Updated 12/18/2008

Trucker's Reference

For more information, contact program staff or call (360) 902-1833

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TRUCKERS AND GROWERS ------ This summary is prepared for your assistance.  Regulations quoted in this summary are accurate as of the date of preparation.  They are subject to change and are intended to be used as a quick reference guide only.  Complete grade standards and marketing order regulations are available upon request.  View complete Standards here:  Fruit and Vegetable Inspection WAC's and RCW's

THE FOLLOWING COMMODITIES REQUIRE INSPECTION AND HAVE MINIMUM GRADE AND SIZE REQUIREMENTS:

[Apples] [Pears] [Potatoes] [Asparagus] [Peaches] [Cherries] [Apricots] [Prunes]

The field offices listed below operate between the hours of 8:00 A.M. and 5:00 P.M., Monday through Friday. Service is available beyond these hours with prior arrangements with the inspection office. Inspectors generally are not available at these offices on a drop-in basis. It will be beneficial to call ahead to arrange for inspections. Please make inspection requests with the local inspection office.

Please see the District Boundary map

APPLES - Minimum Grade and Size Requirements:

Minimum Grade:

• Red varieties – Washington Fancy or US NO. 1
• Green/Yellow varieties – Washington C Grade

Minimum Soluble Solids (refractometer) - Starch Iodine:

• 11% Red Delicious and Delicious -- Prior to October 1 of each crop season
• 10.5% Golden Delicious -- prior to September 20th of each crop year
• 1.2 Cascade Analytical reading -- Granny Smith - Prior to October 10th of each crop year

Minimum Firmness (pressure test)requirements

• 12 pounds -- Red Delicious and Delicious
• 11 Pounds -- Gala and Jonagold
• 10 pounds -- Golden Delicious

Container marking requirements:

• Name
• Address
• Variety or "Variety Unknown"
• Grade
• Count or minimum diameter
• Net weight in open containers
• Net contents in closed containers

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PEARS

Minimum Grade:

• Summer Pears --  Washington C Grade
• Winter Pears -- Washington 3^rd Grade

Minimum Weight

• Summer Pears -- 14 pounds net weight – minimum container size, except for consumer type packages in master containers.

Container marking requirements -- Summer and Winter Pears

• Name
• Address
• Variety or "Variety Unknown"
• Grade
• Count or Net Weight.

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POTATOES

Marketing Order No. 946

Minimum Grade
U.S. No. 2

• Requirements are set seasonally.

Container marking requirements

• Name and address of packer, shipper or grower
• Net Weight

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ASPARAGUS

Grades

• WA Extra Fancy Tips, WA Extra Fancy, WA Fancy, WA Consumer Pack

Size (diameter) requirements

Containers marked:

• WA Jumbo -- At least 13/16 inch & larger
• WA Extra Large -- At least 10/16 inch & larger
• WA Large -- At Least 7/16 inch & larger
• WA Standard -- At Least 5/16 inch & larger
• WA Small -- At least 3/16 inch & larger

Any size designation may be used with any grade

Container regulations

• NO FIELD TYPE (LUGS) CONTAINERS ALLOWED

Container marking requirements

• Name
• Address
• Grade (at least 3/8 inches in height)
• Net weight
• Size designation or numerical minimum diameter (where applicable).

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PEACHES

Grades

• WA Extra Fancy
• WA Fancy
• WA Combination Extra Fancy and Fancy

Size Requirements

• Fresh Peaches, except for Elberta varieties, must be at least 2-3/8 inches in diameter when marketed in any container except a standard peach carton.
• Fresh peaches of any variety must be at least 2-1/4 inches in diameter when packed in a standard peach carton
• Fresh peaches of the Elberta varieties must be at least 2-1/4 inches in diameter when marketed in any container.

Marking requirements

• Name
• Address
• Variety
• Grade
• Net weight
• Count or minimum diameter

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CHERRIES

Marketing Order No. 923
MUST BE FREE FROM CHERRY FRUIT FLY LARVAE --- Zero tolerance --- all varieties of fresh sweet cherries require inspection for cherry fruit fly larvae.

Grade

• Dark sweet varieties --- Marketing Order (90% WA NO. 1) minimum

Minimum size

• Dark sweet varieties --- 54/64 inch (12 Row size)
• Light sweet cherry varieties -- Must meet minimum of 17% soluble solids
• Minimum diameter – 10% under, 61/64 inch (11 Row size) including not more than 5% under 57/64

Container markings

• Name
• Address
• Net weight, and variety, or Sweet Cherries

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APRICOTS

Marketing Order No. 922

Minimum Grade

• Washington No. 1

Size requirements

• 1-5/8 inch minimum diameter, except 1-1/4 inch minimum diameter for Blenheim, Blenril and Tilton varieties

Marking requirements

• Names
• Address
• Variety
• Grade
• Count or net weight and minimum diameter

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PRUNES

Minimum Grade

• Any Washington or US Grade

Size

• 1-1/4 inch minimum diameter unless otherwise specified

Marking requirements

• Name
• Address
• Variety
• Grade
• Net weight

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