“U.S. Extra Large Virginia” consists of shelled Virginia type peanut kernels of similar varietal characteristics which are whole and free from foreign material, damage and minor defects, and which will not pass through a screen having 20/64 × 1 inch openings. Unless otherwise specified, the peanuts in any lot shall average not more than 512 per pound.

(a) In order to allow for variations incident to proper grading and handling, the following tolerances, by weight, shall be permitted:

(1) 0.75 percent for other varieties of peanuts;

(2) 3 percent for sound peanuts which are split or broken;

(3) 1 percent for damaged or unshelled peanuts;

(4) 0.75 percent for minor defects: Provided, That in addition, any unused part of the tolerance for damaged or unshelled peanuts shall be allowed for minor defects;

(5) 0.1 percent for foreign material; and,

(6) 3 percent for sound, whole peanuts which will pass through the prescribed screen.

“U.S. Medium Virginia” consists of shelled Virginia type peanut kernels of similar varietal characteristics which are whole and free from foreign material, damage and minor defects, and which will not pass through a screen having 18/64 × 1 inch openings. Unless otherwise specified, the peanuts in any lot shall average not more than 640 per pound.

(a) In order to allow for variations incident to proper grading and handling, the following tolerances, by weight, shall be permitted:

(1) 1 percent for other varieties of peanuts;

(2) 3 percent for sound peanuts which are split or broken;

(3) 1.25 percent for damaged or unshelled peanuts;

(4) 0.75 percent for minor defects: Provided, That in addition, any unused part of the tolerance for damaged or unshelled peanuts shall be allowed for minor defects;

(5) 0.1 percent for foreign material; and,

(6) 3 percent for sound, whole peanuts which will pass through the prescribed screen.

“U.S. No. 1 Virginia” consists of shelled Virginia type peanut kernels of similar varietal characteristics which are whole and free from foreign material, damage and minor defects, and which will not pass through a screen having 15/64 × 1 inch openings. Unless otherwise specified, the peanuts in any lot shall average not more than 864 per pound.

(a) In order to allow for variations incident to proper grading and handling, the following tolerances by weight, shall be permitted:

(1) 1 percent for other varieties of peanuts;

(2) 3 percent for sound peanuts which are split or broken;

(3) 1.25 percent for damaged or unshelled peanuts;

(4) 0.75 percent for minor defects: Provided, That in addition, any unused part of the tolerance for damaged or unshelled peanuts shall be allowed for minor defects;

(5) 0.1 percent for foreign material; and,

(6) 3 percent for sound, whole peanuts which will pass through the prescribed screen.

“U.S. Virginia Splits” consists of shelled Virginia type peanut kernels of similar varietal characteristics which are free from foreign material, damage and minor defects, and which will not pass through a screen having 20/64 inch round openings. Not less than 90 percent, by weight, shall be splits.

(a) In order to allow for variations incident to proper grading and handling, the following tolerances, by weight, shall be permitted:

(1) 2 percent for other varieties of peanuts;

(2) 2 percent for damaged or unshelled peanuts and minor defects;

(3) 0.2 percent for foreign materials; and,

(4) 3 percent for sound peanuts and portions of peanuts which will pass through the prescribed screen.

“U.S. No. 2 Virginia” consists of shelled Virginia type peanut kernels of similar varietal characteristics which may be split or broken, but which are free from foreign material, damage and minor defects, and which will not pass through a screen having 17/64 inch round openings.

(a) In order to allow for variations incident to proper grading and handling, the following tolerances, by weight, shall be permitted:

(1) 2 percent for other varieties of peanuts;

(2) 2.5 percent for damaged or unshelled peanuts and minor defects;

(3) 0.2 percent for foreign material; and,

(4) 6 percent for sound peanuts and portions of peanuts which will pass through the prescribed screen.

The tolerances provided in these standards are on a lot basis and shall be applied to a composite sample representative of the lot. However, any container or group of containers in which the peanuts are obviously of a quality materially different from that in the majority of containers shall be considered a separate lot, and shall be sampled separately.

Similar varietal characteristics means that the peanut kernels in the lot are not of distinctly different varieties. For example, Spanish type shall not be mixed with Virginia type.

Whole means that the peanut kernel is not split or broken.

Split means the separated half of a peanut kernel.

Broken means that more than one-fourth of the peanut kernel is broken off.

Foreign material means pieces or loose particles of any substance other than peanut kernels or skins.

Unshelled means a peanut kernel with part or all of the hull (shell) attached.

Minor defects means that the peanut kernel is not damaged but is affected by one or more of the following:

(a) Skin discoloration which is dark brown, dark gray, dark blue or black and covers more than one-fourth of the surface;

(b) Flesh discoloration which is darker than a light yellow color or consists of more than a slight yellow pitting of the flesh;

(c) Sprout extending more than one-eighth of an inch from the tip of the kernel; and,

(d) Dirt when the surface of the kernel is distinctly dirty, and its appearance is materially affected.

Damage means that the peanut kernel is affected by one or more of the following:

(a) Rancidity or decay;

(b) Mold;

(c) Insects, worm cuts, web or frass;

(d) Freezing injury causing hard, translucent or discolored flesh; and,

(e) Dirt when the surface of the kernel is heavily smeared, thickly flecked or coated with dirt, seriously affecting its appearance.