Subpart 1.
Minnesota certified seed
potato grades.
Before potatoes are eligible for grading as certified seed
potatoes, the requirements of parts
1510.2315 to
1510.2330 must be met.
Subp. 2.
Minnesota blue tag
certified seed potato grade.
To be graded as Minnesota blue tag certified seed potatoes,
the potatoes must meet the requirements in items A to C.
A. Condition. The potatoes must be, at the
time of final inspection, of one variety, unwashed, fairly well-shaped, free
from bacterial ring rot, late blight, freezing, black heart, and soft rot or
wet breakdown, and free from damage caused by soil or other foreign matter,
second growth, air cracks, cuts, shriveling, sprouts, pitted scab, surface
scab, powdery scab, russet scab, dry rot, other diseases, insects or worms,
mechanical or other means, flattened or depressed areas with underlying flesh
discoloration, and from serious damage caused by hollow heart, wire worm,
growth cracks, or internal discoloration other than hollow heart. Sunburn and
silver scurf are not factors. This item does not apply to hollow heart if
labeled "hollow heart exempt," on the tag or certificate.
B. Size. For round or intermediate shaped
varieties, the maximum size is 12 ounces (340.2 grams) and, unless otherwise
specified, the minimum size shall be not less than 1-1/2 inches (38.1
millimeters) in diameter. For long varieties, the maximum size is 14 ounces
(396.9 grams) and, unless otherwise specified, the minimum size shall be not
less than 1-1/2 inches (38.1 millimeters) in diameter. For all varieties, size
"B," the minimum diameter shall be not less than 1-1/2 inches (38.1
millimeters) and the maximum size shall be not more than 2-1/4 inches (57.1
millimeters) in diameter. The department may grade potatoes that do not meet
the maximum and minimum size specifications as Minnesota blue tag certified
seed potatoes if the buyer agrees to accept potatoes of alternate size
specifications from the grower and these specifications are listed on the tag
or bulk certificate issued by the department.
C. Lot tolerances. In order to allow for
variations incident to proper grading and handling, the following tolerances,
by weight, are provided:
(1) For defects:
(a) ten percent for potatoes seriously
damaged by hollow heart, unless labeled "hollow heart exempt" on the tag or
certificate;
(b) five percent for
potatoes seriously damaged by internal discoloration (other than hollow
heart);
(c) ten percent for
potatoes damaged by soil or other foreign matter;
(d) 20 percent for potatoes damaged by
sprouts;
(e) ten percent for
potatoes seriously damaged by wireworm; and
(f) six percent for potatoes which fail to
meet the remaining requirements of the grade, provided that included in that
amount not more than the following percentages are allowed for the following
defects:
i. soft rot, frozen, or wet
breakdown, 0.5 percent;
ii. damage
by surface, powdery, or pitted scab, 2.0 percent;
iii. damage by dry rot, 2.0 percent, of which
not more than 1.0 percent late blight tuber rot;
iv. bacterial ring rot, 0.0 percent;
and
v. late blight tuber rot, 1.0
percent; and
(g) the
following do not affect seed quality and must not be scored against the grade:
i. brown discoloration following
skinning;
ii. dried
stems;
iii. flattened or depressed
areas showing no underlying flesh discoloration;
iv. greening;
v. sunburn;
vi. skin checks; and
vii. silver scurf.
(2) For offsize:
(a) five percent for potatoes which fail to
meet the required or specified minimum size; and
(b) ten percent for potatoes which fail to
meet the required maximum size.
Subp. 3. [Repealed, 22 SR 1547]
Subp. 3a.
Minnesota yellow tag
certified seed potato grade.
To be graded as Minnesota yellow tag certified seed potatoes,
the potatoes must meet the requirements in items A to D.
A. Condition. At the time of final
inspection, the potatoes must be of one variety, unwashed, fairly well-shaped,
free from bacterial ring rot, late blight, freezing, black heart, and soft rot
or wet breakdown, and free from damage caused by second growth, air cracks,
cuts, shriveling, pitted scab, surface scab, powdery scab, dry rot, other
diseases, insects or worms, mechanical means or other means, and from serious
damage caused by soil or other foreign matter, hollow heart, wireworm, growth
cracks, russet scab, or internal discoloration other than hollow heart. Sunburn
and silver scurf are not factors. This item does not apply to hollow heart if
labeled "hollow heart exempt," on the tag or certificate.
B. Size. For all varieties, the maximum size
is 14 ounces (396.9 grams) and the minimum size is 1-1/2 inch (38.1 mm) in
diameter. For all varieties, the minimum diameter for size "B" shall not be
less than 1-1/2 inches (38.1 millimeters) and the maximum diameter shall not be
more than 2-1/4 inches (57.1 millimeters). The department may grade potatoes
that do not meet the maximum and minimum size specifications as Minnesota
yellow tag certified seed potatoes if the buyer agrees to accept potatoes of
alternate size specifications from the grower and these specifications are
listed on the tag or bulk inspection certificate issued by the
department.
