[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 190 (Thursday, October 1, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52682-52683]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-26091]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration


Pilot Programs

AGENCY: Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration 
(GIPSA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: GIPSA is currently running three pilot programs; timely 
service, open season, and barge, under one of the 1993 amendments to 
the United States Grain Standards Act, as amended (Act). This amendment 
provides that GIPSA may conduct pilot programs allowing more than one 
official agency to provide official services within a single geographic 
area. These pilot programs are scheduled to end October 31, 1999. 
Participation in the pilot programs has been light, especially during 
the first 2 years, and GIPSA believes it needs additional time to 
collect information. Accordingly, GIPSA is extending the pilot programs 
to September 30, 2000, the end of fiscal year 1999.

EFFECTIVE DATE: November 1, 1998.

ADDRESSES: USDA, GIPSA, Neil E. Porter, Director, Compliance Division, 
STOP 3604, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250-3604. 
Internet and GroupWise users may respond to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Neil E. Porter, telephone 202-720-
8262.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Sections 7(f) and 7A of the Act was amended 
by the U.S. Grain Standards Act Amendments of 1993 (Pub. L. 103-156) on 
November 24, 1993, to authorize GIPSA'S Administrator to conduct pilot 
programs allowing more than one official agency to provide official 
services within a single geographic area without undermining the 
declared policy of the Act. The purpose of the pilot programs is to 
evaluate the impact of allowing more than one official agency to 
provide official services within a single geographic area.
    GIPSA considered several possible pilot programs as announced in 
the March 14, 1994, Federal Register (59 FR 11759) and the March 10, 
1995, Federal Register (60 FR 13113). In the September 27, 1995, 
Federal Register (60 FR 49828) GIPSA announced the

[[Page 52683]]

following two pilot programs starting on November 1, 1995, and ending 
on October 31, 1996.
    1. Timely Service. This pilot program allows official agencies to 
provide official services to facilities outside their assigned 
geographic area on a case-by-case basis when these official services 
cannot be provided in a timely manner by the official agency designated 
to serve that area.
    2. Open Season. This pilot program allows official agencies to 
offer their services to facilities outside their assigned geographic 
area where no official sample-lot or official weighing services have 
been provided in the previous 6 months.
    In the October 3, 1996, Federal Register (61 FR 51674) GIPSA 
extended the pilot programs to October 31, 1999.
    In the January 15, 1998, Federal Register (63 FR 2360) GIPSA 
announced a pilot program allowing barges on all rivers to be sampled 
by probe by any official agency effective March 1, 1998, and ending 
October 31, 1999, concurrently with the two existing pilot programs.
    GIPSA has evaluated these three pilot programs and believes that 
they have not had an adverse impact on the official system. However, 
participation in the pilot programs has been light, especially during 
the first 2 years. Participation in the third year of the pilot 
programs is already greater than the total of the first 2 years 
combined. GIPSA is still collecting and analyzing information to 
determine if exclusive boundaries should be maintained as they are, 
eliminated, or modified. GIPSA believes that it needs additional time 
to evaluate the impact of allowing more than one official inspection 
agency to operate in a geographic area. Accordingly, GIPSA is extending 
the pilot programs to September 30, 2000, the end of the 1999 fiscal 
year.
    The three pilot program provisions will remain the same as 
announced in the September 27, 1995, and January 15, 1998, Federal 
Register's.
    GIPSA will continue to monitor and evaluate the pilot programs. If, 
at any time, GIPSA determines that any pilot program is having a 
negative impact on the official system or is not working as intended, 
the program may be modified or discontinued.

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

    Dated: September 22, 1998.
Neil E. Porter,
Director, Compliance Division.
[FR Doc. 98-26091 Filed 9-30-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-EN-P