34 AXI^UAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMEISTT OF AGRICULTURE. 



STANDARDIZATION OF FARM PRODUCTS UNIVERSALLY ACCEPTED. 



The benefits from well defined and generally accepted standards 

 for farm products are no longer seriously questioned. With pre- 

 miums being paid for products of uniform grade, coupled with 

 high costs of transporting and handling nonstandardized products, 

 farmers have come to realize the value of this work. Standardiza- 

 tion of fruits and vegetables received fresh impetus from the inau- 

 guration of the shipping point inspection," as uniform standards are 

 fundamentally necessary to the successful operation of an inspection 

 ser\'ice. At the present time Federal standards are being used for 

 a large number of the most important fruits and vegetables, and 

 many of these standards have been made mandatory under State 

 laws. 



After several years of intensive work. Federal grades were rec- 

 ommended for a number of the most important types of hay. These 

 grades have been very well received on the part of producers and 

 the trade, and are used as the basis for the inspection service on 

 hay which was inaugurated on Julj^ 1 of this year. 



On February 23, 1923, the warehouse act was amended so as to 

 permit of the storage of any agricultural product, considered by 

 this department to be properly storable, in a federally licensed 

 warehouse. As a preliminaiy step to the enforcement of this act, 

 it is necessary to establish Federal standards for all products to be 

 stored in licensed warehouses. 



Tentative standards have been established covering dark-fired, 

 flue-cured and sun-cured types of tobacco of Virginia and the 

 Carolinas and the dark-fired tobacco of Kentucky. Other tentative 

 standards have been recommended and investigations are being con- 

 tinued. 



The department's market classification for livestock has been 

 further revised and is without doubt the most complete classifica- 

 tion for meat animals ever attempted and constitutes a long step 

 forward in standardization. Classes and grades of dressed meats 

 have also been prepared which are proving of great benefit to the 

 livestock and meat trade. 



In response to steong appeals from both the domestic and foreign 

 trade. Federal grades for rye were promulgated on July 1 of this 

 year. These grades have received hearty indorsement from all 



