[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 19 (Wednesday, January 29, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Page 4445]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-1862]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration

[03-a-a]


Cancellation of Mississippi's Designation, and the Opportunity 
for Designation in the Mississippi Area

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The United States Grain Standards Act, as amended (Act), 
provides that official agency designations will end not later than 
triennially and may be renewed. The Mississippi Department of 
Agriculture and Commerce (Mississippi) is designated to provide 
official inspection services until September 30, 2003, according to the 
Act. Mississippi advised Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards 
Administration (GIPSA) that they will cease providing official 
inspection effective June 30, 2003. Accordingly, GIPSA is announcing 
that Mississippi's designation will be canceled effective June 30, 
2003. GIPSA is asking for applicants for service in the Mississippi 
area.

DATES: Applications and comments must be postmarked or electronically 
dated on or before February 28, 2003.

ADDRESSES: Submit applications to USDA, GIPSA, Janet M. Hart, Chief, 
Review Branch, Compliance Division, STOP 3604, room 1647-S, 1400 
Independence Ave. SW., Washington, DC 20250-3604; Fax (202) 690-2755; 
e-mail [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Janet M. Hart at (202) 720-8525, e-
mail [email protected].

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 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. GIPSA designated 
Mississippi, main office in Jackson, Mississippi, to provide official 
inspection services under the Act on October 1, 2000.
    Section 7(g)(1) of the Act provides that designations of official 
agencies will end not later than triennially and may be renewed 
according to the criteria and procedures prescribed in section 7(f) of 
the Act. The designation of Mississippi ends on September 30, 2003, 
according to the Act. However, Mississippi asked GIPSA for a voluntary 
cancellation of their designation coinciding with end of their fiscal 
year, June 30, 2003. Accordingly, Mississippi's designation will cease 
effective June 30, 2003, and GIPSA is asking for applicants to provide 
official service.
    Pursuant to section 7(f)(2) of the Act, the following geographic 
area, the entire State of Mississippi, except those export port 
locations within the State, is assigned to this official agency. 
Interested persons are hereby given the opportunity to apply for 
designation to provide official services in the geographic areas 
specified above under provisions of section 7(f) of the Act and section 
800.196(d) of the regulations issued thereunder. Persons wishing to 
apply for designation should contact the Compliance Division at the 
address listed above for forms and information, or obtain applications 
at the GIPSA Web site, http://www.usda.gov/gipsa/oversight/parovreg.htm.

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

    Dated: January 22, 2003.
Donna Reifschneider,
Administrator, Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration.
[FR Doc. 03-1862 Filed 1-28-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-EN-P