[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 152 (Thursday, August 7, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47018-47019]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-20123]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration

[03-01-SA]


Designation for the Grand Forks (ND) Area

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

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration 
(GIPSA) announces designation of the following organizations to provide 
official services under the United States Grain Standards Act, as 
amended (Act):
    Grain Inspection, Inc. (Jamestown);
    Minot Grain Inspection, Inc. (Minot);
    North Dakota Grain Inspection Service, Inc. (North Dakota); and
    Northern Plains Grain Inspection Service, Inc. (Northern Plains).

EFFECTIVE DATE: October 1, 2003.

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, e-mail 
Janet.M.Hart@ usda.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This action has been reviewed and

[[Page 47019]]

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.
    In the March 3, 2003, Federal Register (68 FR 9971), GIPSA asked 
persons interested in providing official services in the geographic 
area assigned to Grand Forks Grain Inspection Department, Inc. (Grand 
Forks), to submit an application for designation. Applications were due 
by April 1, 2003.
    There were five applicants for the Grand Forks Area: Grand Forks, 
Jamestown, Minot, and North Dakota, all currently designated official 
agencies; and Paul B. Bethke, Terry D. Pladson, and Ryan M. Kuhl 
proposing to do business as Northern Plains Grain Inspection Service, 
Inc. Grand Forks applied for designation to provide official services 
in the entire area currently assigned to them. Jamestown, Minot, North 
Dakota, and Northern Plains, applied for all or part of the area 
currently assigned to Grand Forks.
    GIPSA asked for comments on the applicants for providing service in 
the Grand Forks area in the May 1, 2003, Federal Register (68 FR 
23279). Comments were due by May 1, 2003. GIPSA received 40 comments by 
the due date. Grand Forks received 14 favorable comments, 13 from grain 
elevator managers and one from Grand Forks' owner; and one unfavorable 
comment from a grain elevator manager. Jamestown received six favorable 
comments from grain elevator managers. Minot received one favorable 
comment from a grain elevator manager. North Dakota received five 
favorable comments from elevator managers. Northern Plains received 12 
favorable comments and one unfavorable comment from grain elevator 
managers.
    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 the following. Jamestown is better able to 
provide services in the southwestern portion of the Grand Forks area in 
North Dakota, as follows: the remainder of Wells and Eddy Counties in 
addition to the area they already serve. Minot is better able to 
provide services in the western portion of the Grand Forks area in 
North Dakota, as follows: the remainder of Bottineau County, in 
addition to the area they already serve. North Dakota is better able to 
provide services in the southeastern portion of the Grand Forks area in 
North Dakota, as follows: the remainder of Traill County, in addition 
to the area they already serve. Northern Plains is better able to 
provide services in a portion of the Grand Forks area in North Dakota, 
as follows: Benson, Cavalier, Grand Forks, Nelson, Ramsey, Rolette, 
Pembina, Pierce (the eastern portion only), Towner, and Walsh Counties.
    These designation actions to provide official inspection services 
are effective October 1, 2003, and run concurrent with the official 
agencies' present designations, in the geographic areas specified above 
in addition to any areas they are already designated to serve, if 
applicable. North Dakota's current designation ends March 31, 2005; 
Jamestown's current designation ends March 31, 2006; Minot's current 
designation ends June 30, 2006. Northern Plains is designated for 18 
months only to provide official services in the geographic area for 
which they applied. Interested persons may obtain official services by 
calling the telephone numbers listed below.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Official agency                   Headquarters location and telephone     Designation start-end
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jamestown.....................................  Jamestown, ND 701-252-1290............     04/01/2003-03/31/2006
Minot.........................................  Minot, ND 701-838-1734................     07/01/2003-06/30/2006
North Dakota..................................  Fargo, ND 701-293-7420................     04/01/2002-03/31/2005
                                                Additional locations: Ayr, Enderlin,
                                                 and Hillsboro, ND.
Northern Plains...............................  Grand Forks, ND 701-772-2414..........     10/01/2003-03/31/2005
                                                Additional location: Devils Lake, ND..
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


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

    Dated: August 4, 2003.
Donna Reifschneider,
Administrator, Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration.
[FR Doc. 03-20123 Filed 8-6-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-EN-P