Universal Upland Color and Leaf Grade Cotton Standards

Practical forms of the Universal Upland Cotton Grade Standards are for manual classification of American Upland cotton. There are fifteen (15) physical grade standards representing the predominant range of color and seven (7) physical grade standards representing the official leaf grades for American Upland cotton. Universal Upland Cotton Grade Standards are valid for a period of one year (July 1- June 30). Approximate Weight: 5 pounds each.

Standards Regulations & Order Form:

Official Cotton Standards for the Color Grade of American Upland Cotton

  1. White Cotton
    1. Good Middling Color is color which is within the range represented by a set of samples in the custody of the United States Department of Agriculture in a container marked “Original Official Cotton Standards of the United States, American Upland, Good Middling, effective July 1, 1987.”
    2. Strict Middling Color is color which is within the range represented by a set of samples in the custody of the United States Department of Agriculture in a container marked “Original Official Cotton Standards of the United States, American Upland, Strict Middling, effective July 1, 1987.”
    3. Middling Color is color which is within the range represented by a set of samples in the custody of the United States Department of Agriculture in a container marked “Original Official Cotton Standards of the United States, American Upland, Middling, effective July 1, 1987.”
    4. Strict Low Middling Color is color which is within the range represented by a set of samples in the custody of the United States Department of Agriculture in a container marked “Original Official Cotton Standards of the United States, American Upland, Strict Low Middling, effective July 1, 1987.”
    5. Low Middling Color is color which is within the range represented by a set of samples in the custody of the United States Department of Agriculture in a container marked “Original Official Cotton Standards of the United States, American Upland, Low Middling, effective July 1, 1987.”
    6. Strict Good Ordinary Color is color which is within the range represented by a set of samples in the custody of the United States Department of Agriculture in a container marked “Original Official Cotton Standards of the United States, American Upland, Strict Good Ordinary, effective July 1, 1987.”
    7. Good Ordinary Color is color which is within the range represented by a set of samples in the custody of the United States Department of Agriculture in a container marked “Original Official Cotton Standards of the United States, American Upland, Good Ordinary, effective July 1, 1987.”
  2. Light Spotted Cotton 
    1. ​​​​​​​Good Middling Light Spotted Color is color which in spot or color, or both, is between Good Middling Color and Good Middling Spotted Color.
    2. Strict Middling Light Spotted Color is color which in spot or color, or both, is between Strict Middling Color and Strict Middling Spotted Color.
    3. Middling Light Spotted Color is color which in spot or color, or both, is between Middling Color and Middling Spotted Color.
    4. Strict Low Middling Light Spotted Color is color which in spot or color, or both, is between Strict Low Middling Color and Strict Low Middling Spotted Color.
    5. Low Middling Light Spotted Color is color which in spot or color, or both, is between Low Middling Color and Low Middling Spotted Color.
    6. Strict Good Ordinary Light Spotted Color is color which in spot or color, or both, is between Strict Good Ordinary Color and Strict Good Ordinary Spotted Color.
  3. Spotted Cotton
    1. ​​​​​​​Good Middling Spotted Color is color which is better than Strict Middling Spotted Color.
    2. Strict Middling Spotted Color is color which is within the range represented by a set of samples in the custody of the United States Department of Agriculture in a container marked “Original Official Cotton Standards of the United States, American Upland, Strict Middling Spotted, effective July 1, 1987.”
    3. Middling Spotted Color is color which is within the range represented by a set of samples in the custody of the United States Department of Agriculture in a container marked “Original Official Cotton Standards of the United States, American Upland, Middling Spotted, effective July 1, 1987.”
    4. Strict Low Middling Spotted Color is color which is within the range represented by a set of samples in the custody of the United States Department of Agriculture in a container marked “Original Official Cotton Standards of the United States, American Upland, Strict Low Middling Spotted, effective July 1, 1987.”
    5. Low Middling Spotted Color is color which is within the range represented by a set of samples in the custody of the United States Department of Agriculture in a container marked “Original Official Cotton Standards of the United States, American Upland, Low Middling Spotted, effective July 1, 1987.”
    6. Strict Good Ordinary Spotted Color is color which is within the range represented by a set of samples in the custody of the United States Department of Agriculture in a container marked “Original Official Cotton Standards of the United States, American Upland, Strict Good Ordinary Spotted, effective July 1, 1987.”
  4. Tinged Cotton 
    1. ​​​​​​​Strict Middling Tinged Color is color which is better than Middling Tinged Color.
    2. Middling Tinged Color is color which is within the range represented by a set of samples in the custody of the United States Department of Agriculture in a container marked “Original Official Cotton Standards of the United States, American Upland, Middling Tinged, effective July 1, 1987.”
    3. Strict Low Middling Tinged Color is color which is within the range represented by a set of samples in the custody of the United States Department of Agriculture in a container marked “Original Official Cotton Standards of the United States, American Upland, Strict Low Middling Tinged, effective July 1, 1987.”
    4. Low Middling Tinged Color is color which is within the range represented by a set of samples in the custody of the United States Department of Agriculture in a container marked “Original Official Cotton Standards of the United States, American Upland, Low Middling Tinged, effective July 1, 1987.”
  5. Yellow Stained Cotton
    1.  Strict Middling Yellow Stained Color is color which is deeper than that of Strict Middling Tinged Color.
    2. ​​​​​​​Middling Yellow Stained Color is American Upland cotton which in color is deeper than Middling Tinged Color.
  6. Below color grade cotton is American Upland cotton which is lower in color grade than Good Ordinary, or Strict Good Ordinary Light Spotted, or Strict Good Ordinary Spotted, or Low Middling Tinged, or Middling Yellow Stained. In cotton classification, the official designation for such cotton is Below Color Grade. The term Below Good Ordinary Color, or Below Strict Good Ordinary Light Spotted Color, or Below Strict Good Ordinary Spotted Color, or Below Low Middling Tinged Color, or Below Middling Yellow Stained Color and other additional explanatory terms considered necessary to describe adequately the condition of the cotton may be entered on classification memorandums or certificates.

