Fees for Official Inspection and Official Weighing Services

The Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) is changing the fee schedule for official inspection and weighing services performed under the authority of the United States Grain Standards Act (USGSA), as amended. The USGSA provides the authority to charge and collect reasonable fees to cover the cost of performing official services. These fees also cover the costs associated with administrative and supervisory activities related to official services. After a review of the financial status of GIPSA, including a comparison of the costs and revenues associated with official services, and administrative and supervisory activities; GIPSA is changing the fee schedule. These changes include eliminating provisions for the 3- month and 6-month contracts; increasing the 1-year contract hourly rate by approximately 20 percent and the non-contract hourly rate by 47 percent; increasing hourly rates for services not performed at an applicant's facility by approximately 11.5 percent; increasing unit fees for additional tests provided by GIPSA; eliminating the 6-level administrative tonnage fee and replacing it with regional administrative tonnage fees; eliminating the unit fee charged to delegated States for export ships and replacing it with a tonnage fee; increasing hourly fees for special weighing services by approximately 30 percent above the non-contract hourly rate; and establishing a $500 usage fee per facility when the GIPSA test car is used to test track scales. These changes are needed to replenish the retained earnings accounts and to maintain a 3-month operating reserve. Further, maintaining GIPSA's financial stability will assure continued inspection and weighing services to the grain industry which will further facilitate the sound and orderly marketing of grain in domestic and export markets.