United States Department of Agriculture

Agricultural Marketing Service

Federal Grain Inspection Service

Directive 9180.69 March 14, 2022

Distribution: FGIS, OSP, Industry Originating Office: FMD PPMAB

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INSPECTION OF WHOLE BUCKWHEAT GROATS PURCHASED BY THE FARM 

SERVICE AGENCY

Contents

INSPECTION OF WHOLE BUCKWHEAT GROATS PURCHASED BY THE FARM SERVICE 

AGENCY ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������1

1. PURPOSE����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������

2. REPLACEMENT HIGHLIGHTS��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������

3. GENERAL INFORMATION���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������

4. HOW FACTOR PERCENTAGES ARE REPORTED ������������������������������������������������������������

5. SAMPLING PROCEDURE���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������

6. BASIS OF DETERMINATION ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������

7. ODOR�����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������

8. MOISTURE���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������

9. PROCESSING THE WORK SAMPLE ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������

10. STONES AND INSECTS����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������

11. WHOLE BUCKWHEAT GROATS AND UNHULLED BUCKWHEAT KERNELS ����������������

12. ADMIXTURE, FOREIGN MATERIAL AND PURITY ����������������������������������������������������������

13. CERTIFICATION ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������

14. QUESTIONS ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
FGIS Directive 9180.69 March 14, 2022

Page 2

1. PURPOSE

This directive establishes procedures under the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946, as 

amended, for the factor analysis of whole buckwheat groats purchased by the Farm 

Service Agency (FSA) for use in the United States Food Assistance Program

2. REPLACEMENT HIGHLIGHTS

This directive is revised to specify that any moisture meter listed as approved in 

the Moisture Handbook can be used to determine moisture content. This directive

supersedes FGIS Directive 9180.69, “Inspection of Buckwheat”, dated 5/21/1

3. GENERAL INFORMATION

Buckwheat is one of many agricultural food commodities assigned to the Federal Grain 

Inspection Service (FGIS) for standardization, classing, inspection, grading, sampling, 

or testing. Despite its name, buckwheat is not related to wheat and is not a true cereal

grain, but rather a fruit of a plant (Fagopyrum genus) belonging to the same family as 

rhubarb. Buckwheat groats are the raw buckwheat kernels with their inedible black hull

removed. Buckwheat groats are either white (unroasted) or brown (roasted) in colo

There are no classes, subclasses, or grades for whole buckwheat groats. Inspection

is on a factor only basis. The factors analyzed for FSA purchases are odor, moisture,

whole buckwheat groats, unhulled buckwheat kernels, foreign material, admixture, 

purity, stones, live insects, and dead insects. Factor results are reported on a

Commodity Inspection Certificate.

4. HOW FACTOR PERCENTAGES ARE REPORTED

Except for purity and stones, all percentages are reported in whole and tenth percent 

to the nearest tenth percent. Purity and stones are reported to a hundredth of a percent

without rounding (e.g., 98.997 = 98.99 percent for purity, and 0.059 = 0.05 percen

stones)

5. SAMPLING PROCEDURE

Sample whole buckwheat groats using procedures outlined in Chapter 2, Sampling, of 

either the Bean Inspection Handbook or the Rice Inspection Handbook

6. BASIS OF DETERMINATION

Except for odor, make all determinations on the sample as a whole. Determine odor

either on the sample as a whole or on the sample after removing admixture
FGIS Directive 9180.69 March 14, 2022

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7. ODOR

Basis of Determination. Determine odor at the time of sampling, or on the sample either

before or after removing admixture. Determine odor based on the lot as a whole, or

a representative sample as a whole, or a representative portion of whole buckwheat 

groats

Table No. 1 shows examples of odor classification:

TABLE NO. 1

Sour Musty Commercially Objectionable

Foreign Odors*

Boot

Fermenting

Insect (acrid)

Pigpen

Ground

Insect

Moldy

Animal hides

Decaying animal and vegetable matter

Fertilizer

Fumigant

Insecticide

Oil products

Skunk

Smoke

Strong weed

* Commercially Objectionable Foreign Odors are odors foreign to grain or commodities 

that renders it unfit for normal commercial usage.

