Excerpt from the report: This report is concerned principally with the impact of the use of Federal grading on the functions of meat packing, wholesaling, and retailing, on buying, selling, and merchandising practices, and on the organization and market structure of the distribution system. Instead of examining the adequacy or accuracy of the grade standards themselves, this study directs attention to the economic effects of the use of official standard grades under present conditions of production, processing, and distribution of beef. The ultimate aim of the study, however, is to arrive at suggestions for practical adjustments in production and marketing practices that would aid marketing firms in making decisions and improve efficiency in marketing.