Fall 2005

The Advisory Committee met in Corpus Christi, Texas on November 1st and 2nd. South Texas and Champaign representatives attended the meeting.

Fall Protection was discussed and a resolution asking for John Giler’s presentation on this subject (with recommendations on changes for performing stowage examinations) to be forwarded to both NGFA and NAEGA. Possible changes could include making stowage exams permissive for certain markets, changing the method of performing stowage examinations, or the elimination of stowage examinations.

Another topic was the start up of a pilot program for the Central Monitoring Lab. This would involve the Board of Appeals, two field offices and two official agencies.

Also reviewed was restructuring the administrative overhead charges for the official agency account and the possible elimination of the almost 1 million dollars transferred to this account from GIPSA’s inspection and weighing user fee account about 5 years ago. According to the financial reports, the official agency account actually broke even in 2005.

Wisconsin and Minnesota designations were discussed.

There were no members of the committee representing official agencies.

Resolutions

1. In relationship to the discussion on railcar and truck stowage examinations, we feel that it should be extended to barge stowage examinations, as well. Further, the committee feels stowage examinations should be an optional service available upon request. We recommend that the presentation by John Giler on domestic stowage exams be presented to the appropriate committees of NGFA and NAEGA for their recommendations to be fed back to the Advisory Committee.

2. The committee commends FGIS on their progress in redesigning the domestic inspection operations and using sound science in the process. This process should be continued. We further commend FGIS for involving the designated agencies in the decision making process.

3. The Advisory Committee recommends that when Financial statements are presented showing fund balances (reserves), that beginning balances be shown along with activity for the year and ending fund balances (reserves).

4. The Advisory Committee requests that all presentations that use visual aids (overheads, power points, etc.) have copies of printed materials available to Committee members at the time of the presentation, before if possible, and that when colored charts and/or graphs are used that colored handouts be presented to Committee members.

5. In efforts to further standardize the grain grading process, the Grain Inspection Advisory Committee hereby recommends that GIPSA proceed with the study of standardization of the basis of determination.

6. GIPSA should provide the Committee with an analysis of recent program cost transfers between the inspection and weighing account and the official agency account.

7. GIPSA should review if it is appropriate to continue to use test weight as a grade factor in its numerical grading system.

8. In the next meeting, updates should be provided on the concept of multifunctional equipment.

9. GIPSA should provide an update on the ideas to gather and analyze statistically sound farm-gate grain quality data.

The last few months have been busy times in the inspection business. A lot of changes seem to be taking place. The reauthorization was approved, user fees being assessed by a tonnage rate, the state of Wisconsin having a new provider, and the state of Minnesota having several new providers.

In Minnesota, as well as Texas and California, unofficial agencies have been given official status. In California and Texas things are running smoothly.

We hope that Minnesota will also go smoothly. Six official agencies applied for Minnesota and received counties in which to operate. One unofficial company was given a designation to operate in the state.

We need to offer support to our new agencies. It may not be the direction we, as presently licensed official agencies like to see, but we have to accept it. I suppose if all unofficial agencies are given designations, over time the official system may prosper. I’m sure that ‘s what GIPSA is looking for and maybe even the trade.

We can only hope that proper supervision is given and the requirements remain the same for all agencies.

In closing, I hope everyone is able to attend the meeting in Vegas and has received their registrations and renewals for next year. The agenda will be formalized next week and will be e-mailed to everyone.

I hope everyone has a Happy Holiday and I'll see you in Vegas.

Tom Dahl, AAGIWA President

Sioux City, Iowa

A new directive 9180.70 Inspection of Cracked Corn was announced on October 17, 2005. This directive provided updated information for the loading of ship lots and unit trains. The revisions include optional factor analysis for damaged kernels and heat-damaged kernels.

The determination for damaged kernels and heat-damaged kernels is made on a portion of approximately 250 grams. Using an approved sizer or hand sieve, sieve (5 strokes), a 250-gram portion with a 12/64 round-hole sieve. A dockage tester equipped with a #3 corn sieve may also be used.

The damage analysis is performed on the portion that remains on top of the 12/64 round-hole sieve after sieving. Report the results to the nearest tenth percent on the work record and certificate.

The analysis for damaged kernels and heat-damaged kernels is performed only upon request by the applicant.

Several agencies have requested and been authorized to charge an additional fee for damage factor determination in cracked corn.

Larry Kitchen has recently decided to retire. He began his career with the Missouri Department of Agriculture in August, 1972. He first worked as an hourly sampler/technician for approximately 1 year, and was later hired as a full time employee in May, 1974.

He worked in the Sikeston, Missouri office for 12 years. During this time he acquired his license to become an inspector. During these 12 years he also worked as a supervisor during the Missouri State Fair in the admissions and parking sections.

Larry was promoted to Service Point Manager of St. Louis, Missouri grain office in June 1986. In 1987 he was given the responsibility of Service Point Manager for the Sikeston field office after the manager resigned. During this time he received special recognition from both State and Federal levels while co-managing both locations. In 1995 Larry was promoted to the position of Eastern Regional Program Administrator. As the Eastern Regional Program Administrator, Larry was responsible for the St. Louis, Laddonia, and New Madrid (formerly Sikeston) locations. He worked as a liaison between the offices and the headquarters in Jefferson City.

In 2000, Larry was named Compliance Coordinator for the entire Grain Inspection division and worked directly with the Program Administrator in Jefferson City. In July 2001, the Program Administrator retired and Larry was then named the Program Administrator over the five grain inspection offices in the state.

