United States Department of Agriculture

Agricultural Marketing Service

Federal Grain Inspection Service

U.S. Standards September 2023

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

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Subpart J -- United States Standards for Soybeans

Contents

Subpart J -- United States Standards for Soybeans 1

Terms Defined 2

Principles Governing the Application of Standards 3

Grades, Grade Requirements, and Grade Designations 3

Special Grades and Special Grade Requirements 4
Official US Standards for Grain

Soybeans

September 2023

Page 2

Terms Defined

§ 810.1601 Definition of soybeans.

Grain that consists of 50 percent or more of whole or broken soybeans (Glycine max 

(L.) Merr.) that will not pass through an 8/64 round-hole sieve and not more than 10.0 

percent of other grains for which standards have been established under the United 

States Grain Standards Act.

§ 810.1602 Definition of other terms.

(a) Classes. There are two classes of soybeans: Yellow soybeans and Mixed soybeans.

(1) Yellow soybeans. Soybeans that have yellow or green seed coats and which, in 

cross section, are yellow or have a yellow tinge, and may include not more than 10.0 

percent of soybeans of other colors. Soybeans of other colors are soybeans that have 

black or bicolored seedcoats, as well as soybeans that have green seedcoats and 

are green in cross section. Bicolored soybeans will have seed coats of two colors, 

one of which is brown or black, and the brown or black color covers 50 percent of the 

seed coats. The hilum of a soybean is not considered a part of the seed coat for this 

determination.

(2) Mixed soybeans. Soybeans that do not meet the requirements of the class Yellow

soybeans.

(b) Damaged kernels. Soybeans and pieces of soybeans that are badly grounddamaged, badly weather-damaged, diseased, frost-damaged, germ-damaged, heatdamaged, insect-bored, mold-damaged, sprout-damaged, stinkbug-stung, or otherwise 

materially damaged. Stinkbug-stung kernels are considered damaged kernels at the 

rate of one-fourth of the actual percentage of the stung kernels.

(c) Foreign material. All matter that passes through an 8/64 round-hole sieve and all 

matter other than soybeans remaining in the sieved sample after sieving according to 

procedures prescribed in FGIS instructions.

(d) Heat-damaged kernels. Soybeans and pieces of soybeans that are materially

discolored and damaged by heat.

(e) Purple mottled or stained. Soybeans that are discolored by the growth of a fungus; 

or by dirt; or by a dirt-like substance(s) including nontoxic inoculants; or by other 

nontoxic substances.

(f) Sieve - 8/64 round-hole sieve. A metal sieve 0.032 inch thick perforated with round

holes 0.125 (8/64) inch in diameter.

(g) Splits. Soybeans with more than 1/4 of the bean removed and that are not

damaged.
Official US Standards for Grain

Soybeans

September 2023

Page 3

Principles Governing the Application of Standards

§ 810.1603 Basis of determination.

Each determination of class, heat-damaged kernels, damaged kernels, and splits is 

made on the basis of the grain when free from foreign material. Other determinations 

not specifically provided for under the general provisions are made on the basis of the 

grain as a whole.

Grades Grade Requirements

§ 810.1604 Grades and grade requirements for soybeans

Grading factors Grades U. S. Nos.

1 2 3 4

 Maximum percent limits of

Damaged kernels:

Heat (part of total)

Total

Foreign material

Splits

0.2

2.0

1.0

10.0

0.5

3.0

2.0

20.0

1.0

5.0

3.0

30.0

3.0

8.0

5.0

40.0

 Maximum count limits of

Other materials:

Animal filth

Castor beans

Crotalaria seeds

Glass

Stones 1

Unknown foreign substance

Total 2

9

1

2

0

3

3

10

9

1

2

0

3

3

10

9

1

2

0

3

3

10

9

1

2

0

3

3

10

U.S. Sample grade are soybeans that:

(a) Do not meet the requirements for U.S. Nos. 1, 2, 3, or 4; or

(b) Have a musty, sour, or commercially objectionable foreign odor (except smut or garlic odor); or

(c) Are heating or otherwise of distinctly low quality.

__________

1

 In addition to the maximum count limit, stones must exceed 0.1 percent of the sample weight.

2

 Includes any combination of animal filth, castor beans, crotalaria seeds, glass, stones, and 

 unknown foreign substances. The weight of stones is not applicable for total other material.
Official US Standards for Grain

Soybeans

September 2023

Page 4

Special Grades and Special Grade Requirements

§ 810.1605 Special grades and special grade requirements.

(a) Garlicky soybeans. Soybeans that contain 5 or more green garlic bulblets or an

equivalent quantity of dry or partly dry bulblets in a 1,000-gram portion.

(b) Purple mottled or stained soybeans. Soybeans with pink or purple seed coats 

as determined on a portion of approximately 400 grams with the use of an FGIS 

Interpretive Line Photograph.