revised. For each of the next 10 years, an average of about 6 new standards 
for fruits and vegetables were added and, of course, many of those previously 
issued were revised. At the end of the fecal year ending June 30, 1931, a total 
of 67 new standards, covering 50 different commodities, had been recommended. 
By this time, U. S. standards had been issued for -the principal products, so 
during the ensuing years technical employees were able to devote more time 
than previously to developing standards for some of the less important 
commodities. 
Some new standards have been formulated every year since 1920. To date, 
U. S. standards for 68 different products have been issued. Since two or more 
standards are necessary for some products, owing to differences in types and 
uses, a total of 114 sets of standards have been issued. These include 99 
standards for 61 different fruits! and vegetables and 15 standards for 7 other 
products not classed as fruits and vegetables, such as peanuts, pecans, walnuts, 
and tomato plants. 
The order in which U. S. standards have been developed has been determined 
largely by the needs of the various industries. No standards have been issued 
unless there was enough evidence to indicate that their recommendation would 
be a benefit to the particular industry concerned. In spite of the large number 
of U. S. standards that have been issued, the field is not yet covered; there are 
still some products for which standards have not been issued. Then, too, the 
standards recommended thus far have been primarily for use in wlaglesele 
trading or for the purchase of raw products for processing. Standards have 
been issued for only a small number of raw products that are processed, which 
leaves a large field for the development of new standards as the need arises. 
Recent popular demand for consumer standards, both from consumers and 
distributing organizations, may soon open a completely new field for the de- 
velopment of standards. 
U. S. STANDARDS PERMISSIVE IN CHARACTER 
Generally speaking, the U. S. standards for fresh fruits and vegetables are 
permissive standards; that is, their use is optional as far as the law under which 
authority is given for their issuance is concerned. Certain other Federal and 
State laws, however, grant authority for making the grading of produce com- 
pulsory under certain circumstances. The Export Apple and Pear Act, enacted 
in 1933, is a mandatory Federal act which provides that it shall be unlawful 
to ship apples or pears in the raw state to foreign countries, except in less 
than carlots, unless they meet certain minimum grades prescribed by rules and 
regulations of the Secretary of Agriculture. 
Under provisions of the Marketing Agreement Act of 1937, authority is 
granted for restriction of shipments of produce by grades and sizes in market- 
ing agreements and orders. Thus, during recent years, grading of certain 
products under the provisions of such agreements and orders has been made 
compulsory during the period of time covered by such agreements and orders. 
Compulsory grading of many fresh fruits and vegetables in accordance with 
requirements of official U. S. standards is required by the provisions of many 
State laws. A few States also require compulsory inspection of some products, 
either by law or by regulations under lawful authority. 
BASIC PRINCIPLES FOLLOWED IN DEVELOPING STANDARDS 
Through experience, certain basic principles have been recognized as funda- 
mental in the development of a practicable and useful set of standards. Prob- 
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