[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 62 (Thursday, April 1, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15724-15725]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-7996]



[[Page 15724]]

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration


Opportunity for Designation in the Hastings (NE), Aberdeen (SD), 
Missouri, Decatur (IL), Grand Forks (ND), McCrea (IA), and South 
Carolina Areas and Request for Comments on the Hastings, Aberdeen, 
Missouri, Decatur, Grand Forks, McCrea, and South Carolina Agencies

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The designations of the official agencies listed below will 
end in October, November, and December 1999. GIPSA is asking persons 
interested in providing official services in the areas served by these 
agencies to submit an application for designation. GIPSA is also asking 
for comments on the services provided by these currently designated 
agencies:

Hastings Grain Inspection, Inc. (Hastings);
Aberdeen Grain Inspection, Inc. (Aberdeen);
Missouri Department of Agriculture (Missouri);
Decatur Grain Inspection, Inc. (Decatur);
Grand Forks Grain Inspection Department, Inc. (Grand Forks);
John R. McCrea Agency, Inc. (McCrea); and
South Carolina Department of Agriculture (South Carolina).

DATES: Applications must be postmarked or sent by telecopier (FAX) on 
or before April 30, 1999. Comments must be postmarked or sent by 
telecopier (FAX) on or before May 31, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Applications and comments must be submitted to USDA, GIPSA, 
Janet M. Hart, Chief, Review Branch, Compliance Division, STOP 3604, 
Room 1647-S, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-3604. 
Applications and comments may be submitted by FAX on 202-690-2755. If 
an application is submitted by FAX, GIPSA reserves the right to request 
an original application. All applications and comments will be made 
available for public inspection at this address located at 1400 
Independence Avenue, SW, during regular business hours.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Janet M. Hart, at 202-720-8525.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This Action has been reviewed and determined 
not to be a rule or regulation as defined in Executive Order 12866 and 
Departmental Regulation 1512-1; therefore, the Executive Order and 
Departmental Regulation do not apply to this Action.
    Section 7(f)(1) of the United States Grain Standards Act, as 
amended (Act), authorizes GIPSA's Administrator to designate a 
qualified applicant to provide official services in a specified area 
after determining that the applicant is better able than any other 
applicant to provide such official services.
    Section 7(g)(1) of the Act provides that designations of official 
agencies shall end not later than triennially and may be renewed 
according to the criteria and procedures prescribed in section 7(f) of 
the Act.

1. Current Designations Being Announced for Renewal

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                                                                                    Designation     Designation
              Official agency                            Main office                   start            end
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Hastings...................................  Hastings, NE.......................       11/1/1996      10/31/1999
Aberdeen...................................  Aberdeen, SD.......................       12/1/1996      11/30/1999
Missouri...................................  Jefferson City, MO.................       12/1/1996      11/30/1999
Decatur....................................  Decatur, IL........................       01/1/1997      12/31/1999
Grand Forks................................  Grand Forks, ND....................       01/1/1997      12/31/1999
McCrea.....................................  Clinton, IA........................       01/1/1997      12/31/1999
South Carolina.............................  North Charleston, SC...............       01/1/1997      12/31/1999
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 a. Hastings

    Pursuant to section 7(f)(2) of the Act, the following geographic 
area, in the State of Nebraska, is assigned to Hastings.
    Bounded on the North by the northern Nebraska State line from the 
western Sioux County line east to the eastern Knox County line;
    Bounded on the East by the eastern and southern Knox County lines; 
the eastern Antelope County line; the northern Madison County line east 
to U.S. Route 81; U.S. Route 81 south to the southern Madison County 
line; the southern Madison County line; the eastern Boone, Nance, and 
Merrick County lines; the Platte River southwest; the eastern Hamilton 
County line; the northern and eastern Fillmore County lines; the 
southern Fillmore County line west to U.S. Route 81; U.S. Route 81 
south to State Highway 8; State Highway 8 west to the County Road 1 
mile west of U.S. Route 81; the County Road south to southern Nebraska 
State line;
    Bounded on the South by the southern Nebraska State line, from the 
County Road 1 mile west of U.S. Route 81, west to the western Dundy 
County line; and
    Bounded on the West by the western Dundy, Chase, Perkins, and Keith 
County lines; the southern and western Garden County lines; the 
southern Morrill County line west to U.S. Route 385; U.S. Route 385 
north to the southern Box Butte County line; the southern and western 
Sioux County lines north to the northern Nebraska State line.
    The following grain elevators, located outside of the above 
contiguous geographic area, are part of this geographic area 
assignment: Farmers Coop and Big Springs Elevator, both in Big Springs, 
Deuel County (located inside Kansas Grain Inpsection Service, Inc.'s, 
area); and Huskers Cooperative Grain Company, Columbus, Platte County 
(located inside Fremont Grain Inspection Department, Inc.'s, area).

b. Aberdeen

    Pursuant to section 7(f)(2) of the Act, the following geographic 
area, in the States of North Dakota and South Dakota, is assigned to 
Aberdeen.
    Bounded on the North by U.S. Route 12 east to State Route 22; State 
Route 22 north to the Burlington-Northern (BN) line; the Burlington-
Northern (BN) line east to State Route 21; State Route 21 east to State 
Route 49; State Route 49 south to the North Dakota-South Dakota State 
line; the North Dakota-South Dakota State line east to U.S. Route 83; 
U.S. Route 83 north to State Route 13; State Route 13 east and north to 
McIntosh County; the northern McIntosh County line east to Dickey 
County; the northern Dickey County line east to U.S. Route 281; U.S. 
Route 281 south to the North Dakota-South Dakota State line; the North 
Dakota-South Dakota State line east;

