Commodity Specification

FROZEN

CONSUMER PACK CHICKENS

April 2013
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Table of Contents

I. GENERAL.................................................................................................................................................................1

A. Product Description .............................................................................................................................................1

B. Food Defense Requirements ................................................................................................................................1

C. Commodity Complaints........................................................................................................................................1

D. Humane Handling ................................................................................................................................................1

II. COMMODITY SPECIFICATION.........................................................................................................................1

A. Basic Requirements..............................................................................................................................................1

1. Date Processed...............................................................................................................................................1

2. Origin of Chickens.........................................................................................................................................2

3. Inspection.......................................................................................................................................................2

4. FSIS Requirements ........................................................................................................................................2

5. USDA Sampling Option ................................................................................................................................2

B. Requirements .......................................................................................................................................................2

1. Organoleptic Requirements............................................................................................................................2

2. Commodity Summary Table Consumer Pack Whole Chicken.......................................................................3

3. Type ...............................................................................................................................................................3

4. Class and Style...............................................................................................................................................3

5. Weight Range.................................................................................................................................................3

6. U.S. Grade .....................................................................................................................................................3

7. Chickens from Other Plants ...........................................................................................................................4

C. Chilling and Freezing...........................................................................................................................................4

D. Packaging and Packing ........................................................................................................................................4

1. Packaging.......................................................................................................................................................4

2. Packing materials...........................................................................................................................................5

III. LABELING ...........................................................................................................................................................5

A. Commercial Label Requirements.........................................................................................................................5

1. U.S. Grade.. ...................................................................................................................................................5

2. Commercial Labels........................................................................................................................................5

3. Traceable Product ..........................................................................................................................................5

B. Additional Labeling Issues...................................................................................................................................5

C. Free Along Side (FAS) Vessel Deliveries. ...........................................................................................................6

IV. FINAL EXAMINATION OF PACKAGED AND PACKED COMMODITY .....................................................6

A. Material, Net Weight and Quantity Compliance..................................................................................................6

1. Packaging and Packing Material Examination...............................................................................................6

2. Net Weight.....................................................................................................................................................6

B. Prerequisites for Loading and Shipping Frozen Commodity ...............................................................................7

1. Visual Inspection ...........................................................................................................................................7

2. Internal Product Temperature. .......................................................................................................................7

C. Inspection and Checkloading ...............................................................................................................................7

1. Requirements .................................................................................................................................................7

2. Procedures......................................................................................................................................................8

V. UNITIZATION ......................................................................................................................................................8

A. Pallets...................................................................................................................................................................8

B. Pallet Exchange....................................................................................................................................................8

VI. SHIPMENT AND DELIVERY.............................................................................................................................8

A. Contract Compliance Stamp ................................................................................................................................8

B. Grading Certificate...............................................................................................................................................8

1. Railcar or Piggyback......................................................................................................................................9

2. Trucks............................................................................................................................................................9

C. Loading and Sealing of Vehicles..........................................................................................................................9

1. Railcar............................................................................................................................................................9

2. Truck or Piggyback........................................................................................................................................9

D. Delivery Notification ...........................................................................................................................................9

1. In-Plant Deliveries.......................................................................................................................................10
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2. Delivery In Storage ......................................................................................................................................10

E. Split Deliveries...................................................................................................................................................10

VII. DESTINATION EXAMINATION .....................................................................................................................10

A. Commodity Requirements..................................................................................................................................10

B. Temperature .......................................................................................................................................................10

C. Cost for Frozen Commodity Destination Examination.......................................................................................10
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I. GENERAL

A. Product Description

Frozen, whole chicken (commodity) produced from ready-to-cook broiler/fryer chickens under 

this Specification will be packaged and packed in the following form as specified in the contract:

Consumer Pack Whole Chicken (100880) - Frozen U.S. Grade A ready-to-cook 

broiler/fryer chickens, with neck and giblets or without neck and giblets. Individual 

chickens must weigh 3.0 to 5.5 pounds (1.36 to 2.49 kg) per carcass without neck and 

giblets. The commodity must be commercially labeled and packed in individual plasticfilm bags with neck and giblets or without neck and giblets and packed 10-12 chickens 

per fiberboard shipping container (case). Each purchase unit will total 39,600 pounds 

(17,962 kg).

