Distribution: FGIS, OSP Originating Office: PPMAB, FMD

United States Department of Agriculture

Agricultural Marketing Service

Federal Grain Inspection Service

U.S. Standards July 2023

UNITED STATES STANDARDS FOR BEANS

Source: 34 FR 7863, May 17, 1969, unless otherwise noted.

CONTENTS

TERMS DEFINED..................................................................................................................................................................... 1

PRINCIPLES GOVERNING THE APPLICATION OF STANDARDS......................................................................................... 3

GRADES, GRADE REQUIREMENTS, GRADE DESIGNATIONS, SPECIAL GRADES, AND 

SPECIAL GRADE REQUIREMENTS ....................................................................................................................................... 4

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its agencies, offices, and 

employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, 

gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance 

program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all 

programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) 

should contact the responsible Agency or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 

877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027 and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed 

to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed 

form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, 

D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: program.intake@usda.gov.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.
Official U.S. Standards for Beans July 2023

Page 1

TERMS DEFINED

101 Beans.

Beans shall be dry threshed field and garden beans, whole, broken, and split, commonly used for edible purposes.

102 Classes.1

Beans shall be divided into classes as follows, each of which, except Mixed beans, may contain not more than 2.0 

percent of beans of contrasting classes and not more than 15.0 percent of beans of other classes that blend:

Pea Beans (The type as grown in the Great Lakes region known also as Navy Beans).

Blackeye Beans (Cowpeas of the Blackeye variety).

Cranberry Beans (Known also as Speckled Cranberry and Horticultural Pole).

Yellow Beans.

Pinto Beans (Including the Mexican Pinto type but not the type known as Spotted Red Mexican).

Marrow Beans (Not including Red Marrow).

Great Northern Beans.

Small White Beans (The type as grown on the Pacific coast, not including Tepary Beans).

Flat Small White Beans (The type as grown in northern Idaho).

White Kidney Beans.

Light Red Kidney Beans.

Dark Red Kidney beans.

Small Red Beans (known also as Red Mexican, California Red, and Idaho Red).

Pink Beans.

Black Beans.

Mung Beans.

Miscellaneous Beans. Beans that are not otherwise classified in these standards shall be classified and designated

according to the commonly accepted commercial name of such beans.

Large Lima Beans (characteristic of the Large White Pole and Burpee Bush Lima type).

Baby Lima Beans (characteristic of Small White Lima beans of the Henderson Bush and similar types).

Miscellaneous Lima Beans. Lima beans that do not come within the classes Large Lima or Baby Lima shall be 

classified and designated according to their commonly accepted commercial name.

Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans).

Mixed Beans. Mixed beans shall be any mixture of beans not provided for in the classes listed above.

[62 FR 52967, Oct. 10, 1997]

1 The use of a variety name in the designation of the class of beans does not imply any guarantee of varietal purity.
Official U.S Standards for Beans July 2023

Page 2

103 Grades.

Grades shall be the numerical grades, substandard grades, sample grades, and special grades provided for in 

126 through 135.

[47 FR 19310, May 5, 1982] [62 FR 52967, Oct. 10, 1997]

104 Sound beans.

Sound beans shall be beans that are free from defects.

105 Defects.

Defects for the classes Baby Lima and Miscellaneous Lima beans shall be damaged beans, contrasting classes, and

foreign material. Defects for all other classes of beans shall be splits, damaged beans, contrasting classes, and 

foreign material.

106 Splits.

Splits shall be pieces of beans that are not damaged, each of which consists of three-fourths or less of the whole bean 

and shall include any sound bean the halves of which are held together loosely.

107 Damaged beans.

Damaged beans shall be beans and pieces of beans that are damaged by frost, weather, disease, weevils or other 

insects, or other causes.

108 Badly damaged beans.

Badly damaged beans shall be beans and pieces of beans that are materially damaged or discolored by frost, weather,

disease, weevils or other insects, or other causes so as to materially affect the appearance and quality of the beans.

