WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Kevin Cramer announced the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed H.R. 2088, the United States Grain Standards Act Reauthorization Act of 2015. H.R. 2088 reauthorizes provisions of the United States Grain Standards Act until September 30, 2020, and amends the act to provide a safeguard mechanism for grain inspection services in the event of an interruption of official inspection services.
“Access to export facilities and prompt grain inspections by the USDA are vital to North Dakota farmers. As they work harder to grow the food to feed a hungry world, farmers should not worry their crops will rot and go to waste in US ports because of labor strikes and delayed grain inspections,” said Cramer.
Congressman Cramer contacted U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack in November 2013 in response to inconsistent grain inspections caused by labor strikes in the Pacific Northwest. Congressman Cramer urged the Federal Grain Inspection Service to prepare an executable plan for implementation in the event future disruptions occur, ensuring grain inspections at all Pacific Northwest export facilities are performed without interruption. A press release reviewing these activities can be viewed by clicking here. You can view a copy of Congressman Cramer’s November 12, 2013 letter sent to Secretary Vilsack by clicking here.
Congressman Cramer contacted Secretary Vilsack again in July 2014 as grain inspections continued to be delayed in the Pacific Northwest. You can view a copy of this letter by clicking here.
Summary of HR 2088
The Federal Grain Inspection Service (FGIS), which operates under the USDA, is responsible for ensuring standard grain inspection procedure in the U.S. The bill provides that in the event of an anticipated disruption in service not caused by a major disaster, the delegated State agency shall give FGIS at least 72 hours prior notice. Once the disruption in service occurs, FGIS must resume official inspection and weighing services within six hours. If no prior notice was given, FGIS has 12 hours to provide the services. FGIS may use either Federal inspectors or inspectors from another delegated State agency to remedy the situation. FGIS is required to report to Congress the reason(s) for the service interruption, and provide the determination and justification for revoking or retaining the State agency’s delegated status.
If FGIS fails to provide for official inspection services within the time period established, the export elevator at an export port location will for the first time be authorized to solicit service from another delegated or designated State agency. This safeguard is meant to ensure that if the Secretary fails to act, interruptions to commerce will be minimized.
The bill ends the permanent delegation authority by the FGIS to State agencies to carry out export inspection and weighing services. Within two years of enactment, FGIS must review current State agency delegations by existing statutory criteria.
The bill also changes the fee calculation for inspection and weighing services based on export tonnage to be based on a five-year rolling average of export tonnage volumes. The five year rolling average is designed to provide more predictability and better reflect the market. The bill also directs the Secretary of Agriculture to annually adjust the fees to maintain a three to six month operation reserve.
Source: Congressman Kevin Cramer's Office
