Virginia Administrative Code › Title 2 - AGRICULTURE › Agency 5 - DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER SERVICES › Chapter 310 - RULES AND REGULATIONS-OFFICIAL STANDARDS FOR ENFORCEMENT OF THE VIRGINIA APPLES: GRADING, PACKING, AND MARKING LAW › Section 2VAC5-310-30 - Standards in addition to the U.S. Standards

Current through Register Vol. 40, No. 24, July 15, 2024
The following standards are established in addition to the
				  United States Standards adopted in 2 VAC5-310-20.
A. Grades.
1. Virginia Extra Fancy.
Virginia Extra Fancy consists of apples of one variety which
				  are mature but not further advanced in maturity than firm ripe, carefully
				  hand-picked, clean, fairly well formed; free from decay, internal browning,
				  internal breakdown, scald, scab, bitter pit, Jonathan spot, freezing injury,
				  visible water core and broken skins, and bruises except those which are slight
				  and incident to proper handling and packing. The apples are also free from
				  injury caused by smooth net-like russeting, smooth solid russeting, sunburn or
				  sprayburn, limb rubs, hail, drought spots, scars, disease, insects, or other
				  means; and free from damage by slightly rough or rough russeting, or stem or
				  calyx cracks, and free from injury by invisible water core after January 31 of
				  the year following the year of production. Each apple of this grade has the
				  amount of color specified for the variety. (See color requirements)
2. Virginia Fancy.
Virginia Fancy consists of apples of one variety which are
				  mature but not overripe, carefully hand-picked, clean, fairly well formed; free
				  from decay, internal browning, internal breakdown, bitter pit, Jonathan spot,
				  scald, freezing injury, visible water core, and broken skins and bruises except
				  those which are incident to proper handling and packing. The apples are also
				  free from damage caused by russeting, sunburn or sprayburn, limb rubs, hail,
				  drought spots, scars, stem or calyx cracks, disease, insects, or damage by
				  other means. Each apple of this grade has the amount of color specified for the
				  variety. (See color requirements)
3. Virginia No. 1 Hail Grade.
Virginia No. 1 Hail Grade consists of apples which meet the
				  requirements of Virginia Fancy grade except that hail marks where the skin has
				  not been broken, and well healed hail marks where the skin has been broken, are
				  permitted, provided the apples are fairly well formed.
4. Domestic Grade.
Domestic Grade consists of apples of one variety which are
				  mature but not overripe, carefully hand-picked, not seriously deformed; free
				  from decay, internal browning, internal breakdown, scald, and freezing injury.
				  The apples are also free from serious damage caused by dirt or other foreign
				  matter, broken skins, bruises, russeting, sunburn or sprayburn, limb rubs,
				  hail, drought spots, scars, stem or calyx cracks, visible water core, disease,
				  insects, or other means.
5.
				Gift Grade.
Gift Grade may consist of mixed varieties and shall meet
				  Virginia Extra Fancy grade as defined in Virginia Standards for Apples. When
				  gift containers meet the requirements of Gift Grade, such containers need be
				  marked only "Gift Grade" and a statement of net contents and name and address
				  of packer or distributor.
6. Color requirements.
In addition to the requirement specified for the grades set
				  forth, apples of these grades shall have the percentage of color specified for
				  the variety in Table I appearing in this section. For the solid red varieties
				  the percentage stated refers to the area of the surface which must be covered
				  with a good shade of solid red characteristic of the variety: Provided, that an
				  apple having color of a lighter shade of solid red or striped red than that
				  considered as a good shade of red characteristic of the variety may be admitted
				  to a grade, provided it has sufficient additional area covered so that the
				  apple has as good an appearance as one with the minimum percentage of good red
				  characteristic of the variety required for the grade. For the striped red
				  varieties the percentage stated refers to the area of the surface in which the
				  stripes of a good shade of red characteristic of the variety shall predominate
				  over stripes of lighter red, green, or yellow. However, an apple having color
				  of a lighter shade than that considered as a good shade of red characteristic
				  of the variety may be admitted to a grade, provided it has sufficient
				  additional area covered so that the apple has as good an appearance as one with
				  the minimum percentage of stripes of a good red characteristic of the variety
				  required for the grade.
TABLE I Color Requirements for Specified
						  Virginia Grades of Apples by Variety
Variety
Va. Extra Fancy
Va. Fancy
Solid Red:
Winesap
25%
Other similar varieties
25%
Red Sport varieties (1)
90% (2)
25%
Striped or Partially red:
Jonathan Other similar varieties
25% 25%
Rome Beauty Stayman York Imperial Delicious Other
						  similar varieties
15% 15% 15% 15% 15%
Rambo Other similar varieties
10% (3)
Redcheeked or blushed varieties:
Summer Rambo Other similar varieties
(4) (4)
Green varieties
(5)
Yellow varieties:
(5)
Golden Delicious
(6)
(5)
(1) When Red Sport varieties are specified
						  as such, they shall meet the color requirements specified for Red Sport
						  varieties.
(2) Must have at least 90 percent good shade
						  of red color; characteristic of the variety.
(3) Tinge of color.
(4) None.
(5) Characteristic Ground Color.
(6) 75% or more of the surface of the apple
						  shall show white or light green predominating over the green color.