109 Foreign material.

Foreign material shall be stones, dirt, weed seeds, cereal grains, lentils, peas, and all matter other than beans.

[44 FR 73007, Dec. 17, 1979]

110 Stones.

Stones shall be concreted earthy or mineral matter, and other substances of similar hardness that do not disintegrate 

readily in water.

111 Contrasting classes.

Contrasting classes shall be beans of other classes that are of a different color, size, or shape from the beans of the 

class designated.

112 Classes that blend.

Classes that blend shall be sound beans of other classes that are similar in color, size, and shape to the beans of the 

class designated, and shall include white beans in the class Yelloweye which are similar in size and shape to the 

Yelloweye beans.

113 Broken beans.

Broken beans shall be sound beans with some but less than one-fourth of each bean broken off or with one-fourth or 

more of the seedcoat removed.

114 Blistered beans.

Blistered beans shall be sound beans with badly blistered or burst seedcoats.

115 Wrinkled beans.

Wrinkled beans shall be sound beans that have deeply wrinkled seedcoats and/or are badly warped or misshapen.

116 Weevily beans.

Weevily beans shall be beans that are infested with live weevils or other insects injurious to stored beans or that 

contain weevil-bored beans.
Official U.S Standards for Beans July 2023

Page 3

117 Clean-cut weevil-bored beans.

Clean-cut weevil-bored beans shall be beans from which weevils have emerged, leaving a clean-cut open cavity free 

from larvae, webbing, refuse, mold, or stain.

118 Well screened.

Well screened, as applied to the general appearance of beans, shall mean that the beans are uniform in size and are

practically free from such small, shriveled, underdeveloped beans, splits, broken beans, large beans, and foreign 

material that can be removed readily by the ordinary process of milling or screening through the proper use of sieves.

119 30/64 sieve.

A 30/64 sieve shall be a metal sieve 0.0319-inch thick perforated with round holes 0.4687 (30/64) inch in diameter 

which are 11/16 inch from center to center. The perforations of each row shall be staggered in relation to the 

adjacent rows.

120 28/64 sieve.

A 28/64 sieve shall be a metal sieve 0.0319-inch thick perforated with round holes 0.4375 (28/64) inch in diameter 

which are 19/32 inch from center to center. The perforations of each row shall be staggered in relation to the 

adjacent rows.

[34 FR 7863, May 17, 1969, as amended at 54 FR 51344, Dec. 14, 1989]

121 24/64 sieve.

A 24/64 sieve shall be a metal sieve 0.0319-inch thick perforated with round holes 0.3750 (24/64) inch in diameter 

which are 17/32 inch from center to center. The perforations of each row shall be staggered in relation to the 

adjacent rows.

122 Contrasting Chickpeas.

Chickpeas that differ substantially in shape or color.

PRINCIPLES GOVERNING THE APPLICATION OF STANDARDS

123 Basis of determination.

All determinations shall be upon the basis of the beans as a whole.

[62 FR 52967, Oct. 10, 1997] [69 FR 75504, Dec. 17, 2004]

124 Percentages.

All percentages shall be determined upon the basis of weight, and shall be stated in terms of whole, tenths, and

hundredths of a percent as required for individual factors.

[62 FR 52967, Oct. 10, 1997]

125 Moisture.

Moisture shall be determined by the use of equipment and procedures prescribed by the Federal Grain Inspection 

Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. (Information thereon may be obtained from said Service.)