C. Lot tolerances. In
order to allow for variations incident to proper grading and handling, the
following tolerances, by weight, are provided:
(1) for defects:
(a) 20 percent for potatoes seriously damaged
by hollow heart, unless labeled "hollow heart exempt" on the tag or
certificate;
(b) five percent for
potatoes seriously damaged by internal discoloration (other than hollow
heart);
(c) ten percent for
potatoes seriously damaged by soil or other foreign matter;
(d) ten percent for potatoes seriously
damaged by wireworm;
(e) 20 percent
for potatoes that fail to meet the remaining requirements of the grade with not
more than six percent serious damage provided that included in that amount not
more than the following percentages are allowed for the following defects:
i. soft rot, frozen, or wet breakdown, 0.5
percent;
ii. damaged by surface,
powdery, or pitted scab, 5.0 percent;
iii. damaged by dry rot, 2.0 percent, of
which not more than 1.0 percent is late blight tuber rot;
iv. bacterial ring rot, 0.0 percent;
and
v. late blight tuber rot, 1.0
percent; and
(f) the
following do not affect seed quality and must not be scored against the grade:
i. brown discoloration following
skinning;
ii. dried
stems;
iii. flattened or depressed
areas with or without underlying flesh discoloration;
iv. greening;
v. sunburn;
vi. skin checks;
vii. silver scurf; and
viii. sprouts; and
(2) for offsize:
(a) five percent for potatoes that fail to
meet the required or specified minimum size; and
(b) ten percent for potatoes that fail to
meet the required maximum size.
D. Shape. The potatoes must be fairly well
shaped, with an exception for long varieties when specified as "except for
shape." In that case the tubers may be misshapen.
Subp. 4.
Minnesota white tag certified
seed potato grade.
Minnesota white tag certified seed potato grade consists of
certified seed potatoes that are graded according to agreement between the
seller and the purchaser as to size and defects, except that not more than
one-half percent of soft rot, frozen, or wet breakdown and two percent dry rot,
of which not more than one percent late blight tuber rot is allowed.
Subp. 5.
Application of
tolerance.
The contents of individual containers, other than bulk
conveyances, in the lot are subject to the following limitations provided that
the averages for the entire lot are within the tolerances specified for the
grade. An individual container in any lot may contain not more than double the
tolerance specified except for sprouts and except that at least one defective
specimen, other than bacterial ring rot, and one offsize specimen may be
permitted in any container.
Subp.
6.
Condition after transit.
Deterioration developing in transit shall be considered as
affecting condition and not grade.
Subp.
7.
Definitions.
For the purpose of this part, the terms in items A to J have
the meanings given them unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.
A. "Mature" means that the outer skin
(epidermis) does not loosen or "feather" readily during the ordinary methods of
handling.
B. "Well-shaped" means
the normal shape for the variety.
C. "Fairly well-shaped" means that the
individual potato is not materially pointed, dumbbell-shaped, or otherwise
ill-formed.
D. "Fairly clean" means
that the individual potato is reasonably free from dirt, staining, or other
foreign matter.
E. "Slightly dirty"
means that the appearance of the individual potato is not materially affected
by dirt, staining, or other foreign matter.
F. "Diameter" means the greatest dimension at
right angles to the longitudinal axis. The long axis shall be used without
regard to the position of the stem (stolon).
G. "Soft rot or wet breakdown" means any
soft, mushy, or leaky condition of the tissues.
H. "Dry rot" means decaying tissue that is
dry.
I. "Damage" means any defect
or combination of defects which materially affects the appearance of the
individual potato or which cannot be removed without a loss of more than five
percent of the total weight of the potato including the peel covering the
defective area. Any one of the following defects or any combination of defects,
the seriousness of which exceeds the maximum allowed for any one defect, shall
be considered as damage:
(1) russet scab when
it materially detracts from the appearance of the individual potato;
(2) second growth or growth cracks which have
developed to such an extent as to materially affect the appearance of the
individual potato;
(3) air cracks
when removal causes a loss of more than five percent of the total weight of the
potato;
(4) shriveling when the
potato is more than moderately shriveled, spongy, or flabby;
(5) sprouting when the individual potato has
sprouts over one inch in length;
(6) surface, powdery, or pitted scab,
individually or in combination, which covers an area of more than five percent
of the surface of the potato in the aggregate, or causes a loss of more than
five percent of the total weight of the potato including peel covering
defective area;
(7) soil if the
individual potato has more than 50 percent of its surface affected by lightly
caked soil which is scattered, or more than 15 percent of its surface badly
caked with soil.
J.
"Serious damage" means any defect or combination of defects which seriously
affects the appearance of the individual potato or which cannot be removed
without a loss of more than ten percent of the total weight of the potato
including the peel covering the defective area. Any one of the following
defects or any combination of defects, the seriousness of which exceeds the
maximum allowed for any one defect shall be considered as serious damage:
(1) russet scab when it seriously detracts
from the appearance of the potato;
(2) dirt when the appearance of the
individual potato is seriously affected by caked or smeared dirt or other
foreign matter;
(3) cuts when both
ends are clipped or when more than an estimated one-fourth of the potato is cut
away from one end or when the remaining portion of the clipped potato weighs
less than six ounces;
(4) other
cuts which seriously affect the appearance of the individual potato or which
cannot be removed without a loss of more than ten percent of the total weight
of the potato including peel covering defective area;
(5) shriveling when the potato is excessively
shriveled, spongy, or flabby;
(6)
surface, powdery, or pitted scab, individually or in combination, which covers
an area of more than 25 percent of the surface of the potato in the aggregate,
or causes a loss of more than ten percent of the total weight of the potato
including peel covering defective area;
(7) wireworm and air cracks when removal
causes a loss of more than ten percent of the total weight of the
potato.