Fumigant or insecticide odors are considered commercially objectionable foreign odors 

if the odors linger and do not dissipate. When a sample of whole buckwheat groats

contains a fumigant or insecticide odor that prevents a determination as to whether any 

other odor(s) exists, apply the following guidelines:

Original Inspections. Allow the work portion to aerate in an open container for 4 hours,

or less, if the odor dissipates in less time

Appeal, and Board Appeal Inspections. Allow unworked file samples and new samples 

to aerate in an open container for 4 hours, or less, if the odor dissipates in less time

The 4-hour aeration requirement does not apply when the original work portion was 

aerated and retained as the final file.

Consider the sample as having a commercially objectionable foreign odor if fumigant or 

insecticide odor persists based on above criteria
FGIS Directive 9180.69 March 14, 2022

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Final Determinations. The inspector is responsible for making the final determination 

for all odors. A consensus of experienced inspectors is used, whenever possible, on

samples containing marginal odors. The consensus approach is not required if no odor

or a distinct odor is detected

Certification. Record the words “Musty,” “Sour,” or “Commercially Objectionable Foreign

Odor” on the work record and in the “Remarks” section of the certificate.

8. MOISTURE

Moisture is the water content of Buckwheat Groats as determined by approved moisture 

instruments listed in the Moisture Handbook using the approved calibration (see FGIS 

Directive 9180.61

Basis of Determination. Determine moisture on the sample as a whole with

approximately 650 grams

Certification. Record percentage of moisture on the work record and certificate to 

nearest tenth percent

9. PROCESSING THE WORK SAMPLE

Using the Boerner divider, divide the work sample into fractional portions as illustrated in 

Table No. 2 and the following char

TABLE NO. 2

APPROXIMATE ANALYTICAL PORTION SIZES

Factors Grams

Stones

Insects

Whole Buckwheat Groats

Unhulled Buckwheat Kernels

Admixture

Foreign Material

Purity

1,000

1,000

250

250

125

125

125
FGIS Directive 9180.69 March 14, 2022

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10. STONES AND INSECTS

Stones. Stones are concrete earthy or mineral matter and other substances of similar

hardness that do not disintegrate readily in water

Consider stones as foreign material. Stones are also a separate factor for analysi

Insects. Insects refer to weevils or other insects injurious to stored grain and

commodities. Weevils include rice weevils, granary weevils, and lesser grain borer

Other insects injurious to stored grain and commodities include grain beetles, grain 

moths, mealworms, vetch bruchids, and larvae. (See Grain Inspection Handbook,

Chapter 1, General Information, Section 1.2, Visual Grading Aids

Live and dead insects are also separate factors for analysis. Live and dead insects are

considered separately because of different contract tolerance for each factor.

Basis of Determination. Determine stones, live insects, and dead insects on a

representative portion of approximately 1-1/8 to 1-1/4 quarts or a minimum of 

1,000-grams before removing admixture and foreign material

Certification. Record the percentage by weight of stones on the work record and

certificate to a hundredth of a percent without rounding. Record separately the number 

of live and dead insects in a 1,000-gram portion on the work record and certificate.
FGIS Directive 9180.69 March 14, 2022

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11. WHOLE BUCKWHEAT GROATS AND UNHULLED BUCKWHEAT KERNELS

Whole Buckwheat Groats. Whole buckwheat groats are whole kernels of dehulled

buckwheat and pieces of dehulled buckwheat kernels remaining on top of a 7/64 roundhole sieve after sieving. Dehulled buckwheat kernels are kernels of buckwheat with 95

percent or more of the hull removed

Unhulled Buckwheat Kernels. Unhulled buckwheat kernels are kernels of buckwheat

with more than 5 percent of the hull attached

Basis of Determination. Make the determination of whole buckwheat groats and

unhulled buckwheat kernels on the sample as a whole (250-gram portion)