[34 FR 7863, May 17, 1969, as amended at 47 FR 34516, Aug. 10, 1982]

[62 FR 52967, Oct. 10, 1997] [69 FR 75504, Dec. 17, 2004]
 

Official U.S Standards for Beans July 2023

Page 4 

GRADES, GRADE REQUIREMENTS, GRADE DESIGNATIONS, SPECIAL GRADES, AND

SPECIAL GRADE REQUIREMENTS

126 Grades and grade requirements for the class Pea Beans

[47 FR 19311, May 5, 1982] [47 FR 20547, May 13, 1982] [62 FR 52967, Oct. 10, 1997]

[69 FR 75504, Dec. 17, 2004]

Grade

Maximum Limits of -

Moisture1

(percent)

Total Defects

(DB, FM,

CCL, & SPL)

(percent)

Badly

Damaged

(percent)

Foreign Material

Contrasting

Classes2

(percent)

Classes

that

Blend3

(percent)

Total

(percent)

Stones

(percent)

U.S. Choice

Handpicked 18.0 1.5 0.3 0.01 0.01 0.01 2.0

U.S. Prime

Handpicked 18.0 3.0 0.3 0.01 0.01 0.01 2.0

U.S. No. 1 18.0 2.0 2.0 0.4 0.2 0.5 4.0

U.S. No. 2 18.0 3.0 3.0 0.8 0.4 1.0 4.0

U.S. Substandard: U.S. Substandard shall be beans which do not meet the 

requirements for the grades U.S. Choice Handpicked through 

U.S. Sample Grade. Beans which are not well screened shall 

also be U.S. Substandard, except for beans which meet the 

requirements for U.S. Sample Grade.

U.S. Sample Grade: U.S. Sample Grade shall be beans which are musty, sour, 

heating, materially weathered, or weevily; which have any 

commercially objectionable odor; which contain insect webbing 

or filth, animal filth, any unknown foreign substance, broken 

glass, or metal fragments; or which are otherwise of distinctly 

low quality.

1 Beans with more than 18.0 percent moisture are graded High Moisture.

2 Beans with more than 2.0 percent contrasting classes are graded Mixed Beans.

3 Beans with more than 15.0 percent classes that blend are graded Mixed Beans
 

Official U.S Standards for Beans July 2023

Page 5 

127 Grades and grade requirements for the class Blackeye Beans.

[47 FR 19311, May 5, 1982] [47 FR 20547, May 13, 1982] [60 FR 36030, July 13, 1995]

[62 FR 52967, Oct. 10, 1997] [69 FR 75504, Dec. 17, 2004]

Grade

Maximum Limits of -

Moisture1

(percent)

Total Defects

(DB, FM,

CCL, & SPL)

(percent)

Total

Damaged

(percent)

Foreign Material

Contrasting

Classes2

(percent)

Classes

That

Blend3

(percent)

Total

(percent)

Stones

(percent)

U.S. No. 1 18.0 4.0 2.0 0.5 0.2 0.5 5.0

U.S. No. 2 18.0 6.0 4.0 1.0 0.4 1.0 10.0

U.S. No. 3 18.0 8.0 6.0 1.5 0.6 2.0 15.0

U.S. Substandard: U.S. Substandard shall be beans which do not meet the 

requirements for the grades U.S. No. 1 through U.S. Sample 

Grade. Beans which are not well screened shall also be U.S. 

Substandard, except for beans which meet the requirements for 

U.S. Sample Grade.

U.S. Sample Grade: U.S. Sample Grade shall be beans which are musty, sour, 

heating, materially weathered, or weevily; which have any 

commercially objectionable odor; which contain insect webbing 

or filth, animal filth, any unknown foreign substance, broken 

glass, or metal fragments; or which are otherwise of distinctly 

low quality.

1 Beans with more than 18.0 percent moisture are graded High Moisture.

2 Beans with more than 2.0 percent contrasting classes are graded Mixed Beans.

3 Beans with more than 15.0 percent classes that blend are graded Mixed Beans.
 

Official U.S Standards for Beans July 2023

Page 6 

128 Grades and grade requirements for the class Yelloweye Beans.

[47 FR 19311, May 5, 1982] [47 FR 20547, May 13, 1982] [60 FR 36030, July 13, 1995]

[62 FR 52967, Oct. 10, 1997] [69 FR 75504, Dec. 17, 2004]

Grade

Maximum Limits of -

Moisture1

(percent)

Total 

Defects

(DB, FM,

CCL, &

SPL)

(percent)

Total

Damaged

(percent)

