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Growing for Wholesale: Vegetable Grading/Sizing Templates

Robert Hadad, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Cornell Vegetable Program

February 21, 2018

Growing for Wholesale: Vegetable Grading/Sizing Templates

To further assist farmers looking to sell into wholesale markets, the Cornell Vegetable Program has put together some helpful tools. The tools provided here consist of a color photo guide highlighting the grades of some of the most common vegetables grown for wholesale market in WNY.

To aid in the visualization of the grading sizes, the crop templates provided below are scaled to size (8.5 x 11 paper). They can be printed and used to create sizing templates to be used by workers on the wash and pack lines.

The accompanying PowerPoint PDF found below, Making the Grade: Grading and Packing Fresh Produce, will give growers an overview of what buyers are looking for and why. Selling wholesale isn't for every grower and having the information to make these important decisions is crucial. 

For more information within the Cornell Vegetable Program region of WNY, contact Robert Hadad.

Other resources are United States Standards and Grades, Purdue Agriculture - Illustrated Guides to Grading Vegetables, and UC Davis Produce Quality Rating Scales and Color Charts - Postharvest Technology Center.



Bell Pepper: U.S. Fancy (pdf; 494KB)

Bell Pepper: U.S. No. 1 (pdf; 588KB)

Bell Pepper: U.S. No. 2 (pdf; 585KB)

Broccoli (pdf; 577KB)

Brussels Sprouts (pdf; 479KB)

Cauliflower (pdf; 569KB)

Cucumber: U.S. Fancy (pdf; 518KB)

Cucumber: U.S. Large (pdf; 517KB)

Cucumber: Slicers (pdf; 586KB)

Eggplant (pdf; 559KB)

Potatoes (pdf; 512KB)

Tomaotes (pdf; 481KB)

Zucchini and Summer Squash (pdf; 719KB)

Set of All Vegetable Sizing Templates (pdf; 3996KB)
  • Download this file if you wish to have 1 file containing all 13 templates


Making the Grade: Grading and Packing Fresh Produce (PPT) (pdf; 1016KB)

more crops
Asparagus

Asparagus

Beets

Beets

Broccoli

Broccoli

Brussels Sprouts

Brussels Sprouts

Cabbage

Cabbage

Carrots

Carrots

Cauliflower

Cauliflower

Cucumbers

Cucumbers

Dry Beans

Dry Beans

Eggplant

Eggplant

Ethnic Vegetables

Ethnic Vegetables

Garlic

Garlic

Horseradish

Horseradish

Kohlrabi

Kohlrabi

Leeks

Leeks

Lettuce / Leafy Greens

Lettuce / Leafy Greens

Melons

Melons

Mushrooms

Mushrooms

Onions

Onions

Parsnips

Parsnips

Peas

Peas

Peppers

Peppers

Potatoes

Potatoes

Pumpkins / Gourds

Pumpkins / Gourds

Radishes

Radishes

Rhubarb

Rhubarb

Rutabaga

Rutabaga

Snap Beans

Snap Beans

Squash - Summer

Squash - Summer

Squash- Winter

Squash- Winter

Sweet Corn

Sweet Corn

Sweet Potatoes

Sweet Potatoes

Tomatoes

Tomatoes

Turnips

Turnips

more crops

Upcoming Events

2025 Potato Advisory Meeting

Event Offers DEC Credits

December 16, 2025
Canandaigua, NY

Come hear the latest on insect pest control and fertility management in potatoes from Cornell University experts. Potato variety trial updates will be shared too. After lunch will be the Empire State Potato Grower's Meeting. 1.5 DEC credits in 10, 1a, and 23.

View 2025 Potato Advisory Meeting Details

2026 Finger Lakes Produce Auction Winter Growers Meeting

Event Offers DEC Credits

January 8, 2026
Penn Yan, NY

At this vegetable grower-focused meeting, ag industry experts will discuss food safety, disease management in strawberries, the benefits of using cover crops, plus more. Two grower panel discussions will focus on pest management techniques and irrigation. DEC recertification credits offered in categories 10, 1a, 21, 22, 23, and 24.

View 2026 Finger Lakes Produce Auction Winter Growers Meeting Details

Announcements

Cornell Crop and Pest Management Guidelines Paused

From Cornell IPM:

Highlighting its commitment to quality and long-term sustainability, Cornell Integrated Pest Management's Pesticide Safety Education Program has announced
a pause in production of the 2026 Cornell Crop and Pest Management Guidelines.

Cornell IPM Director Alejandro Calixto said this temporary measure is the result of a comprehensive reimagining process facilitated by Illume Projects of Ithaca, which included end-user interviews, internal surveys and sales data analytics.

"It became clear to us that we cannot continue producing the guidelines and fully restructure them at the same time," Calixto said. "By pausing production, we can dedicate all available resources and time to rebuilding the production process, ensuring that when we re-launch in 2027, the guidelines will reflect a modernized approach built around the grower and other user experience."

A series of annually updated reference manuals produced by Cornell IPM and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS), the Cornell Crop and Pest Management Guidelines are widely used by farmers, agronomists, crop consultants and extension educators in New York and throughout the Northeast. They include information about current IPM recommendations, pesticide options, cultural practices, nutrient management, disease, insect and weed identification and resistance-management strategies.

Calixto and Pesticide Safety Education Program Lead Mike Helms will spearhead efforts to restructure the guideline process over the next 12 months, with a goal of launching a more streamlined, user-friendly version in 2027.

Limited copies of the 2025 guidelines remain available for purchase while supplies last through The Cornell Store. The 2026-2027 Greenhouse Guidelines will be available.

For more information contact Helms at mjh14@cornell.edu.


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