Poultry marketed as meat is classified according to kind (such as chicken, turkey, goose) and class (such as broiler, roaster, stewer). Market classes are not to be confused with classes of breeds. Poultry is marketed live, dressed (killed and plucked), or ready-to-cook. Ready-to-cook poultry is poultry which has been dressed and drawn (that is, has had feet, head, and entrails removed).

In the United States, federal law requires that all poultry and poultry products sold in interstate or foreign commerce be inspected for whole-someness by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspectors. State inspections, meeting USDA standards, are required of poultry and poultry products produced and sold within a state.

After inspection, poultry may be graded for quality under USDA or USDA-state supervision. In grading live poultry, inspectors take into account the bird's health and vigor, normality of body shape, amount of edible flesh, proportion of fat, and such defects as torn skin and broken bones. Dressed and ready-to-cook poultry are also graded on fleshing and fat covering, on amount of protruding pinfeathers, and on existence of freezer burn. Freezer burn—shown by dried areas or pockmarks on frozen poultry—is caused by improper packaging before freezing.

Poultry for retail consumption is graded as U.S.A or No. 1; U.S. B or No. 2; and U.S.C or No. 3. Wholesale poultry grades are U.S. Extras; U.S. Standards; and U.S. Trades. Birds below minimum standards are rejected.

A USDA inspection mark on poultry and poultry products shows that they have been passed by federal inspectors. It may be found on ready-to-cook whole birds and parts of birds, and on canned, cooked, or partly cooked poultry products. A combined inspection and grade mark shows both wholesomeness and relative quality of the product. It is found only on ready-to-cook whole or cut-up birds.