Larry and his wife Cathy live in St. Louis. Larry has two children, daughter Jennifer and her husband Derek, and son Brandon also live in the St. Louis area.

In September 2005 AdamsNet, LLC extended its remote printing of official export grain certificates to the Mexican border.

For over two years, AdamsNet has offered remote printing of grain certificates to grain elevators and grain buyers. This expanded service will assist in getting these important documents to the border without delay and the expense of overnight shipping.

Our secure servers offer complete security for the printing of grain certificates. The system uses a thin-client Internet application to avoid the need to transmit this data via email. A quick selection from a list allows the operators to easily print the waiting grain certificates.

AdamsNet, LLC supplies data services to nineteen federally authorized agencies. They also proved on-line download of grain data and the direct transfer of grain data between a buyer’s computer systems and the AdamsNet servers.

On October 6th, FGIS held a teleconference to discuss the Inspection Data Warehouse IDW and Customer Record Release Process. GIPSA personnel conducting the conference included: Diane Palecek IDW Project Manager, Anita Heckenbach NQDB Support and Chuck Smith GAM Program Manager.

Grain companies participating in the meeting included: Cargill, ADM, AGP Grain Coop and Cactus Feeders. Several official agencies took part in the teleconference including Amarillo Grain Exchange and Central Iowa Grain Inspection.

Discussion included the current customer release process with both its pro’s and con’s.

The new record release process in which the IDW would extract customer records twice a day and allow these customers to extract files as many times a day as desired. Users would be required to have USDA eAuthentication ID and GIPSA eAuthorization and customer number. There would be a one time cost associated with this process.

Effective September 1, 2005 Sioux City Inspection purchased the Fort Dodge Agency. Kathy has moved on to a quieter life in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She recently was married and is making her new home in Cedar Rapids. We wish Kathy the best in her new life.

The transition has been relatively seamless. Most of her employees stayed on so we were able to utilize their experience. A.V. Tischer has been incorporated into Sioux City Inspection so we are going by Sioux City Inspection and Weighing Service Company. I want to thank GIPSA for their help. They recognized our need for a speedy transition and were very accommodating.

Tom Meyer from the Kansas Grain Inspection is wanting to purchase a 1226 whole grain analyzer. Call 785-233-7063.

Our new GIPSA administrator, James E. Link, has joined us as of Monday, October 17, 2005. Mr. Link previously served as the Director of the Ranch Management Program at Texas Christian University with which he has been affiliated since 1976.

Mr. Link also held offices with the National Cattlemen's Beef Association and the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raiser's Association, among other industry associations.  He has been a member of or affiliated with the Texas Cattle Feeders Association and the Kansas Livestock Association. Mr. Link owns and manages his own cattle operation, "Link Cattle Company," in Crowley, Texas. 

The U.S. Senate on September 22nd and the House on September 28th passed legislation reauthorizing the U.S. Grain Standards Act for another 10 years.

The act authorizes the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) to run the official U.S. grain inspection and weighing system and related programs.

President Bush is expected to sign the legislation into law.

Washington, DC, September 2005 - The Agriculture River Recovery Fund has been established to provide financial assistance to those who work for or provide services supporting U.S. agriculture and its grain industry, and who have been displaced and had their lives and livelihoods disrupted by Hurricane Katrina The fund is being spearheaded by a wide range of organizations involved in U.S. agriculture, including the grain and related industries. Check out the website at www.ngfa.org/.

Vendor Member List

1. Adams Net
2. Ag Trax
3. Charm Sciences
4. Enviro Logix
5. GFS Dickey-John
6. Foss North America
7. Neogen
8. Perten Instruments
9. R - Biopharm
10. Romer Labs
11. Seedburo
12. Viacam

Agency Member List

1. Aberdeen Grain Inspection
2. Amarillo Grain Exchange
3. Cairo Grain Inspection
4. Central Iowa Grain Inspection
5. Champaign - Danville
6. Eastern Iowa Grain Inspection
7. Enid Grain Inspection
8. Farwell Grain Inspection
9. Fremont Grain Inspection
10. Global Grain Inspection
11. Hastings Grain Inspection
12. Jamestown (Grain Insp. Inc.)
13. Kansas Grain Inspection
14. Lewiston Grain Insp. Service, Inc.
15. Lincoln Inspection
16. Michigan Grain Inspection
17. Mid South Grain Inspection
18. Mid-Iowa Grain Inspection
19. Minot Grain Inspection
20. North Dakota Grain Inspection
21. Northern Plains
22. Ohio Valley Grain Inspection
23. Plainview Grain Inspection
24. Schaal Agency
25. Schneider Grain Inspection
26. Sioux City Grain Inspection
27. State of Alabama
28. State of Georgia
29. State of Missouri
30. State of North Carolina
31. State of Utah
32. State of Virginia
33. State of Washington
34. Tri State Grain Inspection

The CHAFF newsletter is published four times a year by the American Association of Grain Inspection and Weighing Agencies. Please e-mail any suggestions or stories (including photos) by September 1, 2005 to Sandra Bredthauer at sbredthauer@msn.com or mail to P.O. Box 250, Iowa Falls, Iowa 50126.

Thank you!

www.aagiwa.org

Be sure to visit the AAGIWA web-site as the grain-gram is posted on the site along with other information. If you have news of interest and would like to share it with other AAGIWA members send it to one of the officers or board members and it will be sent to be posted on the site.