STANDARDIZATION AND INSPECTION FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES 9 
point inspection work was immediately reorganized on a cooperative Federal- 
State basis in a number of States, particularly in the far Western States. Several 
years later cooperative agreements for the conduct of the service were effective 
in all but a few States, and since 1942, practically all States have been a party to 
such agreements. Shipping-point inspections during the first fiscal year 1922-23 
totaled 72,466. Inspection expanded rapidly during the succeeding years, until 
during the fiscal year 1956 a total of 763,979 carlots were inspected at shipping 
points, not including an additional 462,687 carloads of raw products inspected at 
processing plants. The total of all types of inspection in 1955-56 including 
those at receiving markets, was 1,386,663 carloads. Such figures are a significant 
tribute to a governmental service maintained for the benefit of an industry, 
when it is considered that inspection is voluntary and paid for by the industry. 
STATES PARTICIPATE IN STANDARDIZATION PROGRAM 
Since the Department of Agriculture had recommended grades for only a 
few products prior to 1922, it was necessary to make some inspections on the 
basis of the State grades then in force. It is well to note that during the period 
when the Federal Government was developing its standardization and inspection 
programs, similar programs were being conducted by the various States. The 
States began to pass legislation pertaining to the standardization and grading of 
various products in an attempt to abolish some of the abuses to which the 
industry had been subjected for a number of years. 
New York was the pioneer State to enact standardization legislation. A law 
was passed there in 1909 provided that no person could sell or brand apples, 
pears, or peaches as grown in New York State unless they actually had been 
produced within the State. This act was amended in rogrr to include the first 
grade requirements for apples. In 1913 Montana and Maine passed the first 
mandatory apple-grading laws. In 1914 the State of New York passed similar 
legislation and Massachusetts, Delaware, Connecticut, and California followed 
with apple-grading legislation in 1915. Several other States issued grades for 
apples and other products, either by legislation or regulation, prior to 1919. 
Enactment of State standardization legislation began in earnest following 
World War I when most of the so-called general State standardization laws 
were passed. These laws served to provide the States with the necessary author- 
ity to establish official standards for the grading and inspection of fruits and 
vegetables and other products. Most of such laws authorize an officer in author- 
ity, such as the commissioner of agriculture or the director of markets, to 
promulgate official standards for fruits, vegetables, and other products, as well 
as standards for containers of those products. Provisions are usually made for 
the appointment of inspectors, charging of fees for inspection, making certificates 
prima facie evidence in all State courts, prescribing rules for the marking of 
containers, and making such rules and regulations as necessary for conducting 
a standardization and inspection program. 
To give the history of all the State legislation that has been enacted with respect 
to the standardization of fruits and vegetables would not be particularly pertinent 
to this discussion. Suffice it to say that all States except Iowa have passed one or 
more laws on the subject. In most States, laws specifically require that U. S. 
standards shall be official for one or more products, or an officer with authority 
by law has officially promulgated U. S. standards for one or more products. In 
all States, U. S. standards are used very extensively as a basis for packing and sale 
of most of the commercial fruits and vegetables produced. 
391205°—56 
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