[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 169 (Wednesday, September 1, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47759-47760]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-22553]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration


Designations for the Hastings (NE), Aberdeen (SD), Missouri, 
Decatur (IL), Grand Forks (ND), McCrea (IA), and South Carolina Areas

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: GIPSA announces designation of the following organizations to 
provide official services under the United States Grain Standards Act, 
as amended (Act):

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).

EFFECTIVE DATES: November 1, 1999, for Hastings, December 1, 1999, for 
Aberdeen and Missouri, and January 1, 2000, for Decatur, Grand Forks, 
McCrea, and South Carolina.

ADDRESSES: USDA, GIPSA, Janet M. Hart, Chief, Review Branch, Compliance 
Division, STOP 3604, Room 1647-S, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, 
Washington, DC 20250-3604.

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.

[[Page 47760]]

    In the April 1, 1999, Federal Register (64 FR 15724), GIPSA asked 
persons interested in providing official services in the geographic 
areas assigned to Hastings, Aberdeen, Missouri, Decatur, Grand Forks, 
McCrea, and South Carolina to submit an application for designation. 
Applications were due by April 30, 1999. Aberdeen, Decatur, Grand 
Forks, McCrea, and South Carolina were the only applicants for their 
respective areas, and each applied for designation to provide official 
services in the entire area currently assigned to them.
    There were two applicants for the Hastings area: Hastings and 
Kansas Grain Inspection Service, Inc. (Kansas). Hastings applied for 
designation to provide official services in the entire area currently 
assigned to them. Kansas, a designated official grain inspection agency 
operating in Kansas, Colorado, and Wyoming, applied for designation to 
provide official services in the western portion of the Hastings area.
    There were three applicants for the Missouri area: Missouri, 
Kansas, and North Dakota Grain Inspection Services, Inc. (North 
Dakota). Missouri applied for designation to provide official services 
in the entire area currently assigned to them. Kansas applied for 
designation to provide official services in the western portion of the 
Missouri area. North Dakota, a designated official grain inspection 
agency operating in Illinois as Illinois Official Grain Inspection, 
applied for the eastern portion of the Missouri area.
    In the April 1, 1999, Federal Register, GIPSA asked for comments on 
the official services provided by Hastings, Aberdeen, Missouri, 
Decatur, Grand Forks, McCrea, and South Carolina. There were two 
comments to the April 1, 1999, Federal Register, both from grain 
industry customers of Missouri, and both supporting designation of 
Missouri.
    In the June 1, 1999, Federal Register (64 FR 29259), GIPSA asked 
for comments on the applicants for the Hastings and Missouri areas. 
Since Aberdeen, Decatur, Grand Forks, McCrea, and South Carolina were 
the only applicants for their respective areas, GIPSA did not ask for 
comments on them.
    There were 19 comments to the June 1, 1999, Federal Register, on 
the applicants for the Hastings area: 13 comments from Hastings grain 
customers supporting Hastings, 1 from Hastings supporting themselves, 
and 5 comments (3 from grain firms, 1 from a railroad, and 1 from a 
popcorn company) supported designation of Kansas.
    There were 21 comments to the June 1, 1999, Federal Register on the 
applicants for the Missouri area: 19 comments from legislators of 
Missouri and 2 from grain companies all supporting designation of 
Missouri. There were no comments on Kansas or North Dakota.
    GIPSA evaluated all available information regarding the designation 
criteria in Section 7(f)(1)(A) of the Act and, according to Section 
7(f)(1)(B), determined that Hastings and Missouri are better able than 
any other applicant to provide official services in the geographic 
areas for which they applied.
    GIPSA evaluated all available information regarding the designation 
criteria in Section 7(f)(l)(A) of the Act and, according to Section 
7(f)(l)(B), determined that Aberdeen, Decatur, Grand Forks, McCrea, and 
South Carolina are able to provide official services in the geographic 
areas for which they applied.
    The following organizations are designated to provide official 
services in the geographic areas specified in the April 1, 1999, 
Federal Register.

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                                                                    Designation     Designation
                         Official agency                               start            end          Telephone
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Hastings........................................................      11/01/1999       9/30/2002    402-462-4254
Aberdeen........................................................      12/01/1999       9/30/2002    605-225-8432
Missouri........................................................      12/01/1999       9/30/2002    573-751-5515
Decatur.........................................................      01/01/2000       9/30/2002    217-429-2466
Grand Forks.....................................................      01/01/2000       9/30/2002    701-772-0151
McCrea..........................................................      01/01/2000       9/30/2002    319-242-2073
South Carolina..................................................      01/01/2000       9/30/2002    843-554-1311
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    Interested persons may obtain official services by calling the 
telephone numbers listed above.

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

    Dated: August 23, 1999.
Neil E. Porter,
Director, Compliance Division.
[FR Doc. 99-22553 Filed 8-31-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-EN-P