Foreign Material

Contrasting

Classes2

(percent)

Classes

that

Blend3

(percent)

In Addition to

Classes that

Blend, White

Beans Similar in

Size and Shape in

the Class

Yelloweye Beans

Total

(percent)

Stones

(percent)

U.S. No. 1 18.0 4.0 2.0 0.5 0.2 0.5 5.0 5.0

U.S. No. 2 18.0 6.0 4.0 1.0 0.4 1.0 10.0 5.0

U.S. No. 3 18.0 8.0 6.0 1.5 0.6 2.0 15.0 --

U.S. Substandard: U.S. Substandard shall be beans which do not meet the 

requirements for the grades U.S. No. 1 through U.S. Sample 

Grade. Beans which are not well screened shall also be U.S. 

Substandard, except for beans which meet the requirements for 

U.S. Sample Grade.

U.S. Sample Grade: U.S. Sample Grade shall be beans which are musty, sour, 

heating, materially weathered, or weevily; which have any 

commercially objectionable odor; which contain insect webbing 

or filth, animal filth, any unknown foreign substance, broken 

glass, or metal fragments; or which are otherwise of distinctly 

low quality.

1 Beans with more than 18.0 percent moisture are graded High Moisture.

2 Beans with more than 2.0 percent contrasting classes are graded Mixed Beans.

3 Beans with more than 15.0 percent classes that blend are graded Mixed Beans
 

Official U.S Standards for Beans July 2023

Page 7 

129 Grades and grade requirements for the class Cranberry Beans.

[47 FR 19311, May 5, 1982] [47 FR 20547, May 13, 1982] [62 FR 52967, Oct. 10, 1997]

[69 FR 75504, Dec. 17, 2004]

Grade

Maximum Limits of -

Moisture1

(percent)

Total

Defects

(DB, FM,

CCL, & SPL)

(percent)

Total

Damaged

(percent)

Foreign Material

Contrasting

Classes2

(percent)

Classes

that

Blend

(percent)

Total

(percent)

Stones

(percent)

U.S. No. 1 18.0 4.0 2.0 0.5 0.2 0.5 5.0

U.S. No. 2 18.0 6.0 4.0 1.0 0.4 1.0 10.0

U.S. No. 3 18.0 8.0 6.0 1.5 0.6 2.0 15.0

U.S. Substandard: U.S. Substandard shall be beans which do not meet the 

requirements for the grades U.S. No. 1 through U.S. Sample 

Grade. Beans which are not well screened shall also be U.S. 

Substandard, except for beans which meet the requirements for 

U.S. Sample Grade.

U.S. Sample Grade: U.S. Sample Grade shall be beans which are musty, sour, 

heating, materially weathered, or weevily; which have any 

commercially objectionable odor; which contain insect webbing 

or filth, animal filth, any unknown foreign substance, broken 

glass, or metal fragments; or which are otherwise of distinctly 

low quality.

1 Beans with more than 18.0 percent moisture are graded High Moisture.

2 Beans with more than 2.0 percent contrasting classes are graded Mixed Beans.
 

Official U.S Standards for Beans July 2023

Page 8 

130 Grades and grade requirements for the class Pinto Beans.

[47 FR 19311, May 5, 1982] [47 FR 20547, May 13, 1982] [60 FR 36030, July 13, 1995]

[62 FR 52967, Oct. 10, 1997] [69 FR 75504, Dec. 17, 2004]

Grade

Maximum Limits of -

Moisture1

(percent)

Total 

Defects

(DB, FM,

CCL, & SPL)

(percent)

Total

Damaged

(percent)

Foreign Material

Contrasting

Classes2

(percent)

Classes

that

Blend3

(percent)

Total

(percent)

Stones

(percent)

U.S. No. 1 18.0 3.0 3.0 0.5 0.2 0.5 5.0

U.S. No. 2 18.0 5.0 5.0 1.0 0.4 1.0 10.0

U.S. No. 3 18.0 7.0 7.0 1.5 0.6 2.0 15.0

U.S. Substandard: U.S. Substandard shall be beans which do not meet the 

requirements for the grades U.S. No. 1 through U.S. Sample 

Grade. Beans which are not well screened shall also be U.S. 

