Representing Inspection Agencies
AAGIWA is the national association representing grain inspection and weighing agencies. These agencies provide official inspection services to measure the quality and quantity of grain being bought and sold in the United States.
The National Inspection System
AAGIWA members are part of the national grain inspection and weighing system that is overseen by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Federal Grain Inspection Service. Being part of the official system assures:
CONSISTENCY - Official inspections are based on established standards, and on sound, proven and standardized procedures, techniques, and equipment.
VERIFIABLE ACCURACY -The work of official personnel is reviewed and monitored by an extensive quality assurance program. And, every State and private agency is backed by the resources and expertise of the FGIS Technical Center in Kansas City, Missouri.
INFORMATION - Official tests provide a wealth of information about sanitary, physical, food safety, and intrinsic quality characteristics.
RESPONSIVENESS - New tests and procedures are continually being developed.
PROFESSIONALISM AND INTEGRITY - Official personnel pass rigorous tests and undergo extensive and continuous training.
CREDIBILITY - U.S. and international buyers rely on official inspection certificates to provide accurate descriptions of the grain, class, and condition of grain.
Serving the U.S. Grain Industry
Official agencies offer many different types of inspection services. The most common is the official sample-lot inspection service. When this service is requested, a licensed sampler draws a representative sample from the grain and then takes it to a FGIS-approved laboratory for analysis by a licensed inspector. Many agencies offer on-site grading and analysis to accommodate the real-time needs of customers for inspection results.
Another service offered by official agencies, the submitted sample inspection service, allows producers and grain handlers to draw their own samples and submit them to the nearest official agency. Many official agencies also test grain for end-use qualities, such as protein and oil content.
Other Typical Services
Grain inspection agencies often offer a variety of other services and laboratory analysis, such as measuring for:
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Many other, specialized services are also available.
Accurate and repeatable grain quality and quantity measurements ensure all parties that a transaction is based on fairness.
AAGIWA members are federally-licensed private inspection agencies, official state agencies, and suppliers.
AAGIWA provides a forum for its members to:
- Discuss and stay abreast of current issues.
- Work with USDA's Federal Grain Inspection Service.
- Communicate with the grain industry.
- Promote the common interests of its members.
Membership in AAGIWA is available in any one of five different categories. Private agencies federally licensed under the auspices of the U.S. Grain Standards Act pay dues based on the annual volume of inspections performed by their agency. The dues of official State agencies is likewise determined by the number of inspections the agencies handle in a year. Other membership categories whose dues are a set, fixed rate are those for affiliate members (suppliers of goods or services) and national sponsors.
Further information on membership is available by e-mailing requests to: info@aagiwa.org.
To contact FGIS:
- (202) 720-0219
- www.gipsa.usda.gov
