The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) today announced the Remote Butter Grading Program, allowing more butter manufacturers to access to new marketing opportunities providing dairy farmers additional opportunities to market milk for use in a value-added product.
This program utilizes robust data management and program oversight to allow a USDA grader to assess butter characteristics and assign the official quality grade from a remote location, reducing costs and location as barriers to participation in voluntary grading services.
Consumers, as well as buyers and sellers of butter, rely on the USDA Grade AA Shield as a clear and standardized indication of quality.