USDA revises grade standards for fuji apples

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has amended the standards for fuji apples.

The change to the Agricultural Marketing Service’s grading standards removes “smooth net-like russeting” as a grade determining factor for U.S. Extra Fancy, U.S. Fancy, and U.S. No. 1 grades of fujis according to a USDA release.

The Agricultural Marketing Service also removed obsolete references to where color standards may be examined and purchase, according to the release. The final notice of the amendments to the U.S. Standards for Grades of Apples was published Oct. 1 in the Federal Register, and becomes effective Oct. 31.

According to the Federal Register, the Washington State Grade Standards for Apples “do not consider smooth net-like russeting to be a defect for Fuji apples if the russeting does not rise above the surface of the skin and the skin is not rough to the touch.”

Washington accounts for more than 90% of U.S. apple exports, according to the document, so revising the U.S. apple grades “will promote consistency across the apple market and remove barriers to the export market for growers of the fuji variety.”

For more information on the changes, contact David Horner at 540-361-1128 or at Dave.Horner@USDA.gov.