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    Bounded on the East by the eastern South Dakota State line (the Big 
Sioux River) to A54B;
    Bounded on the South by A54B west to State Route 11; State Route 11 
north to State Route 44 (U.S. 18); State Route 44 west to the Missouri 
River; the Missouri River south-southeast to the South Dakota State 
line; the southern South Dakota State line west; and
    Bounded on the West by the western South Dakota State line north; 
the western North Dakota State line north to U.S. Route 12.

c. Missouri

    Pursuant to section 7(f)(2) of the Act, the following geographic 
area, the entire State of Missouri, is assigned to Missouri.

d. Decatur

    Pursuant to Section 7(f)(2) of the Act, the following geographic 
area, in the State of Illinois, is assigned to Decatur.
    Bounded on the North by the northern and eastern DeWitt County 
lines; the eastern Macon County line south to Interstate 72; Interstate 
72 northeast to the eastern Piatt County line;
    Bounded on the East by the eastern Piatt, Moultrie, and Shelby 
County lines;
    Bounded on the South by the southern Shelby County line; a straight 
line running along the southern Montgomery County line west to State 
Route 16 to a point approximately 1 mile northeast of Irving; and
    Bounded on the West by a straight line from this point northeast to 
Stonington on State Route 48; a straight line from Stonington northwest 
to Elkhart on Interstate 55; a straight line from Elkhart northeast to 
the west side of Beason on State Route 10; State Route 10 east to 
DeWitt County; the western DeWitt County line.
    Decatur's assigned geographic area does not include the following 
grain elevators inside Decatur's area which have been and will continue 
to be serviced by the following official agency: Champaign-Danville 
Grain Inspection Departments, Inc.: Moultrie Grain Association, 
Cadwell, Moultrie County; Tabor and Company, Weedman Grain Company, and 
Pacific Grain Company, all in Farmer City, DeWitt County; and 
Monticello Grain Company, Monticello, Piatt County.

e. Grand Forks

    Pursuant to section 7(f)(2) of the Act, the following geographic 
area, in the State of North Dakota, is assigned to Grand Forks.
    Bounded on the North by the North Dakota State line;
    Bounded on the East by the North Dakota State line south to State 
Route 200;
    Bounded on the South by State Route 200 west-northwest to the 
western Traill County line; the western Traill County line; the 
southern Grand Forks and Nelson County lines; the southern Eddy County 
line west to U.S. Route 281; U.S. Route 281 north to State Route 15; 
State Route 15 west to U.S. Route 52; U.S. Route 52 northeast to State 
Route 3; and
    Bounded on the West by State Route 3 north to State Route 60; State 
Route 60 west-northwest to State Route 5; State Route 5 west to State 
Route 14; State Route 14 north to the North Dakota State line.
    Grand Fork's assigned geographic area does not include the 
following grain elevators inside Grand Fork's area which have been and 
will continue to be serviced by the following official agencies:
    1. Grain Inspection, Inc.: Farmers Coop Elevator, Fessenden; 
Farmers Union Elevator, and Manfred Grain, both in Manfred; all in 
Wells County; and
    2. Minot Grain Inspection, Inc.: Harvey Farmers Elevator, Harvey, 
Wells County.

f. McCrea

    Pursuant to section 7(f)(2) of the Act, the following geographic 
area, in the States of Illinois and Iowa, is assigned to McCrea.
    Carroll and Whiteside Counties, Illinois.
    Clinton and Jackson Counties, Iowa.

2. Opportunity for Designation

    Interested persons, including Hastings, Aberdeen, Missouri, 
Decatur, Grand Forks, McCrea, and South Carolina, are hereby given the 
opportunity to apply for designation to provide official services in 
the geographic areas specified above under the provisions of section 
7(f) of the Act and section 800.196(d) of the regulations issued 
thereunder.

                            Designation Term
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Hastings.........................  11/01/1999 to 9/30/2002.
Aberdeen.........................  12/01/1999 to 9/30/2002.
Missouri.........................  12/01/1999 to 9/30/2002.
Decatur..........................  01/01/2000 to 9/30/2002.
Grand Forks......................  01/01/2000 to 9/30/2002.
McCrea...........................  01/01/2000 to 9/30/2002.
South Carolina...................  01/01/2000 to 9/30/2002.
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    Persons wishing to apply for designation should contact the 
Compliance Division at the address listed above for forms and 
information.

3. Request for Comments

    GIPSA also is publishing this notice to provide interested persons 
the opportunity to present comments on the Hastings, Aberdeen, 
Missouri, Decatur, Grand Forks, McCrea, and South Carolina official 
agencies. Commenters are encouraged to submit pertinent data concerning 
the Hastings, Aberdeen, Missouri, Decatur, Grand Forks, McCrea, and 
South Carolina official agencies including information concerning the 
timeliness, cost, quality, and scope of services provided. All comments 
must be submitted to the Compliance Division at the above address.
    Applications, comments, and other available information will be 
considered in determining which applicant will be designated.

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

    Dated: March 11, 1999.
Neil E. Porter,
Director, Compliance Division.
[FR Doc. 99-7996 Filed 3-31-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-EN-P