Substandard, except for beans which meet the requirements for 

U.S. Sample Grade.

U.S. Sample Grade: U.S. Sample Grade shall be beans which are musty, sour, 

heating, materially weathered, or weevily; which have any 

commercially objectionable odor; which contain insect webbing 

or filth, animal filth, any unknown foreign substance, broken 

glass, or metal fragments; or which are otherwise of distinctly 

low quality.

1 Beans with more than 18.0 percent moisture are graded High Moisture.

2 Beans with more than 2.0 percent contrasting classes are graded Mixed Beans.

3 Beans with more than 15.0 percent classes that blend are graded Mixed Beans.
 

Official U.S Standards for Beans July 2023

Page 9 

131 Grades and grade requirements for the classes Marrow, Great Northern, Small White, Flat Small White, White

Kidney, Light Red Kidney, Dark Red Kidney, Small Red, Pink, Black, and Miscellaneous Beans. 

[47 FR 19311, May 5, 1982] [47 FR 20547, May 13, 1982] [60 FR 36030, July 13, 1995]

[62 FR 52967, Oct. 10, 1997] [69 FR 75504, Dec. 17, 2004]

Grade

Maximum Limits of -

Moisture1

(percent)

Total

Defects

(DB, FM,

CCL, & SPL)

(percent)

Total

Damaged

(percent)

Foreign Material

Contrasting

Classes2

(percent)

Classes

that

Blend3

(percent)

Total

(percent)

Stones

(percent)

U.S. No. 1 18.0 2.0 2.0 0.5 0.2 0.5 5.0

U.S. No. 2 18.0 4.0 4.0 1.0 0.4 1.0 10.0

U.S. No. 3 18.0 6.0 6.0 1.5 0.6 2.0 15.0

U.S. Substandard: U.S. Substandard shall be beans which do not meet the 

requirements for the grades U.S. No. 1 through U.S. Sample 

Grade. Beans which are not well screened shall also be U.S. 

Substandard, except for beans which meet the requirements for 

U.S. Sample Grade.

U.S. Sample Grade: U.S. Sample Grade shall be beans which are musty, sour, 

heating, materially weathered, or weevily; which have any 

commercially objectionable odor; which contain insect webbing 

or filth, animal filth, any unknown foreign substance, broken 

glass, or metal fragments; or which are otherwise of distinctly 

low quality.

1 Beans with more than 18.0 percent moisture are graded High Moisture.

2 Beans with more than 2.0 percent contrasting classes are graded Mixed Beans.

3 Beans with more than 15.0 percent classes that blend are graded Mixed Beans.
 

Official U.S Standards for Beans July 2023

Page 10

132 Grades and grade requirements for the class Mung Beans.

[47 FR 19311, May 5, 1982] [47 FR 20547, May 13, 1982] [60 FR 36030, July 13, 1995]

[62 FR 52967, Oct. 10, 1997] [69 FR 75504, Dec. 17, 2004]

Grade

Maximum Limits of -

Moisture1

(percent)

Total

Defects

(DB, FM,

CCL, & SPL)

(percent)

Total

Damaged

(percent)

Clean-Cut

WeevilBored2

(percent)

Foreign Material

Contrasting

Classes3

(percent)

Classes

that

Blend4

(percent)

Total

(percent)

Stones

(percent)

U.S. No. 1 18.0 2.0 2.0 0.1 0.5 0.2 0.5 5.0

U.S. No. 2 18.0 4.0 4.0 0.2 1.0 0.4 1.0 10.0

U.S. No. 3 18.0 6.0 6.0 0.5 1.5 0.6 2.0 15.0

U.S. Substandard: U.S. Substandard shall be beans which do not meet the 

requirements for the grades U.S. No. 1 through U.S. Sample 

Grade. Beans which are not well screened shall also be U.S. 