B. Food Defense Requirements

Contractors and subcontractors participating in the commodity purchase program must have a 

documented and operational food defense plan that provides for the security of a plant’s 

production processes and includes the storage and transportation of finished product after 

production. The plan shall address the following areas: (1) food defense plan management; 

(2) outside and inside security of the production and storage facilities; (3) slaughter and 

processing, including all raw material sources; (4) shipping and receiving; (5) storage; (6) water 

and ice supply; (7) mail handling; (8) personnel security; and (9) controlled access to production 

and storage areas. The food defense plan shall be made available to the Department of 

Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) Auditor immediately upon request.

Verification of the Food Defense Program at the processing, storage, and distribution facility will 

be conducted by the USDA/AMS Auditor. 

C. Commodity Complaints

The contractor/producer must immediately report all complaints received on the commodity to 

the Contracting Officer.

D. Humane Handling

All poultry shall be humanely handled in accordance with all applicable Food Safety and 

Inspection Service (FSIS) regulations, directives, and notices.

II. COMMODITY SPECIFICATION

A. Basic Requirements

1. Date Processed. Frozen ready-to-cook consumer pack chickens (commodity) must not 

be processed and packaged more than 30 calendar days prior to the date of shipment.
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2. Origin of Chickens. The commodity must be produced and processed from chickens 

which were produced, raised, and processed in the United States, its territories or possessions, the 

Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or the Trust Territories of the Pacific Islands. If the contractor

processes or handles chicken products originating from sources other than the United States, its 

territories or possessions, Puerto Rico, or the Trust Territories of the Pacific Islands, the 

contractor must have an acceptable identification and segregation plan for those chicken products 

to ensure they are not used in the commodities produced under this Specification. This plan must 

be made available to a representative of the Grading Division, Livestock, Poultry and Seed (LPS)

Program, AMS/USDA (Grader), and the Contracting Officer or agent thereof upon request. The 

contractor must ensure that both the contractor and subcontractor(s) maintain records such as 

invoices, or production and inventory records evidencing product origin, and make such records 

available for review by the Grader or other Government official(s).

3. Inspection. Processing operations must comply with Poultry Products Inspection 

Regulations (9 CFR part 381) and be under the supervision of a representative of USDA/FSIS 

(Inspector). Inspection for contract and Specification compliance will be in accordance with the 

Regulations Governing the Voluntary Grading of Poultry Products and Rabbit Products 

(7 CFR part 70) and the U.S. Classes, Standards, and Grades for Poultry (AMS 70.200 et seq.) 

under the supervision of a Grader. The Grader will be responsible for certification of compliance 

with the requirements of this Specification for whole chickens, freezing, packaging and packing, 

labeling and marking, net weight, and checkloading.

4. FSIS Requirements. The commodity must be produced and processed in an 

establishment inspected by FSIS, be accurately marked and/or labeled, and meet all FSIS 

regulatory requirements, including all microbiological testing requirements, currently in place.

5. USDA Sampling Option. USDA may select additional commodity for further 

inspection or may draw samples for laboratory analyses.

B. Requirements

1. Organoleptic Requirements. The chilled chickens will be examined on a continuous 

basis for the following requirements: The chickens must be free of rancidity; fruity, sulfide-like, 

cardboardy, tallowy, oily, oxidized, metallic, chlorine-like, or other foreign or off-odors; free of 

foreign materials (e.g., glass, paper, rubber, plastic, metal, wood); must show no evidence of 

mishandling or deterioration; and must have a bright color with no evidence of dehydration or 

freezing and thawing. If the chickens do not comply with the organoleptic requirements, the 

product the samples represent will be rejected for use under this Specification.
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2. Commodity Summary Table.

Consumer Pack Whole Chicken

Type: Frozen

Class: Broiler/Fryer

Style: Ready-to-Cook, Whole Chicken

Neck and 

Giblets: With or without neck and giblets

Weight 

Range:

Each carcass must weigh 3.0 to 5.5 

pounds (1.36 to 2.49 kg), without neck 

and giblets

U.S. Grade: U.S. Grade A

3. Type. The commodity must be from current production, processed, officially graded, 

properly identified, frozen, and packaged not more than 30 calendar days prior to the date of 

shipment.

4. Class and Style.

a. Class. The commodity must be produced from freshly slaughtered broilers/fryers 

which conform to the definition for the class in AMS 70.201.

b. Style. Individual whole chicken carcasses must conform to the definitions and 

standards in AMS 70.200 et seq. The neck must be separated from its junction with the body of 

the carcass. Clips, tags, or bands must not be attached to the carcasses.

