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United States Standards

for Grades of Red Sour 

Cherries for

Manufacture

Effective September 6, 2016
This issue of the United States Standards for Grades of Red Sour Cherries for 

Manufacture (81 FR 51297) supersedes the previous issue which has been in effect 

since April 20, 1941.

Voluntary U.S. grade standards are issued under the authority of the Agricultural 

Marketing Act of 1946, which provides for the development of official U.S. grades to 

designate different levels of quality. These grade standards are available for use by 

producers, suppliers, buyers, and consumers. As in the case of other standards for 

grades of fresh and processed fruits, vegetables, and specialty crops these 

standards are designed to facilitate orderly marketing by providing a convenient 

basis for buying and selling, for establishing quality control programs, and for 

determining loan values.

The U.S. grade standards and inspection instructions for all fresh and processed fruits,

vegetables, and specialty crops are available on the internet and upon request at the 

address below. These documents provide detailed interpretations of the grade standards 

and provide step-by-step procedures for grading the product.

Grade standards are issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) after careful 

consideration of all data and views submitted during rulemaking. The Department 

welcomes suggestions for improving the standards in future revisions. Comments may be 

submitted to, and copies of standards and inspection instructions obtained from:

Director, Specialty Crops Inspection Division

Specialty Crops Program,

USDA, Agricultural Marketing Service

1400 Independence Avenue, SW, STOP 0240

Washington, D.C. 20250

__________________________________________________________________________

Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1621-1627.

Note: Compliance with the provisions of these standards shall not excuse failure to 

comply with the provisions of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, or 

with applicable State laws and regulations.

Non-Discrimination Policy: 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, found online at 

http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html 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.
United States Standards for Grades of Red Sour Cherries for Manufacture

(September 6, 2016)

1

United States Standards for Grades of Red Sour Cherries for Manufacture

Section Page No.

General........................................................................................................................... 2

§51.4340 General........................................................................................................ 2

Grades............................................................................................................................ 2

§51.4341 U.S. No. 1.................................................................................................... 2

§51.4342 U.S. No. 2.................................................................................................... 3

Reserved........................................................................................................................ 3

§51.4343 Reserved. .................................................................................................... 3

Definitions...................................................................................................................... 3

§51.4344 Fairly well colored........................................................................................ 3

§51.4345 Pulled pits.................................................................................................... 3

§51.4346 Attached stems............................................................................................ 3

§51.4347 Damage....................................................................................................... 3

§51.4348 Diameter...................................................................................................... 4
United States Standards for Grades of Red Sour Cherries for Manufacture

(September 6, 2016)

2

General

§51.4340 General.

(a) The following grades for red sour cherries are intended to facilitate transactions 

between growers and processors who may wish to use a purchasing system 

based upon the quality of cherries delivered to the processing plant. These 

grades are an outgrowth of the widely accepted principle that price should be 

directly proportional to quality. The grower delivering high quality cherries 

deserves a premium price, because such cherries enable the canner to pack a 

better quality finished product.

(b) A system of payments with proper price differentials based upon quality as 

determined by standard grades makes it possible for growers to be compensated 

for additional expenditures necessitated by better growing and harvesting 

practices.

(c) The most practical method of measuring the quality of cherries is by drawing a 

representative sample from the lot, sorting it to determine the percentage of 

defective fruit and giving it a grade designation. The application of these 

standards requires the services of private or official inspectors to determine the 

grade of each lot of cherries. Such inspectors must be capable, efficient, and 

above all, they must be absolutely impartial. The inspector's report should show 

the percentage of defective cherries and the grade assigned to the lot which the 

sample represents.

(d) Contracts for the purchase of cherries are usually made long before the cherries 

are harvested. When contracts are based upon the U.S. grades two fundamental 

principles should be taken into consideration. First, provision should be made for 

an impartial inspection of each lot of cherries delivered to the plant. Second, the 

contract should specify the prices to be paid for the cherries of various qualities 

determined by the grade or percentage of U.S. No. 1 cherries in the lot.

(e) A system of contracting commonly used is based upon the payment of a certain 

price for U.S. No. 1 grade allowing the full tolerance for defects without penalty. 

For lots failing to grade No. 1 because of an excess of defects, the price per 

hundred weight is adjusted so as to pay for the U.S. No. 1 cherries in the lot.

Grades

§51.4341 U.S. No. 1.

“U.S. No. 1” consists of sour cherries which are fairly well colored, free from decay, 

worms, pulled pits, attached stems, and free from damage caused by bird pecks, hail 

marks, limbrubs, windwhips and other scars, sunscald, shriveling, foreign material, 

disease, insects, mechanical or other means.
United States Standards for Grades of Red Sour Cherries for Manufacture

(September 6, 2016)

3

(a) Size. Unless otherwise specified, each cherry shall have a diameter of not less 

than 5/8 inch.

(b) Tolerances. In order to allow for variations incident to proper handling, not more 

than a total of 7 percent, by weight, of any lot of cherries may fail to meet the 

requirements of this grade, but not more than five-sevenths of this amount, or 5 

percent, may fail to meet the grade requirements other than for attached stems, 

and no part of this tolerance shall be allowed for cherries which are affected by 

worms.

§51.4342 U.S. No. 2.

“U.S. No. 2” consists of sour cherries which meet all of the requirements of U.S. No. 1 

grade, except that a total tolerance of 12 percent, by weight, of any lot of cherries shall 

be permitted for grade defects, but not more than five-sixths of this amount, or 10 

percent, may fail to meet the grade requirements other than for attached stems, and not 

part of this tolerance shall be allowed for cherries which are affected by worms.

Reserved

§51.4343 Reserved.

Definitions

§51.4344 Fairly well colored.

“Fairly well colored” means that the individual cherry has a decidedly pink or light red 

color predominating over the yellow on most of its surface.

§51.4345 Pulled pits.

“Pulled pits” means cherries from which the pits have been removed in the process of 

harvesting.

§51.4346 Attached stems.

“Attached stems” means cherries with stems remaining attached.

§51.4347 Damage.

“Damage” means any defect, or any combination of defects, which materially detracts 

from the appearance, or the processing quality of the cherry. Light colored scars or 

scars which do not materially discolor the flesh beneath the skin shall not be considered 

as damage.
United States Standards for Grades of Red Sour Cherries for Manufacture

(September 6, 2016)

4

§51.4348 Diameter.

“Diameter” means the greatest dimension of the cherry measured at right angles to a 

line running from the stem end to the blossom end.