Substandard, except for beans which meet the requirements for 

U.S. Sample Grade.

U.S. Sample Grade: U.S. Sample Grade shall be beans which are musty, sour, 

heating, materially weathered, or weevily; which have any 

commercially objectionable odor; which contain insect webbing 

or filth, animal filth, any unknown foreign substance, broken 

glass, or metal fragments; or which are otherwise of distinctly 

low quality.

1 Beans with more than 18.0 percent moisture are graded High Moisture.

2 Beans with more than 0.5 percent clean-cut weevil-bored beans are graded 

U.S. Sample Grade.

3 Beans with more than 2.0 percent contrasting classes are graded Mixed Beans.

4 Beans with more than 15.0 percent classes that blend are graded Mixed Beans.
 

Official U.S Standards for Beans July 2023

Page 11

133 Grades and grade requirements for the class Large Lima Beans

[47 FR 19312, May 5, 1982; 47 FR 20551, May 13, 1982] [60 FR 36030, July 13, 1995]

[62 FR 52967, Oct. 10, 1997] [69 FR 75504, Dec. 17, 2004]

Grade

Maximum Limits of -

Moisture1

(percent)

Total Blistered,

Wrinkled, & Defects

(DB, FM, CCL, &

SPL)

(percent)

Damaged Beans Foreign Material

Total

(percent)

Badly

Damaged

(percent)

Total

(percent)

Stones

(percent)

U.S. No. 1 18.0 6.0 2.0 0.5 0.5 0.2

U.S. No. 2 18.0 9.0 3.0 1.0 1.0 0.3

Grade

Maximum Limits of -

Contrasting

Classes2

(percent)

Splits

(percent)

Brokens

(percent)

Classes

that

Blend3

(percent)

Beans Through a Sieve

28/64”

(percent)

24/64”

(percent)

U.S. No. 1 0.5 3.0 5.0 5.0 25.0 5.0

U.S. No. 2 1.0 5.0 5.0 10.0 40.0 5.0

U.S. Substandard: U.S. Substandard shall be beans which do not meet the 

requirements for the grades U.S. No. 1 through U.S. Sample 

Grade. Beans which are not well screened shall also be U.S. 

Substandard, except for beans which meet the requirements for 

U.S. Sample Grade.

U.S. Sample Grade: U.S. Sample Grade shall be beans which are musty, sour, 

heating, materially weathered, or weevily; which have any 

commercially objectionable odor; which contain insect webbing 

or filth, animal filth, any unknown foreign substance, broken 

glass, or metal fragments; or which are otherwise of distinctly 

low quality.

1 Beans with more than 18.0 percent moisture are graded High Moisture.

2 Beans with more than 2.0 percent contrasting classes are graded Mixed Beans.

3 Beans with more than 15.0 percent classes that blend are graded Mixed Beans.
 

Official U.S Standards for Beans July 2023

Page 12

134 Grades and grade requirements for the classes Baby Lima and Miscellaneous Lima Beans.

[47 FR 19312, May 5, 1982; 47 FR 20551, May 13, 1982] [60 FR 36030, July 13, 1995]

[62 FR 52967, Oct. 10, 1997] [69 FR 75504, Dec. 17, 2004]

Grade

Maximum Limits of -

Moisture1

(percent)

Total

Defects

(DB, FM,

& CCL)

(percent)

Badly

Damaged

(percent)

Foreign Material

Contrasting

Classes2

(percent)

Blistered,

Wrinkled,

and/or

Broken

(percent)

Splits

(percent)

Classes

that

Blend3

(percent)

Total

(percent)

Stones

(percent)

U.S. No. 1 18.0 2.0 1.0 0.5 0.2 0.5 2.0 2.0 5.0

U.S. No. 2 18.0 4.0 1.5 1.0 0.3 1.0 4.0 4.0 10.0

U.S. No. 3 18.0 6.0 2.0 1.5 0.6 2.0 6.0 6.0 15.0

U.S. Substandard: U.S. Substandard shall be beans which do not meet the 

requirements for the grades U.S. No. 1 through U.S. Sample 

Grade. Beans which are not well screened shall also be U.S. 

