How to Use the Stamp

Scores of products in every supermarket aisle from breads to waffles now bear the Whole Grain Stamp, to help consumers identify foods with significant amounts of whole grain ingredients.

Although membership in the Whole Grains Council includes many different benefits, the ability to use the Stamp on qualifying products is often one of the main reasons new members join the WGC.

How to Get Started with the Stamp

Members who would like to use the WG Stamp follow these steps:

1. Sign and return a one-time Stamp Agreement Form, attesting that you will observe all the rules and standards of the Stamp program. We automatically send this agreement to all new members, as soon as your membership is valid.

2. Review the appropriate Stamp Usage Guide (which you can download below), and determine which of your products qualify to use the Whole Grain Stamp.

3. Fill out a Product Registration Form online, for each product on which you hope to use the Stamp.

4. We will notify you by email in 1-2 weeks if your product has been approved. At this point, you may download the Stamp Graphics from the password-protected area of this website, or request them from us (see below).

If you are new to the Whole Grain Stamp program, we recommend you

1. Read the FAQ for manufacturers. Click here to read this FAQ.

2. Review the Stamp Usage Guide that applies to your products.

• Download the Standard Stamp Usage Guide for most products in the U.S..

• Download the FSIS Stamp Usage Guide for U.S. products containing meat or poultry (FSIS products).

• Download the Canadian Stamp Usage Guide for products sold in Canada.

• Download the International Stamp Usage Guide for products outside of the U.S. and Canada.

Downloading Hi-Res Stamp Graphics Online

Once your membership is fully paid and processed, you will be able to log in to the password-protected Members Only area of the WGC website. There you'll find individual graphics awaiting you for the standard U.S. Whole Grain Stamps. As appropriate for the approval of each product, you can choose:

• The Basic Stamp or the 100% Stamp

• The specific gram number you need

• The color format: 4 color process OR spot color OR black & white

When you click on your choice, an EPS graphic file will be automatically downloaded to your computer.

Ask for a CD for FSIS Graphics

Are you marketing products in the U.S. containing meat or poultry? USDA/FSIS now allows the Whole Grain Stamp on products whose packaging is subject to FSIS pre-approval – like pepperoni pizzas, chicken pot pies and pocket sandwiches.

These products must use a slightly different graphic, and meet a few additional requirements. Details are outlined on the FSIS WG Stamp page of this website and in the FSIS-specific Stamp Usage Guide. FSIS graphics are not available on the website. Contact Kara Berrini (617-896-4880) and we'll send you a CD containing all the FSIS Stamp graphics.

Ask for a CD for Canadian Graphics

If you're using the Whole Grain Stamp in Canada, we have special bilingual graphics for you to use. Details are outlined on the page called How to Use the Canadian Stamp. Canadian graphics are not available on this website. Contact Kara Berrini (617-896-4880) and we'll send you a CD containing all the Canadian Stamp graphics.

Ask us for Spanish Graphics

Starting in May 2008, a Spanish-language version of the Whole Grain Stamp is available for use in Spanish-speaking countries. We will email graphics on request, to WGC members in Spanish-speaking countries. Email Cynthia Harriman.