[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 68 (Thursday, April 9, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17356-17357]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-9417]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration


Implementation of a New Official Moisture Meter

AGENCY: Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration 
(GIPSA) is announcing the selection of a new official moisture meter; 
i.e., a device approved by GIPSA for determining the moisture content 
of grain inspected under the United States Grain Standards Act. 
Specifically, the Grain Analysis Computer Model 2100 (GAC 2100), 
manufactured by Dickey-john Corporation, Auburn, Illinois, has been 
selected by GIPSA to replace the Motomco Model 919 Moisture Meter. The 
new moisture meter is expected to improve the ease, speed, and 
reliability of official moisture measurement and to allow automated 
measurements and electronic transmission of results.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steven N. Tanner, Director, Technical 
Services Division, GIPSA, USDA, 10383 N. Executive Hills Boulevard, 
Kansas City, Missouri 64153; telephone (816) 891-0401; fax (816) 891-
0478.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    The Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration 
(GIPSA), acting through the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection 
Service, issued a solicitation on May 15, 1997, for the purpose of 
selecting and procuring new official moisture meters. GIPSA uses a 
single technology for all official moisture measurements because 
research has demonstrated that the use of multiple technologies would 
result in significant uncorrectable differences between official 
inspection points. This is true even if the different technologies have 
comparable accuracy with respect to the USDA air oven reference method. 
Therefore, the moisture meter selected from this solicitation will 
replace the current official moisture meter model, the Motomco Model 
919.
    GIPSA evaluated the received proposals according to the criteria 
specified in the solicitation. The criteria included potential range of 
grain types for which the instrument could be used; the range of 
moisture over which it exhibited acceptable accuracy; its potential to 
be used for measurement of other grading factors; its ability to 
operate in the temperature, vibrational, and electromagnetic 
environment typical of a grain inspection point; time and sample size 
required for measurements; ease of use; instrument self-checking 
capabilities; manufacturer's quality control plan and error analysis; 
degree of expected variation between measurements from different 
instruments of the same model; proposed procedures for checking the 
performance of field instruments against a master instrument (check-
testing); and cost to the government. GIPSA surveyed current users of 
the instruments and conducted field tests of existing instruments at 
several different locations.
    Implementation of the new instruments for official measurements of 
grains, oilseeds, and processed commodities will be phased in, product 
by product, over a period of at least 2 years. For any given product, 
all official moisture measurements will be performed using the Motomco 
Model 919 until the transition date for that product; the GAC 2100 will 
be used exclusively thereafter. The transition date for each product 
will be announced by GIPSA through a Notice in the Federal Register 
prior to the transition. Transition dates for each product will be 
selected to minimize the impact of the changes on the value of carry-
over stocks and will be announced in advance. Tentative transition 
dates are as follows: August 1, 1998--corn, soybeans, and sunflower 
seeds; May 1, 1999--barley, oats, rough rices, sorghum, and all wheats. 
Transition dates for peas, beans, lentils, and other commodities may 
lie beyond 1999.
    The GAC 2100 uses separate calibration equations for each grain 
type to achieve optimum accuracy. GIPSA routinely reviews the accuracy 
of official calibrations and revises calibration equations to optimize 
accuracy with respect to the USDA air oven method. All GAC 2100 
calibration equations will be carefully reviewed for accuracy based on 
several years' crop data. Where accuracy can be improved, calibrations 
will be adjusted prior to issuing them as official calibrations.
    Both the Motomco Model 919 and the GAC 2100 are calibrated to the 
USDA air oven method. Therefore, the overall average change in moisture 
results between the instruments should be quite small. The substantial 
differences in measurement methods between the two instrument types 
will, however, cause moisture measurements to differ for the two 
instruments on specific samples. It is impossible to predict exactly 
what the differences between Motomco Model 919 and GAC 2100 results 
will be for a given grain sample. Most results should agree within plus 
or minus 0.5 percent moisture, but some differences will exceed plus or 
minus 1.0 percent moisture.
    GIPSA is currently reviewing Part 801 of the regulations, 
``Official Performance Requirements For Grain Inspection Equipment''. 
Changes to the regulations will be published as appropriate and 
necessary.
    GIPSA anticipates several important benefits from the new moisture 
meter. The new instrument's speed and ease of operation will help to 
hold down inspection costs. The instrument will increase confidence in 
official moisture results by eliminating most of the operator 
interactions in the moisture measurement process. Electronic 
transmission of results and adaptability to automated operation will 
contribute to improving the timeliness and value of official 
inspections. The instrument's newer technology and built-in system 
checks will improve reliability, reduce down-time, and automatically 
notify the operator of potential performance problems.

[[Page 17357]]

    GIPSA's decision to approve and adopt the GAC 2100 as the new 
official moisture meter does not mean that the Agency endorses or 
recommends this instrument for unofficial purposes over other similar 
instruments that are not approved for the official system. The Agency's 
selection of this instrument was based on GIPSA's unique operational 
needs. Other instrument models may be as suitable or more suitable for 
a commercial entity's needs.

    Authority: Pub. L. 94-582, 90 Stat. 2867, as amended (7 U.S.C. 
71 et seq.)

    Dated: April 2, 1998.
David R. Shipman,
Acting Administrator.
[FR Doc. 98-9417 Filed 4-8-98; 8:45 am]
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