Public Affairs
Washington, D.C., June 4, 2026 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) launched a new mobile app to make access to the Remote Grading Program for Beef (RGP) even easier.
“While more than 90% of fed beef is officially graded by USDA – predominantly at larger plants – the Remote Grading Program for Beef (RGP) extends those market benefits, especially to small processors, by providing low-cost grading services that afford them access to new markets using USDA grades like Prime, Choice, and Select,” said Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Dudley Hoskins. “This new app is another enhancement supporting producers and processors participating in the program with improved responsiveness, streamlined workflows, and assurance grading services remain accurate and reliable. Programs like RGP and its continued improvements reflect USDA’s commitment to expand opportunities for producers to market their high-quality American beef.”
The RGP provides processors with access to USDA beef grades (Prime, Choice, and Select) at a lower cost than traditional onsite graders. The RGP utilizes mobile app imaging, supported by robust data management and oversight, to assess carcass characteristics remotely and assign official grades that buyers and consumers rely on to signal quality. With the new app, customers will experience more secure image submissions, fewer upload mistakes, clearer status visibility, and reliable tracking of assigned carcass grades.
Since its launch, the RGP has registered 88 facilities – many are considered small or very small – in 32 states. Most plants received grades within 24 hours of submission. Farmers and ranchers also benefit from having official USDA quality grades, which allow them to use this information in direct-to-consumer markets, or simply to use carcass data to continue improving genetics, growth, and quality.
RGP supports Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins’ Plan to Fortify the American Beef Industry and allows industry to leverage access to USDA quality grades to expand market opportunities. For more information about the RGP for beef, visit https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/remote-beef-grading or contact Jodie Pitcock at Jodie.Pitcock@usda.gov or (816) 351-5152.
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