7 C.F.R. § 810.1004
Grades and grade requirements for oats.
Cite as 7 C.F.R. § 810.1004 (2026)
Grade
Minimum limits—
Maximum limits—
Test weight per bushel (pounds)
Sound oats (percent)
Heat-damaged kernels (percent)
Foreign material (percent)
Wild oats (percent)
U.S. No. 1
36.0
97.0
0.1
2.0
2.0
U.S. No. 2
33.0
94.0
0.3
3.0
3.0
U.S. No. 3
1
30.0
90.0
1.0
4.0
5.0
U.S. No. 4
2
27.0
80.0
3.0
5.0
10.0
U.S. Sample grade—
U.S. Sample grade are oats which:
(a) Do not meet the requirements for the grades U.S. Nos. 1, 2, 3, or 4; or
(b) Contain 8 or more stones which have an aggregate weight in excess of 0.2 percent of the sample weight, 2 or more pieces of glass, 3 or more crotalaria seeds (
Crotalaria
spp.), 2 or more castor beans (
Ricinus communis
L.), 4 or more particles of an unknown foreign substance(s) or a commonly recognized harmful or toxic substance(s), 8 or more cocklebur (
Xanthium
spp.) or similar seeds singly or in combination, 10 or more rodent pellets, bird droppings, or equivalent quantity of other animal filth per 1
1
⁄
8
to 1
1
⁄
4
quarts of oats; or
(c) Have a musty, sour, or commercially objectionable foreign odor (except smut or garlic odor); or
(d) Are heating or otherwise of distinctly low quality.
1
Oats that are slightly weathered shall be graded not higher than U.S. No. 3.
2
Oats that are badly stained or materially weathered shall be graded not higher than U.S. No. 4.