Substandard, except for beans which meet the requirements for 

U.S. Sample Grade.

U.S. Sample Grade: U.S. Sample Grade shall be beans which are musty, sour, 

heating, materially weathered, or weevily; which have any 

commercially objectionable odor; which contain insect webbing or 

filth, animal filth, any unknown foreign substance, broken glass, or 

metal fragments; or which are otherwise of distinctly low quality.

1 Beans with more than 18.0 percent moisture are graded High Moisture.

2 Beans with more than 2.0 percent contrasting classes are graded Mixed Beans.

3 Beans with more than 15.0 percent classes that blend are graded Mixed Beans.
 

Official U.S Standards for Beans July 2023

Page 13

135 Grades and grade requirements for the class Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans).

[88 FR 38809, June 14, 2023]

136 Grade Designations

The grade designation for all classes of beans shall include, in the following order: (1) the letters “U.S.”; (2) the 

number of the grade, or the words Substandard or Sample Grade, as warranted, or the name of any applicable 

special grade designation as appears in 137 (a) and (b); (3) the words “or better” when applicable and requested 

by the applicant prior to inspection; (4) the class; (5) the special grade designation, if applicable, as appears in 

137 (c).

In addition, the designation for the grade “U.S. Substandard” shall include the percentage of sound beans.

Mixed beans shall be graded according to the grade requirements of the class of beans which predominates in the 

mixture. The factors of contrasting classes, classes that blend and sieve size requirements in the class Large Lima 

beans shall be disregarded in Mixed beans.

137 Special Grade Designations

(a) Choice Handpicked. The special grade designation “Choice Handpicked” shall be applicable only to the class 

Pea Beans. The “Choice Handpicked” designation shall include in the following order: (1) The letters “U.S.”;

(2) the words “Choice Handpicked”; and (3) “Pea Beans”.

(b) Prime Handpicked. The special grade designation “Prime handpicked” is applicable only to the class Pea 

beans. The “Prime Handpicked” designation shall include in the following order: (1) The letters “U.S.”; (2) 

the words “Prime Handpicked”; and (3) “Pea Beans”.

(c) High Moisture. The special grade designation “High Moisture” is applicable to all classes of beans containing

over 18.0 (14.0 for Chickpeas/Garbanzo Beans) percent moisture. The words “High Moisture” shall follow the 

class name.

Grade

Maximum Limits of -

Moisture1

(percent)

Total Defects

(DB, FM,

CCL, & SPL)

(percent)

Total

Damaged

(percent)

Foreign Material

Contrasting

Classes2

(percent)

Contrasting

Chickpeas3

(percent)

Total

(percent)

Stones

(percent)

U.S. No. 1 14.0 2.0 2.0 0.5 0.2 0.5 1.0

U.S. No. 2 14.0 4.0 4.0 1.0 0.4 1.0 2.0

U.S. No. 3 14.0 6.0 6.0 1.5 0.6 2.0 >2.0

U.S. Substandard: U.S. Substandard shall be beans which do not meet the 

requirements for the grades U.S. No. 1 through U.S. No. 3 or 

U.S. Sample Grade. Beans which are not well screened shall 

also be U.S. Substandard, except for beans which meet the 

requirements for U.S. Sample Grade.

U.S. Sample Grade: U.S. Sample Grade shall be beans which are musty, sour, 

heating, materially weathered, or weevily; which have any 

commercially objectionable odor; which contain insect webbing 

or filth, animal filth, any unknown foreign substance, broken 

glass, or metal fragments; or which are otherwise of distinctly 

low quality.

1 Beans with more than 14.0 percent moisture are graded High Moisture.

2 Beans with more than 2.0 percent contrasting classes are graded Mixed Beans.

3 Beans with more than 2.0 percent contrasting chickpeas must grade no higher than a 

U.S. No. 3.