Product Specifications & Requirements

USDA Foods meet high standards for quality and wholesomeness and must be produced and processed according to detailed USDA specifications.  

Specifications by Product:

Fruits

Canned Fruit

Frozen Fruit

Fresh Citrus Fruit

Fresh Fruit

Dried Fruit

Vegetables

Canned Vegetables

Frozen Vegetables

Fresh Vegetables

Dehydrated Potato Products

Frozen Potato Products

Miscellaneous Fruit and Vegetables Products
Bulk Products for Further Processing (Miscellaneous Products)

Soups

Juices

Frozen Fruit Juices

Bottled Fruit Juices

Concentrated Fruit Juice for Manufacturing

Nuts, Beans, Peas & Lentils

Canned Dried Beans

Dry Edible Beans, Peas, and Lentils

In Shell and Shelled Nuts

Beef

Technical Requirements (Specifications) for these commodity products are incorporated into the following Supplements to the AMS Master Solicitation. View more information about technical requirements.

ADLs must still meet all of the technical requirements described including data transmission. Learn more about approved ADLs and the process to become an ADL.

Miscellaneous Beef Products

Supplement 210, July 2024 (pdf)

  • FPPS – Beef Round Roasts (July 2024)
  • FPPS – Diced Beef Frozen (July 2024)
  • FPPS – Animal Handling and Welfare (July 2024)

Supplement 210, October 2022 (pdf)

  • FPPS – Beef Round Roasts (October 2022)
  • FPPS – Diced Beef frozen (October 2022)
  • FPPS – Animal Handling and Welfare (March 2021)

Frozen Ground Beef Products

Supplement 211, March 2023 (pdf)

  • FPPS – Course Ground Beef Items frozen (March 2023)
  • FPPS – Ground Beef Items frozen (March 2023)
  • FPPS – Animal Handling and Welfare (March 2021)

Supplement 211, July 2022 (pdf)

  • FPPS – Course Ground Beef Items frozen (July 2022)
  • FPPS – Ground Beef Items frozen (July 2022)
  • FPPS – Animal Handling and Welfare (March 2021)

Fresh Boneless Beef Products

Supplement 212, March 2023 (pdf)

  • FPPS – Fresh, Chilled Boneless Beef for Further Processing (March 2023)                                      
  • FPPS – Animal Handling and Welfare (March 2021)

Supplement 212, July 2022 (pdf)

  • FPPS – Fresh, Chilled Boneless Beef for Further Processing (July 2022)                                      
  • FPPS – Animal Handling and Welfare (March 2021)

Beef Special Trim

Supplement 213, July 2022 (pdf)

  • FPPS – Beef Special Trim (July 2022)
  • FPPS – Animal Handling and Welfare (March 2021)

Pork

Technical Requirements (Specifications) for these commodity products are incorporated into the following Supplements to the AMS Master Solicitation.  View more information about technical requirements.

Frozen Pork Picnics and Leg Roast Items

Supplement 302, August 2017 (pdf)

  • FPPS – Pork Leg Roasts, Boneless, Frozen; Pork Leg, Bulk, Boneless, Frozen; Pork Shoulder, Picnics, Bulk, Boneless, Frozen (March 2015)
  • FPPS – Animal Handling and Welfare (August 2017)

Ham, Boneless, Fully-Cooked, Water-Added

Supplement 303, October 2022 (pdf)

  • FPPS – Ham Products, Cured, Boneless, Fully Cooked (October 2022)
  • FPPS – Smoked Pit Ham, Cured, Boneless, Water Added, Frozen (October 2022)
  • FPPS – Animal Handling and Welfare (March 2021)

Supplement 303, July 2021 (pdf)

Pork Loin and Pork Loin Chops, Center Cut, Boneless, Frozen

Supplement 304, August 2017 (pdf)

  • FPPS – Pork Loin Chops, Center Cut, Boneless, Frozen (July 2017)
  • FPPS – Animal Handling and Welfare (August 2017)

FPPS - Pork Loin Roasts, Boneless, Frozen, November 2018 (pdf)

Fish and Other Seafood Products

Technical Requirements (Specifications) for these commodity products are incorporated into the following Supplements to the AMS Master Solicitation. View more information about technical requirements.