Official Cotton Standards for the Leaf Grade of American Upland Cotton

  1. Leaf Grade 1 is leaf which is within the range represented by a set of samples in the custody of the United States Department of Agriculture in a container marked “Original Official Cotton Standards of the United States, American Upland, Good Middling, effective July 1, 1987.”
  2. Leaf Grade 2 is leaf which is within the range represented by a set of samples in the custody of the United States Department of Agriculture in a container marked “Original Official Cotton Standards of the United States, American Upland, Strict Middling, effective July 1, 1987.”
  3. Leaf Grade 3 is leaf which is within the range represented by a set of samples in the custody of the United States Department of Agriculture in a container marked “Original Official Cotton Standards of the United States, American Upland, Middling, effective July 1, 1987.”
  4. Leaf Grade 4 is leaf which is within the range represented by a set of samples in the custody of the United States Department of Agriculture in a container marked “Original Official Cotton Standards of the United States, American Upland, Strict Low Middling, effective July 1, 1987.”
  5. Leaf Grade 5 is leaf which is within the range represented by a set of samples in the custody of the United States Department of Agriculture in a container marked “Original Official Cotton Standards of the United States, American Upland, Low Middling, effective July 1, 1987.”
  6. Leaf Grade 6 is leaf which is within the range represented by a set of samples in the custody of the United States Department of Agriculture in a container marked “Original Official Cotton Standards of the United States, American Upland, Strict Good Ordinary, effective July 1, 1987.”
  7. Leaf Grade 7 is leaf which is within the range represented by a set of samples in the custody of the United States Department of Agriculture in a container marked “Original Official Cotton Standards of the United States, American Upland, Good Ordinary, effective July 1, 1987.”
  8. Below Leaf Grade Cotton is American Upland cotton which is lower in leaf grade than Leaf Grade 7. In cotton classification, the official designation for such cotton is Below Leaf Grade. Other additional explanatory terms considered necessary to describe adequately the condition of the cotton may be entered on classification memorandums or certificates.