5. Weight Range. 

a. Whole Chicken. The whole bird commodity will be sampled and weighed for 

individual weight. A sample of 10 chickens will be randomly drawn and weighed before 

packaging. Each sample chicken must weigh 3.0 pounds (1.36 kg) to 5.5 pounds 

(2.49 kg) without the neck and giblets.

b. Weight determination. The frequency of sampling will be according to LPS

Program’s Sample Plan Level 2 (SPL-2). If any sample does not comply with the weight 

requirements, the product the sample represents will be rejected.

6. U.S. Grade. Grading must be in accordance with 7 CFR part 70 and AMS 

70.200 et seq. Grading must be under the supervision of a Grader using LPS Program’s Sample 

Plan Level 1 (SPL-1).
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7. Chickens from Other Plants. The chilled chickens may be transferred or obtained 

from other processing plants, provided they have been processed, handled, and identified in 

accordance with and in compliance with this Specification as evidenced by USDA certification.

a. Type. Class, U.S. grade if applicable, date slaughtered, and USDA-assigned plant 

number must be shown on each shipping container.

b. Chicken. The chilled chickens must be at an internal product temperature not 

higher than 40 °F (4.4 °C) and not lower than 26 °F (-3.3 °C) when shipped from the origin plant 

and when received at the destination plant.

C. Chilling and Freezing

The chilled commodity must be processed, packaged and packed, and placed in a freezer within 

7 calendar days after slaughter. Within this 7-day timeframe, the commodity must be placed in a 

freezer within 48 hours of packaging and packing. If the chilled commodity is not placed in a 

freezer immediately after packaging or packing, the commodity must be held at a temperature not 

higher than 36 °F (2.2 °C) and not lower than 26 °F (-3.3 °C). The packaged and packed 

commodity must be frozen (internal product temperature lowered to 0 °F (-17.8 °C) or lower) 

within 72 hours from the time of entering the freezer. When packaged or packed commodity is 

held at a temperature below 26 °F (-3.3 °C), the commodity will be considered to be in a freezer 

and subject to the 72-hour freezing requirement which begins at the end of the shift the 

commodity enters the 26 °F (3.3 °C) or lower facility.

D. Packaging and Packing

All packages and packaging materials must be clean and in new condition, must not impart 

objectionable odors or flavors to the commodity, must be safe (cannot adulterate product or be 

injurious to health) for use in contact with food products and must be tamper-evident. Tamper 

evident is defined as packaging or packing materials with one or more barriers of entry, which, 

when breached or missing, can reasonably be expected to provide visible evidence that tampering 

has occurred.

1. Packaging . The commodity must be packaged by using one of the following options: 

a. Option 1. The commodity may be individually packaged in commercially 

acceptable plastic-film bags. A drip pad, or single sheet of similarly constructed material, must 

be placed under the commodity to absorb purge. Each bag must snugly adhere to the commodity 

and be sealed to enclose the commodity and prevent leaking; or

b. Option 2. The commodity may be vacuum packaged using commercial practices 

to prevent leaking and purge. The bag used for this method must be designed specifically to be 

used without a drip pad.
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2. Packing materials. Containers used to pack the commodity must be: (1) good 

commercial fiberboard shipping containers that are acceptable by common or other carrier for 

safe transport to point of destination; and (2) closed by commercially accepted methods and 

materials.

Packing. The packaged commodity must be packed into shipping containers with 10-

12 packages of commodity in each shipping container.

III. LABELING

Each package and shipping container of commodity must be commercially labeled in accordance 

with FSIS requirements. Labeling must be approved by FSIS prior to acceptance for use under 

this Specification. 

A. Commercial Label Requirements

1. U.S. Grade. The USDA Grademark (U.S. Grade A) must appear on each package and 

shipping container of commodity.

2. Commercial Labels. Commercial labels must be the manufacturer’s own commercial 

label. Distributors’ labels are not permitted. 

3. Traceable Product. The processor must establish a product identification and record 

system that clearly links product by place and time of manufacture to specific USDA contracts 

and destinations. When the company uses the same commercial label for the product certified as 

complying with this Specification and commercial product, the identification system must 

differentiate between USDA and non-USDA products. An alphanumeric code may be used for 

information that is in addition to FSIS labeling requirements. The required product identification 

and record system, including traceability and coding system, must be reviewed by USDA/AMS

before production begins for the contract(s). 

4. Nutrition Facts, Ingredients and Allergen statements on Shipping Containers. 

Nutrition Facts must be provided. The ingredient statement, even for single ingredient foods, 

must be included as a statement separate from the name of the product, e.g. Ingredients: ______. 

