Presents the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), located in Washington, D.C. Explains that the AMS enforces federal laws in six commodity divisions: cotton, dairy, fruit and vegetable, livestock and seed, poultry, and tobacco. Notes that the AMS also oversees marketing agreements and orders, administers research and promotion programs, and purchases commodities for federal food programs. Includes market news and information about products and services. Contains a site search engine. Links to the USDA home page. Posts contact information via telephone number and e-mail.

This is a general instructional guide for receiving market inspectors. For specific instructions on the certification of fresh products, please refer to the specific commodity inspection standards, inspection instructions, and visual aids located on the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) website for Fruit, Vegetable, Nut, and Specialty Crop Grade Standards and Other Resources. If you need help on a topic not covered by these instructions, please contact your immediate supervisor or Inspection Operations staff in Washington, DC. The AMS Specialty Crops Inspection (SCI) Division developed these instructions to help officially licensed personnel inspect agricultural commodities. These instructions do not establish any substantial rule not legally authorized by the official grade standards. These instructions replace General Market Inspection Instructions dated April 1988 and include, but not limited to, all previous correspondence, memos, inspection instructions, or procedures.