Standardizing commercial inspections

7 U.S.C. § 87k

• Title: 7 — Agriculture
• Chapter: 3 — GRAIN STANDARDS

Text

(a) Testing equipment
To promote greater uniformity in commercial grain inspection results, the Secretary may work in conjunction with the National Institute for Standards and Technology, the National Conference on Weights and Measures, or other appropriate governmental, scientific, or technical organizations to—
(1) identify inspection instruments requiring standardization under subsection (b);
(2) establish performance criteria for commercial grain inspection instruments;
(3) develop a national program to approve grain inspection instruments for commercial inspection; and
(4) develop standard reference materials or other means necessary for calibration or testing of approved instruments.
(b) General inspection procedures
To ensure that producers are treated uniformly in delivering grain, the Secretary shall develop practical and cost-effective procedures for conducting commercial inspections of grain with respect to the application of quality factors, that result in premiums and discounts. The procedures shall be made available to country elevators and others making first-point-of-delivery inspections.
(c) Inspection services and information
To encourage the use of equipment and procedures developed in accordance with subsections (a) and (b), the Secretary shall provide for official inspection services by the Secretary, States, and official inspection agencies and provide information on the proper use of sampling and inspection equipment, application of the grain standards, and availability of official inspection services, including appeals under this chapter.
(d) Standardized aflatoxin equipment and procedures
The Secretary shall—
(1) establish uniform standards for testing equipment; and
(2) establish uniform testing procedures and sampling techniques;
that may be used by processors, refiners, operators of grain elevators and terminals, and others to accurately detect the level of aflatoxin contamination of corn in the United States.

History

(Aug. 11, 1916, ch. 313, pt. B, §22, as added Pub. L. 101–624, title XX, §2009, Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 3931; amended Pub. L. 103–156, §§11, 13(b)(2), Nov. 24, 1993, 107 Stat. 1528, 1529; Pub. L. 103–354, title II, §293(a)(7), (8), Oct. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 3237.)

Editorial Notes

Editorial Notes

References in Text
This chapter, referred to in subsec. (c), was in the original "this Act" and was translated as reading "this part", meaning part B of act Aug. 11, 1916, known as the United States Grain Standards Act, to reflect the probable intent of Congress.

Amendments
1994—Pub. L. 103–354 substituted "Secretary" for "Administrator" wherever appearing and "Secretary" for "Service" in subsec. (c).
1993—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 103–156, §11, substituted ", the National Conference on Weights and Measures, or other appropriate governmental, scientific, or technical organizations" for "and the National Conference on Weights and Measures" in introductory provisions.
Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 103–156, §13(b)(2), substituted "subsections (a) and (b)" for "subsection (a) and (b)".

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Transfer of Functions
All functions of the Federal Security Administrator were transferred to the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare and all agencies of the Federal Security Agency were transferred to the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare by section 5 of 1953 Reorg. Plan No. 1, eff. Mar. 12, 1953, 18 F.R. 2053, 67 Stat. 631, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees. The Federal Security Agency and the office of Administrator were abolished by section 8 of 1953 Reorg. Plan No. 1.
The Secretary and Department of Health, Education, and Welfare was redesignated the Secretary and Department of Health and Human Services by section 3508 of Title 20, Education.
The Food and Drug Administration in the Department of Agriculture and its functions, except those functions relating to the administration of the Naval Stores Act, this chapter, were transferred to the Federal Security Agency by 1940 Reorg. Plan No. IV, §12, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.