(a) General. In any sale, offer for sale, or consignment for sale, which involves the shipment of grain in interstate or foreign commerce, the description of grain, as being of a grade in any advertising, price quotation, other negotiation of sale, contract of sale, invoice, bill of lading, other document, or description on bags or other containers of the grain, is prohibited if such description is other than by an official grade designation, with or without additional information as to specified factors. An official grade designation contains any of the following: The term “U.S.,” the numerals 1 through 5, the term “Sample grade,” or the name of a subclass or a special grade of grain specified in the Official United States Standards for Grain.

(b) Proprietary brand names or trademarks. A description of grain by a proprietary brand name or a trademark that does not resemble an official grade designation will not be considered to be a description by grade; but a description by a proprietary brand name or trademark that contains singly or in combination any of the terms referenced in paragraph (a) of this section shall be considered to resemble an official grade designation.

(c) Use of one or more factor designations. In interstate commerce, a description of grain by the use of one or more grade factor designations which appear in the Official United States Standards for Grain or by other criteria will not be considered to be a description by grade.

(d) False or misleading descriptions. In any sale, offer for sale, or consignment for sale of any grain which involves the shipment of grain from the United States to any place outside thereof, knowingly using a false or misleading description of grain by official grade designation, or other description is prohibited.