QAS PROGRAM UNDER REVIEW

The current QAS/AQAS program is being reviewed by a team of industry and government personnel as part of the central monitoring lab proposal under GIPSA restructuring efforts.

The team working on the QAS/AQAS program consists of Micheal Eustrom - Kansas City TSD, Ken Critchfield - FOM Wichita, Jim Whalen - Kansas City QAS, Dale Phetteplace - Board of Appeals, Dallas Stubblefield - Illinois Official Grain Inspection and David Ayers - Champaign Danville Grain Inspection.

The first meeting was held in Kansas City on May 4th. The meeting started the process of restructuring the supervision and training guidelines used by GIPSA for oversight of official agencies. Discussions included the makeup of the Central Lab and staffing for the monitoring office, the basic structure of the agencies own AQAS program, and involvement of the Board of Appeal and Review in the oversight and monitoring process. It appears that official agencies will have to take more responsibility in oversight and supervision, directly, of inspectors and inspection procedures utilized by the individual agencies.

This is only one of the teams working on the central monitoring lab restructuring effort. Another is working on equipment monitoring and checktesting and procedures for improvement opportunities. The overall GIPSA Central Monitoring Lab is being headed up by Steve Tanner, Director of TSD.