Technical Information
Peanut Grades and Specifications
Peanut Grade Chart
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Peanut Standards and Specifications
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All U.S. peanut handlers are obliged to follow the provisions set forth in the Minimum Quality and Handling Standards for Domestic and Imported Peanuts Agreement. This program is administered jointly by The Peanut Standards Board (18 member industry committee) and USDA’s Agriculture Marketing Service (AMS). The Peanut Standards Board recommends the incoming and outgoing quality standards and regulations on all peanuts that handlers buy for commercial use. The Secretary of Agriculture is charged with implementing these recommendations.
Incoming quality standards require all handlers to officially inspect farmers’ stock peanuts and certify them as to mold, damage, moisture content, and foreign material. The outgoing regulations, applied after peanuts are milled, require all peanuts to meet specific quality factors and be analyzed for aflatoxin. Specifications for U.S. peanuts are modified as needed, based on developments within the industry.
U.S. standards – administered and overseen by the Peanut Standards Board and USDA/AMS – establish the minimum specifications which U.S. peanuts must meet. Stricter tolerances for certain grades and sizes have also been established by the American Peanut Shellers Association (APSA).
Peanuts traded under APSA Rules can be on either a screen size or on a count per ounce basis (usually the case with export peanuts).
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Peanut Grades and Specifications
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Summary of Screen Sizes and Tolerances (by weight)
for
American Peanut Shellers Association’s Grades for
IN-SHELL VIRGINIA PEANUTS
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Grade & Minimum Screen Size
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% Fall-Thru
Prescribed
Screen for SWK
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% Cracked or Broken Shells, Pops, Paper & Foreign Material
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%
Damaged
Kernels
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JUMBO 37/64 x 3”
or 176 count per pound
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5.00
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*10.00
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3.50
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FANCY 32/64 x 3”
or 225 count per pound
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5.00
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*11.00
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4.50
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* 0.5% allowed for dirt or other foreign material.
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(U.S. Grade Standards are not part of American Peanut Shellers Association Rules, but are included for information only.)
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Summary of Screen Sizes and Tolerances (by weight)
for
American Peanut Shellers Association’s Grades for
RUNNER PEANUTS
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Grade & Minimum Screen Size
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% Fall-Thru
Prescribed
Screens for SWK
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% Fall-Thru
17/64” Round
Screen for SWK and/or SS+Broken
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%
Other
Types
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%
Splits
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%
Damage
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% Damage
& Minor
Defects
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%
Foreign Material
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%
Moisture
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JUMBO 21/64 x ¾” Slot
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5.00
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6.00
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1.00
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3.00
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1.00
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2.00
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0.10
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9.00
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MEDIUM
18/64 x ¾” Slot
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5.00
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6.00
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1.00
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3.00
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1.00
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2.00
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0.10
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9.00
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NO. 1
16/64 x ¾” Slot
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5.00
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6.00
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1.00
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3.00
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1.50
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2.50
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0.10
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9.00
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NO. 2
17/64” Round
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---
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6.00
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2.00
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---
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1.50
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2.50
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0.20
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9.00
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SPLITS
17/64 Round
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---
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6.00
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2.00
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Not less than 90.00
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1.50
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2.50
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0.20
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9.00
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“With Splits” Each of the above whole grades may be certified “with splits” providing all requirements of the grade are
met; except a tolerance of 15% is allowed for split kernels.
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(U.S. Grade Standards are not part of American Peanut Shellers Association Rules, but are included for information only.)
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Summary of Screen Sizes and Tolerances (by weight)
for
American Peanut Shellers Association’s Grades for
SHELLED VIRGINIA PEANUTS
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Grade & Minimum Screen Size
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% Fall-Thru
Prescribed
Screens for
SWK
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% Fall-Thru
17/64” Round
Screen for SWK and/or SS+Broken
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%
Other
Types
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% Sound Split
or Broken Kernels
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%
Damage
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% Damage
& Minor
Defects
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%
Foreign Material
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%
Moisture
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EXTRA LARGE
20/64 x 1” Slot
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5.00
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6.00
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.75
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3.00
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1.00
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1.75
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0.10
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9.00
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MEDIUM VIRGINIA
18/64” x 1” Slot
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5.00
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6.00
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1.00
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3.00
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1.25
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2.00
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0.10
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9.00
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NO. 1
VIRGINIA
15/64 x 1” Slot
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5.00
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6.00
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1.00
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3.00
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1.50
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2.50
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0.10
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9.00
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VIRGINIA
SPLITS
20/64” Round
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*5.00
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6.00
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2.00
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Not Less Than 90.00
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1.50
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2.50
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0.20
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9.00
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NO. 2
VIRGINIA
17/64” Round
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---
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6.00
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2.00
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--
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1.50
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3.00
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0.20
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9.00
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*Includes both sound split and broken and sound whole kernels which pass throughprescribed screens
“With Splits” Each of the above APSA whole grades may be certified as “with splits” providing all requirements of the grade
are met; except a tolerance of 15% is allowed for split kernels.
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(U.S. Grade Standards are not part of American Peanut Shellers Associations Rules, but are included for information only.)
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Summary of Screen Sizes and Tolerances (by weight)
for
American Peanut Shellers Association’s Grades for
SHELLED SPANISH PEANUTS
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Grade & Minimum Screen Size
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% Fall-Thru
Prescribed
Screens for SWK
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% Fall-Thru
16/64” Round
Screen for SWK and/or
SS+Broken
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%
Other
Types
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%
Splits
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%
Damage
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% Damage & Minor
Defects
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%
Foreign Material
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%
Moisture
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No. 1
15/64 x ¾” Slot
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5.00
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6.00
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1.00
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3.00
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1.50
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2.50
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0.10
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9.00
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SPLITS
16/64” Round
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---
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6.00
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2.00
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Not Less Than 90.00
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1.50
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2.50
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0.20
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9.00
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NO. 2
16/64” Round
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---
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6.00
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2.00
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---
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1.50
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2.50
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0.20
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9.00
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“With Splits” Each of the above APSA whole grades may be certified as “with splits” providing all requirements of the
grade are met; except a tolerance of 15% is allowed for split kernels.
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Peanut Grade Chart
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Runner Jumbo
38/42
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Runner Medium
40/50
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Virginia Super Jumbo 9/11
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Virgina Jumbo
9/11
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Virginia Fancy
11/13
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Runner #1
60/70
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Runner Splits
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Virginia Extra
ExtraLarge21/26
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Virginia Extra Large 28/32
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Spanish Jumbo
50/60
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Spanish #1
70/80
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Spanish Splits
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Virginia Medium
38/42
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Virginia #1
45/55
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Virginia #2
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