Agricultural Quality Assessment Division QAD 543 Procedure 

Marketing 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Stop 0258 August 31, 2018

Service Washington, DC 20250 Page 1 of 4

POULTRY MEMORANDUM AND CERTIFICATE PREPARATION

Purpose

This instruction defines how to prepare poultry memorandums and certificates.

Procedures

I. Memorandums

A. Preparation of Memorandums

To support the LP-210P and LP-209 grading certificates, Form LP-211, LP-232, and other 

approved worksheets shall be used as official worksheet documents. Company forms may be 

used instead of official memorandums when official documents are not requested and when 

they may be useful to the firm. The Federal-State supervisor shall approve company forms 

prior to use. Approval should be confirmed in writing to the grader. They may not be signed 

or initialed by the grader.

Memorandums should be completed at the time the grading is performed. Preparation of the 

memorandum is required when performing test weighing, commodity specification work, 

etc., where backup information such as detailed grading data, product temperatures, test 

weighing data, or information not normally included on the grading certificate is needed. 

Additional comments regarding loading, holding, styling, etc., which may be useful at a later 

date should also be included. As a minimum, the certificate number, date of grading, and 

grader's signature shall be shown on all memorandums. The only time it is necessary to fill 

out the memorandum completely is when someone other than the grader will prepare the 

grading certificate.

B. Distribution of Memorandums

1. Fee graders will file or send the memorandum to the State or regional grading office 

according to the supervisor's instructions.

2. Resident graders shall file certificates with memorandums attached for all certificates 

issued for the resident plant. Retain these files according to current record disposition 

schedules.

3. The memorandums shall not be distributed to industry.

II. Certificates

Approval to use computers to develop, generate, and/or print official USDA grading certificates 

must be obtained from the supervisor prior to use. The supervisor is responsible for assuring 

control procedures are established and followed. Official grading certificates may be filled out 

utilizing computers with appropriate software and printed. The grader must sign the original. 
Agricultural Quality Assessment Division QAD 543 Procedure 

Marketing 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Stop 0258 August 31, 2018

Service Washington, DC 20250 Page 2 of 4

Additional copies may be made by the grader or plant management. When an original signature 

is required on each copy, the grader will make the appropriate number of copies and sign each 

one. Some States have approved systems permitting them to develop, generate, and print official 

certificates using a pre-issued set of sequential accountable number.

All official grading certificates must have all applicable Burden and Non-Discrimination 

statements required by the Department on the reverse side of each certificate.

Any alternative process or system to develop, generate, and/or print official USDA grading 

certificates by computers must be submitted to the National Supervisor, Quality Assessment 

Division for review and approval.

A. LP-210P, Poultry Products Grading Certificate (Exhibit 1 and 1a)

The certificate shall be completed in the normal manner adding the data required. 

Certificates are always prepared from the data available on the LP-211 memorandum, and 

completed as follows:

1. Certificates shall be issued and used in numerical order.

2. Product information on certificates should be typed or handwritten legibly in ink.

3. All copies of certificates must bear the number of the original certificate.

4. All originals shall be signed in ink. If requested by the applicant all copies can show 

the signature of the grader.

5. All of the applicable portions of certificates must be completed using no 

abbreviations except for poultry (PY), pounds (lbs.), Ready-to-Cook (RTC), or other 

abbreviations shown in Exhibit 1.

6. Weight range should not be shown in the product type and class section of the 

certificate unless weight range is verified according to procedures outlined in QAD 

607.

7. Resident graders shall issue certificates only upon request of the applicant or the 

grader's supervisor.

8. When a request for grading is for other than quality, an appropriate statement 

shall be placed in the “Remarks” of the certificate such as "TEST 

WEIGHING ONLY" or "CONDITION INSPECTION ONLY."

9. The resident grader's accountability record for certificates, Form LP-185 is 

maintained at the plant.

10. The supervisor will determine how the accountability record is kept for other graders.
Agricultural Quality Assessment Division QAD 543 Procedure 

Marketing 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Stop 0258 August 31, 2018

Service Washington, DC 20250 Page 3 of 4

11. When minor errors, other than accounting data, are made on a certificate prior to the 

release of the certificate, the errors should be corrected and initialed in ink. The use 

of whiteout is not allowed on certificates.

B. “Void” Certificates

When numerous errors are made in preparing a certificate, the word VOID should be written 

diagonally on the original. For resident graders, the originals of all voided certificates are 

filed at the plant. For all other graders, the originals of all voided certificates are filed at the 

office where the accountability record is maintained. All other copies are destroyed.

C. Certificate Amendments

When an error is discovered, after a certificate has been released, and it is difficult to recall 

the original, it may be necessary to issue an amendment to correct the original certificate. 

Amendments may be issued:

1. To correct minor errors such as name of applicant, etc.

2. When a major error has been made and all copies of the distributed certificate cannot 

be recovered, providing all interested parties can be supplied with copies of the 

amendment.

Amendments shall be prepared on official USDA or State Department of Agriculture 

letterhead paper. When State letterhead paper is used, the grader should include the words 

"Federal-State Grader" in the signature block. They shall be dated and signed in ink by the 

grader issuing the amendment. Graders other than the grader issuing the original certificate 

may issue amendments covering errors in entries that are as stated by the applicant. 

Amendments for factors certified by USDA may be made by a second grader only if the 

grader can personally verify the amended information through observation of product or 

examination of grading records. The distribution is the same as the certificate that was 

amended (Exhibit 2).

D. Superseded Certificates

Superseding certificates should only be used when an amendment is not acceptable. 

Occasionally, original certificates are distributed that require extensive modifications to 

correct a previously issued certificate. Under these circumstances, every effort should be 

made to retrieve the original certificate. If the original certificate cannot be retrieved, a new 

certificate can be issued to supersede the original certificate. When issuing a superseded 

certificate, the original certificate number and date must be referenced in the remarks section.

A grader, after discussing with their supervisor, may issue a superseded certificate if it can be 

supported by examination of official grading records. Utilize the same distribution as the 

original certificate.
Agricultural Quality Assessment Division QAD 543 Procedure 

Marketing 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Stop 0258 August 31, 2018

Service Washington, DC 20250 Page 4 of 4

E. Distribution of Certificates

The original and one copy shall be distributed to the applicant or designated representative. 

Additional copies may be furnished to the applicant when requested. The supervisor will 

instruct graders to distribute additional copies as required

F. Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) Export Certificate of Wholesomeness

FSIS is responsible for issuance of all export certificates covering poultry products. 

Occasionally, FSIS asks the QAD to perform export inspections. When performing export 

inspections, the USDA Grader shall utilize stamps and certificates provided by FSIS 

personnel. Instructions on handling the inspection request shall be provided to the grader by 

the inspection office initiating the request for assistance.

___________________________

Richard H. Lawson, National Poultry Supervisor

Quality Assessment Division

Livestock and Poultry Program

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