UNSPSC 50586600: Non GMO yams

The type of Non GMO vegetable known as Non GMO yams. This means that they are produced without the use of methods that genetically modify organisms by means that are not possible under natural conditions. Such methods include cell fusion, microencapsulation and macro-encapsulation, and recombinant DNA technology (including gene deletion, gene doubling, introducing a foreign gene, and changing the positions of genes when achieved by recombinant DNA technology).

Traditional methods of breeding, conjugation, fermentation, hybridization, in vitro fertilization, or tissue culture are considered to be non-GMO.

UNSPSC 50586600 Non GMO yams, a Class code, shows minimal relevant recent activity in state and local procurement. The code nominally describes a single commodity — non-GMO yams — but recent solicitations tagged under this code span much broader food service procurement for school districts and state agencies, encompassing hundreds of produce line items, dairy, proteins, and processed foods across multiple categories. State and local buying bodies posting opportunities under this code include school districts (Early County Board of Education in Georgia, Northside Independent School District in Texas, Hillsborough County Public Schools in Florida, Bulloch County School District in Georgia, Rockwood R-VI School District in Missouri, Liberty County Board of Education in Georgia, Muscogee County School District in Georgia, Savannah-Chatham County Public School System in Georgia, Glynn County Board of Education in Georgia, McAllen Independent School District in Texas, Austin Independent School District in Texas, Douglas County School System in Georgia), state procurement offices (State of Georgia), and county education authorities, with most activity concentrated in Georgia and Texas. Representative recent solicitations include Bulloch County School District's IFP for 24 locally-grown produce items including sweet potatoes, strawberries, and butter beans (due May 4, 2026), Northside Independent School District's RFP for fresh produce for child nutrition (due May 7, 2026), and the Douglas County School System's RFP through the GEC Buying Cooperative for fresh produce and eggs serving 30 school districts across two Georgia regions with estimated annual spending of approximately $5.5 million (due March 4, 2026).

The mismatch between the code name and actual solicitation scope signals that state and local procurement offices are applying this code as a catch-all classifier for food service procurement rather than as a discrete yam commodity procurement. None of the recent opportunities explicitly solicit non-GMO yams as a line item, and the code's actual utility in state and local buying appears limited to administrative categorization of broader produce and food service contracts. Firms pursuing state and local food service supply contracts should focus on the broader scope of institutional produce and grocery procurement reflected in these solicitations — including fruits, vegetables, eggs, dairy, proteins, and prepared foods delivered on fixed schedules to school campuses or central distribution hubs — rather than on a narrow yam commodity opportunity.