The allergen statement must be provided in the format which complies with the Food Allergen 

Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) for any product which contains milk, eggs, 

fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, soy or wheat; e.g. Allergen: This product contains 

______.

B. Additional Labeling Issues

The following are not acceptable for use under this Specification:

-- Commercial labels that do not have a manufacturer traceability system and code.

-- Commercial labeling traceability coding and systems that have not been reviewed by a 

 representative of Grading Division, LPS Program, AMS/USDA.
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-- Distributor commercial labels.

-- Two or more different commercial labels in the same purchase unit.

C. Free Along Side (FAS) Vessel Deliveries 

FAS vessel deliveries that are not source loaded in a refrigerated seavan are required to show the 

final destination’s overseas address as provided in the Sales Order/Item Number. The address 

must be clearly printed on at least two sides of each pallet.

IV. FINAL EXAMINATION OF PACKAGED AND PACKED COMMODITY

A. Material, Net Weight and Quantity Compliance

1. Packaging and Packing Material Examination.

a. Verification of packaging and packing materials. The contractor must verify 

compliance with packaging, packing, and marking material requirements by furnishing the 

Grader the following certification on company stationery signed by a person authorized to do so 

by the contractor:

“(I)(We) certify that the packaging, packing, and marking materials used for any commodity 

presented for acceptance under the terms of the Commodity Specification for Frozen Consumer 

Pack Chickens dated April 2013, comply or will comply with the terms of this Commodity 

Specification.

Name _________________________

Title _________________________”

One certification is adequate for all production under this Specification.

b. Packaging defects. Packages in a delivery unit will be examined for defects that 

affect protection, expose product, or permit dehydration or freezer burn or quality deterioration 

during storage, such as tears, holes, or improperly sealed or closed packaging. 

c. Packing defects. Shipping containers in a delivery unit will be examined for 

condition, labeling, and marking defects according to the United States Standards for Condition 

of Food Containers.

d. Tolerance for defects. If samples of packaged commodity or shipping containers 

in a delivery unit have more defects than the maximum tolerance for the applicable LPS

Program’s sample plan, the delivery unit will be rejected.

2. Net Weight. Net weight of each delivery unit will be determined at time of shipment 

by the test-weighing procedures of LPS Program. 
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a. Weight Requirements. A purchase or delivery unit of commodity must total

39,600 pounds (17,962 kg). A weight variation of minus 1 percent (39,204 pounds (17,782 kg)) 

is permitted on each delivery unit. USDA will pay only for the amount of commodity delivered 

within the required weight range.

b. Alternate net weight verification. As an alternative to test weighing at time of 

checkloading, the contractor may request on-line verification of net weights. Upon receiving the 

request, a Federal-State Supervisor, Grading Division, LPS Program will determine that the 

facilities and procedures are in accordance with the applicable LPS Program’s instructions for 

this Specification.

B. Prerequisites for Loading and Shipping Frozen Commodity

1. Visual Inspection. The frozen commodity must have a uniform light and bright color. 

Moisture (ice) present in a package must not exceed occasional small areas showing a thin layer 

of clear or pinkish-colored ice. Frozen commodity showing any evidence of defrosting, 

refreezing, or freezer deterioration will be rejected for use under this Specification.

2. Internal Product Temperature.

a. Requirements. Internal product temperature of frozen commodity must be 

2 °F (-16.7 °C) or lower at time of loading. Delivery units with internal product temperatures 

exceeding 2 °F (-16.7 °C) and up to 5 °F (-15 °C) will be tentatively rejected. Tentatively 

rejected delivery units may be returned to the freezer and the temperature reduced to 2 °F 

(-16.7 °C) or lower and reoffered one time only. Delivery units exceeding 5 °F (-15 °C) or 

delivery units that have been tentatively rejected and exceed 2 °F (-16.7 °C) when reoffered will 

be rejected for use under this Specification.

b. Optional temperature verification. As an option to verifying internal temperature 

of frozen commodities at time of shipment, the contractor may request an alternate method 

utilizing commodity temperature-sensing devices. If this option is selected, a Federal-State 

supervisor, Grading Division, will determine that the facilities, equipment, procedures, and the 

contractors current level of freezing compliance are in accordance with the established guidelines 

outlined in the applicable LPS Program’s instructions for this Specification.

C. Inspection and Checkloading

1. Requirements. Inspection for contract compliance will be made by a representative of 

USDA, in accordance with 7 CFR part 70, FSIS regulations, and this Specification, at the site of 

processing, both during and after processing and packaging. A representative of USDA may 

select samples for laboratory analyses or inspect the commodity at any point in transit and after 

delivery to point of destination. Inspection records must be complete and made available upon 

request to USDA, to assure contract compliance.
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2. Procedures. The inspection and checkloading must be performed by a Grader. 

