Under a cooperative agreement with the USDA, this section is responsible for providing inspections of fresh fruit and vegetables for the purpose of certifying their quality, condition and quantity as authorized by the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946. Quality - referring to the inherent properties of a product which determines its relative degree of excellence. Condition - referring to the relative degree of soundness or preservation of a product and includes but is not necessarily limited to, its firmness or stages of ripeness, decay, freezing, shriveling, flabbiness or any other progressive factor which effects the products marketability. Quantity - meaning the number or weight. 

This section is responsible for providing grading service of Farmer Stock Peanuts at buying point facilities located at Portia, Pocahontas, Jonesboro and Marianna, and one location at a shelling plant in Jonesboro for Milled Stock Peanuts. Four full time employees and 55 extra help employees were licensed by AMS/USDA to grade peanuts in FY 2020-2021. Most recently there were 6,479 certificates issued and 120,000 tons of peanuts graded in Arkansas.