(Revised April 25, 2016)
DRC encourages its members to discuss and agree to the terms of a contract prior to shipment. In the absence of an agreement on grade, DRC defaults to its Good Arrival Guidelines. If the parties do agree on the grade and condition of the product, we will honor their agreement provided it is in compliance with any applicable minimum grade and condition standards that have been established by the importing or exporting country.
In Canada, the Corporation’s Good Arrival Guidelines are a combination of the PACA 5 Day FOB Good Delivery Guidelines and Canadian Destination Tolerances and Suitable Shipping Condition Guidelines. In default situations in Canada the Corporation will use the PACA 5 Day Good Delivery Guidelines for all commodities, with the exception of those commodities for which there are grade standards under the Canadian Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Regulations. The Canadian Board of Arbitration established Suitable Shipping Condition Guidelines which form the basis of Canadian FOB Destination Tolerances.
The Corporation’s Good Arrival Guidelines assume sales are FOB shipping point with regard to risk, regardless of how freight is billed. Those claiming contracts with different tolerances or transit risk passing at locations other than shipping point, will bear that burden of proof.
This table represents a comparison of the percentage of defects allowed by various regulatory bodies
| COMMODITY | U.S. GRADE STANDARDS1 | Maximum 5 Day Good Delivery Guideline PACA | Canadian Destination Tolerances and Suitable Shipping Condition Guidelines2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apples | 10-5-1 | 15-8-3 | 15-10-5-10-4 |
| Most common fruits and vegetable in alphabetical order | 10 – total allowable defects 5 – total allowable serious defects 1 – total allowable decay | 15 – total allowable defects 8 – total allowable serious defects 3 – total allowable decay | 15 – total allowable defects 10 – total allowable permanent defects 5 – total allowable same permanent defect 10 – total allowable same condition defect 4 – total allowable decay |
The second column represents a summary of the tolerance of the US Grade Standards. They are for US #1 unless otherwise noted. Some products have both origin and destination tolerances established, for those commodities the destination tolerance has been shown. This column is for reference purposes and would not be used as a default in FOB shipping point transactions.
The third column is the Guideline used by PACA to determine if the shipper has complied with the warranty of suitable shipping condition. It is an attempt to define the maximum defects allowed at destination for an FOB shipping point transaction. The additional tolerances allowed by good delivery over the USDA grade standards are for condition defects only. Good Delivery Standards are established only for head lettuce. Good Delivery for all other commodities are established on a case by case basis. These numbers should be viewed only as guidelines. These guidelines are used only for contracts where risk is designated as FOB shipping point.
The fourth column is the Guideline used in Canada to determine if the shipper has complied with the warranty of suitable shipping condition. It covers those commodities for which Canadian Grade Standards have been established and it defines the maximum defects allowed at destination for an FOB shipping point transaction. These numbers should be viewed only as guidelines. The guidelines in columns three and four are used only for contracts where transit risk is FOB shipping point.
| COMMODITY | U.S. GRADE STANDARDS1 | Maximum 5 Day Good Delivery Guideline PACA | Canadian Destination Tolerances and Suitable Shipping Condition Guidelines2 |
|---|
| A |
| Anise, Sweet | 10-1 | 15-3 | |
| Apples | 10-5-1 | 15-8-3 | 15-10-5-10-4 |
| Apricots | 10-5-1 | 15-8-3 | 15-10-5-10-3 |
| Artichokes | 10-2 | 15-4 | |
| Asparagus | 10-5-1 | 15-8-3 | 15-10-5-10-3 |
| Avocados | 10-5-1 | 15-8-3 |
| B |
| Bananas | No Stds | ? | |
| Beans, Fava | No Stds | 15-3 | |
| Beans, Lima | 10-5-1 | 15-8-3 | |
| Beans, Snap | 13-5-1 | 18-8-3 | |
| Beets | 10-5-1 | 15-8-3 | 11-6-6-11-4 |