Fish and Fishery Products

Supplement 512, October 2024 (pdf)

Tuna Product

Supplement 500, August 2024 (pdf)

  • FPPS – Canned/Pouched Tuna (August 2024)

Salmon Products 

Supplement 507, June 2021 (pdf)

  • FPPS – Canned Pink Salmon (June 2021)
  • FPPS – Canned Red Salmon (June 2021)
  • FPPS – Salmon Fillet Portions, frozen (June 2021)

Alaska Pollock

Supplement 509, April 2024 (pdf)

  • FPPS – Once-Frozen Alaska Pollock Blocks (April 2024)
  • FPPS – Alaska Pollock Fillet Portions, Unbreaded, Raw, Frozen (April 2024)
  • FPPS – Alaska Pollock, Oven Ready (Breaded) Fish Sticks and Nuggets, Frozen (April 2024)

Supplement 509, August 2021 (pdf)

  • FPPS – Once Frozen Alaska Pollock Blocks (July 2021)
  • FPPS – Alaska Pollock Fillet Portions, Unbreaded, Raw, Frozen (August 2021)
  • FPPS – Alaska Pollock, Oven Ready Breaded Fish Sticks and Nuggets, frozen (August 2021)

Catfish Products

Supplement 511, July 2024 (pdf)

  • FPPS – Farm-Raised Catfish Fillets, Unbreaded, Raw, Frozen (July 2024)
  • FPPS – Farm-Raised Catfish Strips, Breaded, Frozen (July 2024)                                      
  • FPPS – Farm-Raised Catfish Strips, Breaded, Oven Ready, Frozen (July 2024)                                      
  • FPPS – Wild-Caught Catfish Fillets, Unbreaded, Raw, Frozen (July 2024)

Other Products

Technical Requirements (Specifications) for these commodity products are incorporated into the following Supplements to the AMS Master Solicitation.  View more information about technical requirements.

Cooked Beef and Pork Products

Supplement 404, August 2022 (pdf)

  • FPPS – Cooked Beef Items (August 2022)
  • FPPS – Cooked Pork Items (August 2022)
  • FPPS – Fully Cooked Pulled Pork Frozen (August 2022)

Frozen Lamb Products

Supplement 602, November 2022 (pdf)

  • FPPS – Lamb Products, Frozen (November 2022)
  • FPPS – Animal Handling and Welfare (March 2021)
  • Monitoring and Evaluation Protocol for Conformity Assessment (July 2022)

Bison Products

Supplement 603, March 2023 (pdf)

  • FPPS – Ground Bison and Bison Stew Meat, frozen (March 2023)
  • FPPS – Bison Handling and Welfare (March 2022)

Supplement 603, March 2022 (pdf)

  • FPPS – Ground Bison and Bison Stew Meat, frozen (March 2021)
  • FPPS – Bison Handling and Welfare (March 2022)

Canned Meat

Supplement 704, August 2022 (pdf)

  • FPPS – Canned/Pouched Beef w/ Juices & Canned/ Pouched Pork w/ Juices (August 2022)
  • FPPS – Canned/Pouched Beef Stew (August 2022)
  • FPPS – Canned/Pouched Chili w/ Beans (August 2022)
  • FPPS – Canned/Pouched Chili w/out Beans (August 2022)
  • FPPS – Animal Handling and Welfare (March 2021)

 

Chicken

View AMS certification options and technical proposal requirements for these chicken products (pdf)

Consumer Pack Chicken

Fresh Bulk Chicken and Chicken Legs

Frozen Chicken Parts

Cooked Chicken Products

Shelf Stable Chicken

Turkey

AMS certification options and technical requirements are outlined in the Supplement for Turkey Products.  View more information about technical requirements (pdf).

Fresh Bulk Turkey and Parts

Cooked Turkey Products

Eggs

Fresh Shell Eggs

Egg Products

View AMS certification options and technical proposal requirements for these egg products (pdf)

Grain and Oilseed Products

Dairy

Dairy Products Purchase Specs:

Additional Resources