minimum diameter of the nectarines packed in a master 

container must be indicated on that master container. To allow for variations 

incident to proper sizing, not more than 10 percent, by count, of nectarines in 

any lot may be below the specified minimum size and not more than 15 percent 

may be above the maximum specified size.

7. Labeling: In addition to the above required size or diameter marking requirements, 

the master container will include standard FDA and industry labeling and must include 

the date of pack. The date of pack will be used for traceability in the event of a recall.

8. Refrigerated transport: The nectarines must be transported to destination at an air 

temperature of 31 to 35 degrees F.

9. Destination Storage: Stored under refrigeration.

10. Truckload case count: 

• 12/2-pound consumer units (bags) – 1,440 master cartons per truckload.

11. Material Codes: Nectarines

Package size and type Material code

12/2 lb. consumer units (bags) 111531

Plums
1. Grade – U.S. No. 1. Shipping point tolerances apply.

2. Type of pack – 28 lb. cartons, loose pack. 

3. Species – Japanese only

• European or Japanese/American hybrid species and Italian or European type 

prunes, as well as hybrid interspecific plums, such as Pluots and Plumcots are 

prohibited. 

• All other varieties and color types of the above allowed species are permitted. 

4. Size - 70 or larger diameter– Standard Pack. 

a) The size of plums shall be marked on each package, and shall be indicated in terms of 

minimum diameter, or number of fruits per package. 

5. Labeling: In addition to the above required size or diameter marking requirements, the 

master container will include standard FDA and industry labeling and must include the 

date of pack. The date of pack will be used for traceability in the event of a recall.

6. Refrigerated shipment - The plums must be transported to destination at an air 

temperature of 31 to 35 degrees F.

7. Truckload case count – 1,360 cases.

8. Material code – 111130.

All other terms and conditions remain unchanged.