| Blackberries & Dewberries | 10-5-1 | 15-8-3 | |
| Blueberries | 12-6-2 (Destination) | 15-8-3 | 8-3*-3-8-3 *No more than 1% foreign material |
| Broccoli | 10-2 | 15-4 | |
| Brussels Sprouts | 10-2 | 15-4 | 15-10-5-10-4 |
| C |
| Cabbage | 10-2 | 15-4 | 15-10-5-10-4 |
| Cantaloupes | 10-6-2 (Destination) | 15-8-5 | 15-10-5-10-5 |
| Carrots, Bunched | 10-5-1 | 15-8-3 | |
| Carrots, Topped | 10-5-2 | 15-8-4 | 15-10-5-10-4 |
| Carrots, Trimmed Tops | 10-5-1 | 15-8-3 | |
| Cauliflower | 10-5-1 | 15-8-3 | 15-10-5-10-3 |
| Celery | 10-2 | 15-4 | 15-10-5-10-4 |
| Cherries, Sweet | 10-6-2 | 15-8-3 | 5-10-5-10-3 |
| Corn | 10-2 | 15-4 | 15-10-5-10-4 |
| Crabapples | 15-10-5-10-5 | ||
| Cranberries | 5-5 (Destination) | ? | 15-15-5-10-5 |
| Cucumbers | 10-1 | 15-3 | 15-10-5-10-3 |
| Cucumbers, Greenhouse | 10-5-5-10-3 |
| E |
| Eggplant | 10-1 | 15-3 | |
| Endive, Escarole, Chicory | 10-5-2 | 15-8-4 |
| G |
| Garlic | 10-2 | 15-4 | |
| Grapes, American Type | 10-5-2 | 15-8-4 | 15-10-5-10-4 |
| Grapes, European Type | 10-4-2 (Destination) | 15-6-3 | 15-8-8-15-3 |
| Grapes, Juice | 10-5-2 | 15-8-4 | 15-10-5-10-5 |
| Grapes, Muscadine | 10-5-2 | 15-8-4 | |
| Grapefruit, Florida | 12-[7 vsd]-3 (Destination) | 15-[8 vsd]-5 | |
| Grapefruit, Texas | See Stds. | 15-[8 vsd]-4 | |
| Grapefruit, CA and AZ | 12-[7 vsd]-3 (Destination) | 15-[8 vsd]-4 | |
| Greens, Beet | 10-5-1 | 15-8-3 | |
| Greens, Broccoli & Collard | 10-5-2 | 15-8-4 | |
| Greens, Dandelion | 10-5-2 | 15-8-4 | |
| Greens, Mustard & Turnip | 10-5-2 | 15-8-4 |
| H |
| Horseradish Root | 10-5-2 | 15-8-4 |
| K |
| Kale | 10-1 | 15-3 | |
| Kiwifruit | 12-6-2 (Destination) | 15-8-3 |
| L |
| Lemon | 12-7-3 (Destination) | 15-8-5 | |
| Lettuce, Leaf | 12-6-3 | 15-9-5 | |
| Lettuce, Head (Iceberg) | 15-9-5 | 15-10-10-15-5 | |
| Limes | 10-5-3 (Destination) | 15-8-5 |
| M |
| Mangoes | 10-5-2 | 15-8-4 | |
| Melons, Honeydew | 10-5-1 | 15-8-3 | |
| Mushrooms | 5-1 | 8-2 |
| N |
| Nectarines | 12-6-2 (Destination) | 15-8-3 |
| O |
| Okra | 10-5-1 | 15-8-3 | |
| Onions, Grano/Granex | 10-2 | 15-4 | |
| Onions, Other Than | 5-2 | 8-4 | 10-5-5-10-4* *Applies to all onions |
| Onions, Green | 10-5-2 | 15-8-4 | |
| Onions, Creole | 10-2 | 15-4 | |
| Oranges, Florida | 12-[7 vsd]-3 (Destination) | 15-[8 vsd]-5 | |
| Oranges, Texas | See Stds. | 15-[8 vsd]-5 | |
| Oranges, CA and AZ | 12-7-3 (Destination) | 15-8-5 |
| P |
| Parsley | 5-1 | 8-3 | |
| Parsnips | 10-5-1 | 15-8-3 | 11-6-6-11-4 |
| Peas | 10-5-1 | 15-8-3 | |
| Peas, Snow | 10-5-2 | 15-8-4 | |
| Peaches | 14-7-2 (Destination) | 17-8-4 | 15-10-5-10-5 |
| Pears, All Types | 10-5-1 | 15-8-3 | 15-10-5-10-5 |
| Peppers, Sweet | 10-5-2 | 15-8-4 | |
| Pineapple | See Stds. | 15-8-4 | |
| Plums & Prunes (Italian) | See Stds. | ||
| Plums, All Other Types | 12-6-2 (Destination) | 15-8-3 | 15-10-5-10-3 |
| Potatoes, Seed | See Stds. | ||
| Potatoes, Table | 10-[7 int., 7 ext]-2 | 14-[10 int., 10 ext]-3 | 15-15*-5-10- 3 *no more than 3% hollow heart, 5% undersized, 5% oversized |
| R |
| Radishes | 10-1 | 15-3 | |
| Raspberries | 10-5-1 | 15-8-3 | |
| Rhubarb | 10-1 | 15-3 | 15-10-5-10-3 |
| Romaine | 10-5-2 | 15-8-4 | |
| Rutabagas | 15-10-10-15-7 |
| S |
| Shallots | 10-5-2 | 15-8-4 | |
| Spinach, Plants | 10-5-1 | 15-8-3 | |
| Spinach, Leaves | 10-1 | 15-3 | |
| Spinach, Bunched | 12-6-3 | 18-9-5 | |
| Squash, Summer Types | 10-5-1 | 15-8-3 | |
| Squash, Winter Types | 10-2 | 15-4 | |
| Strawberries | 10-5-2 | 15-8-3 | 15-10-5-10-3* |
| Sweet Potatoes | 10-5-2 | 15-8-4 |
| T |
| Tangerines, Florida | 12-[7 vsd]-3 (Destination) | 15-[8 vsd]-5 | |
| Tangerines, Other | 12-[7 vsd]-3 (Destination) | 15-[8 vsd]-5 | |
| Tomatoes, Greenhouse | 10-5-1 | 15-8-3 | 10-5-5-10-3 |
| Tomatoes, Fresh & Cherry | 15-[10 SDA][10 other]- [5 vsd]-5 | 20-[15 SDA][15 other][8 vsd]-8 | 15-10-5-10-5 |
| Tomatoes (TOV) | 10-5-2 | 15-8-4 | |
| Turnips | 10-5-1 | 15-8-3 |
| W |
| Watermelon | 10-5-2 | 15-8-4 |
1 Canada Tolerances (Unless otherwise noted)
- 5 part: Total – total permanent – same permanent – same condition – decay
2 US Tolerances (Unless otherwise noted)
- 2 part: Total – decay
- 3 part: Total – serious – decay
? – not enough cases have been filed with the PACA to establish a definite guideline