Determine whole buckwheat groats and unhulled buckwheat kernels as follows:

a. Place the 7/64 round-hole sieve and bottom pan in the sieve holde

b. Set the stroke counter to 2

c. Pour the 250-gram portion in the center of the siev

d. Turn the machine on. (If a mechanical sieve shaker is not available, hold th

sieve and bottom pan level and using a steady motion, move the sieve from 

right to left approximately 10 inches and return from left to right to complete one 

sieving operation. Repeat this operation 20 times.) Mechanical sieving is preferre

over the hand sieving method because of uniformity in the sieving operation and 

accuracy in counting the number of strokes

e. Return any buckwheat groats lodged in the perforations of the sieve to the materia

remaining on top of the sieve

f. Handpick and separate whole buckwheat groats, unhulled buckwheat kernels, and

all other material remaining on top of the sieve

g. Handpick any unhulled buckwheat kernels from the material that passed through

the sieve and add it to the handpicked unhulled buckwheat kernels that remained 

on top of the sieve. Determine percentage of unhulled buckwheat kernel

h. Determine the percentage of whole buckwheat groats. Whole buckwheat groat

is the material remaining on top of the sieve after separating all material other than 

buckwheat groats (including unhulled buckwheat kernels)

Certification. Show the individual percentage of whole buckwheat groats and the

individual percentage of unhulled buckwheat kernels on the work record and certificate 

to the nearest tenth percent
FGIS Directive 9180.69 March 14, 2022

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12. ADMIXTURE, FOREIGN MATERIAL AND PURITY 

Admixture. Admixture is all material, which passes through a 1/15 round-hole handsieve

and all material other than buckwheat groats handpicked from the material remaining on 

top of the handsieve. Empty hulls and unhulled buckwheat kernels are not considered

as admixture

Foreign material. Foreign material is all material other than buckwheat groats and

unhulled buckwheat kernels

There are four components within foreign material:

a. Organic Materia

- Pieces of sticks, stems, or empty hulls

- Any other organic material (including dead insects)

b. Mineral Materia

-Sand, stones, soil

c. Grain

- Any grain or commodity for which official standards are established.

d. Weed Seed

- Seeds of all wild plants including wild buckwheat

- Any grain or commodity for which official standards are not established.

Purity. Purity refers to the total percentage of buckwheat groats minus admixtur

Basis of Determination. Determine admixture, foreign material and purity on 125-gram

Determine percentage of purity by weight of kernels and pieces of kernels of buckwheat 

groats using a 125-gram portion after removing admixture

Determine admixture, foreign material and purity as follows:

a. Place 125-grams on upper edge of a 1/15 round-hole siev

b. Hold sieve at a 10 to 20 degree angle and gently work material down over sieve

with a side-to-side motion. Perform this step twic

c. Handpick all material other than unhulled buckwheat kernels, empty hulls, whole

buckwheat groats and pieces of buckwheat groats from the material remaining on 

top of the sieve and add it to the material that passed through the sieve. Consider

this material as admixture
FGIS Directive 9180.69 March 14, 2022

Page 8

d. Handpick any material meeting the definition of foreign material, while handpicking 

admixture

e. Determine percentage of purity by subtracting the weight of admixture from the

weight of the portion to obtain the weight of pure kernels. Then divide the weight

of pure kernels by the portion weight, and multiply by 100, for the percentage of 

purity

Certification. Show the individual percentage of admixture and the individual percentage

of foreign material on the certificate to the nearest tenth percent. Show the percentage 

of purity on the work record and certificate to a hundredth of a percent without rounding.

If requested, list the individual components of foreign material on the certificate in 

remarks. Show each component to a hundredth of a percent without roundin

13. CERTIFICATION

Certify analysis of whole buckwheat groats on a commodity inspection certificate (FGIS993). Issue a lot inspection certificate for officially sampled lots. Issue a submitted 

sample certificate (FGIS-994) for a sample submitted by an applicant or their agent.

Show results of analysis in the following order and place an asterisk in front of any result 

that does not meet contract specifications.

a. Odo

b. Moistur

c. Whole Buckwheat Groat

d. Unhulled Kernel

e. Foreign Materia

f. Admixtur

g. Purit

h. Stone

i. Live Insect

j. Dead Insect

14. QUESTIONS

Direct any questions concerning this directive to the Policies, Procedures, and Market 

Analysis Branch (PPMAB) at (202) 720-0228