Procedures to be followed and a schedule of fees for these services may be obtained by 

contacting the nearest Grading Division field office or the Director, Grading Division, LPS

Program, AMS, USDA, Room 3932-S, STOP 0258, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, 

Washington, D.C. 20250-0258, telephone (202) 720-3271. The quality, quantity, weight, 

packaging, packing, and checkloading of the commodity must be evidenced by certificates issued 

by the Grader. Contractor must not ship the commodity unless informed by the Grader that the 

designated commodity to be shipped meets contract specifications.

V. UNITIZATION

Each delivery unit of commodity must be unitized (palletized and stretch-wrapped) and comply 

with the following:

A. Pallets

Pallets must be good quality, 48 inches x 40 inches, nonreversible, flush stringer, and partial 

four-way entry. Each pallet of shipping containers must be stretch-wrapped with plastic film in a 

manner that will secure each container and layer of containers on the pallet. Palletized 

product must be loaded in a way that will prevent shifting and damage to the containers of 

product. Pallet loads shall be stacked in a manner that minimizes the overhang of the shipping 

containers over the edges of the pallets and exposes the principle shipping container display 

panels to facilitate certification examinations.

B. Pallet Exchange

Contractors may arrange for pallet exchange with consignees; however, USDA is not responsible 

for such arrangements.

VI. SHIPMENT AND DELIVERY

Shipment and delivery must be made in accordance with the AMS Master Solicitation, the 

Solicitation, and this Specification. In addition, the contractor must adhere to the following 

provisions:

A. Contract Compliance Stamp

Each container must be identified with a USDA Contract Compliance stamp with the applicable 

certificate number. A Grader, or other authorized personnel under the supervision of the Grader, 

will stamp one end of each container prior to shipment. If there is inadequate space available on 

either end of the shipping container, the stamp may be applied to a side of the container.

B. Grading Certificate

A copy of the original USDA Poultry Grading Certificate issued at time of checkloading must 

accompany each shipment.
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1. Railcar or Piggyback. If shipment is by rail or piggyback, the certificate must be 

placed in the railcar or trailer for easy access to the Grader, warehouseman, or consignee, as 

applicable.

2. Trucks. If shipment is by truck, the driver must, upon delivery, give the certificate to 

the Grader, warehouseman, or consignee, as applicable.

C. Loading and Sealing of Vehicles

Loading must be in accordance with good commercial practices and the initial sealing must be 

done at origin under the supervision of a Grader. Thereafter, all delivery units - truck lot and 

less-than-truck lot (LTL) quantities - must be secured at all times prior to unloading with tamper

proof, tamper resistant, serially numbered, high security seals. Suppliers of commodities, 

products and/or services shall be responsible for placing a seal(s) on all doors of each 

transportation conveyance upon completion of loading or servicing. Seals shall be serially 

numbered, barrier-type and meet the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) 

Standards (F-1157-04). Seals shall be 1⁄8th inch diameter cable, high security bolt, or equivalent. 

The contractor must maintain a record of each seal number used for truck lot and LTL delivery 

units. Additionally, the contractor must ensure that the applicable seal identification number is 

on each bill of lading, shipment manifest, or other delivery documents for each delivery 

destination.

When LTL delivery units are transported on the same trailer or railcar and destined for multiple 

recipients, the trailer or railcar must be sealed after each delivery. The seal number must be 

recorded on the appropriate delivery documents and correspond with the applied seal at the time 

of arrival at the next destination. It will be the responsibility of the contractor to provide a 

sufficient number of seals and ensure that the carrier service (truck or rail) secures the trailer or 

railcar after each delivery destination. Failure to seal the trailer or railcar after each stop will

result in rejection of the shipment by the recipient agency at the next scheduled stop and rejection 

of any subsequent deliveries on the trailer or railcar.

1. Railcar. Each railcar must be sealed. The contractor is responsible for arranging for 

railcar deliveries of more than one delivery unit so that each delivery unit contained in the same 

railcar can be completely separated and sealed.

2. Truck or Piggyback. Truck or piggyback shipments must be sealed at origin. 

A delivery unit shipped by truck or piggyback which includes split deliveries to multiple 

destinations will require sealing after each drop in accordance with Section VI.C. of this 

Specification.

D. Delivery Notification

The contractor must comply with the AMS Master Solicitation regarding Advance Shipping 

Notices (ASNs) and unloading appointments.