[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 227 (Monday, November 28, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71262-71264]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-23353]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Farm Service Agency


U.S. Warehouse Act Fees

AGENCY: Farm Service Agency, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice sets forth a schedule increasing the annual 
operational fee warehouse operators are charged under the United States 
Warehouse Act (USWA). This action is needed to increase revenue to 
cover operational costs projected for operations under the USWA in 
fiscal year 2006. This notice does not change any of the other various 
license or inspection fees charged under the USWA.

DATE: Effective Date: January 1, 2006.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Roger Hinkle, USWA Program Manager, 
Warehouse and Inventory Division, Farm Service Agency (FSA), United 
States Department of Agriculture (USDA), 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., 
STOP 0553, Washington, DC 20250-0553, telephone: (202) 720-7433; FAX: 
(202) 690-3123; e-mail: [email protected]. Persons with 
disabilities who require alternative means for communication (Braille, 
large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at 
(202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Secretary of Agriculture has the

[[Page 71263]]

authority to license public warehouses and assess warehouse operator 
fees under the USWA (7 U.S.C. 241 et seq.) Warehouse operators licensed 
under the USWA understand that fees will be imposed to cover the costs 
of administering the program. Specifically, section 4 of the USWA (7 
U.S.C. 243) and the regulations issued pursuant to the USWA, located at 
7 CFR part 735, mandate the imposition of fees for USWA-licensed 
warehouses. The USWA provides for licensing of public warehouse 
operators that are in the business of storing agricultural products; 
examination of such federally-licensed warehouses, issuance of 
regulations governing the establishment and maintenance of electronic 
systems, and collection of fees to sustain the USWA warehouse licensing 
and examination programs. FSA is raising USWA annual operational fees 
charged to licensed warehouses in order to assure the recovery of 
operational costs projected for USWA activities in fiscal year 2006. 
The fiscal year 2006 fee adjustment reflects a 5.0 percent increase in 
the annual fees. Other license and inspection fees charged under the 
USWA are not currently being increased.
    USWA fees vary by type of warehouse and were last amended effective 
October 1, 2000, (65 FR 39347, June 26, 2000). None of the fee 
increases for any particular type of warehouse exceeded 2.0 percent, 
and such fees varied based on FSA's direct costs with respect to 
warehouse examinations for that type of warehouse. The schedule below 
sets out all of the relevant fees and charges for licensing and 
examination and reflects the increased annual fees noted above.

USWA Schedule for License, Inspection and Annual Operational Fees To Be 
Paid by Warehouse Operators

Warehouse and Service License Fees

    The fee for original issuance, reissuance, or duplication of a 
license for cotton, grain, tobacco, wool, dry beans, nut, sweeteners, 
and cottonseed is $80 for each license issued. The fee charged to 
license individuals to inspect, sample, grade, classify, or weigh 
commodities is $35 for each service license issued.

Warehouse Annual and Inspection Fees

    These fees are shown in the following tables by agricultural 
product. Inspection fees are assessed for each original examination or 
inspection, or reexamination or reinspection for modification of an 
existing license. Annual fees are assessed independently of the 
inspection and license fees set forth in the preceding paragraph.

                                 Cotton
                               [In bales]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                       Annual fee for    Annual fee for
                                       each warehouse    each warehouse
          Licensed capacity            location with a  location without
                                         CCC storage      a CCC storage
                                          agreement         agreement
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1-20,000............................              $585            $1,170
20,001-40,000.......................               770             1,540
40,001-60,000.......................               940             1,880
60,001-80,000.......................             1,180             2,360
80,001-100,000......................             1,470             2,940
100,001-120,000.....................             1,760             3,520
120,001-140,000.....................             2,055             4,110
140,001-160,000.....................             2,350             4,700
160,001+............................           * 2,350          ** 4,700
------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Plus $60 per 5,000 bale capacity above 160,000 bales or fraction
  thereof.
** Plus $115 per 5,000 bale capacity above 160,000 bales or fraction
  thereof.

    Inspection fees will be charged at the rate of $17 for each 1,000 
bales of licensed capacity, or fraction thereof, but in no case less 
than $170 nor more than $1,700.

                                  Grain
                              [In bushels]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                       Annual fee for    Annual fee for
                                       each warehouse    each warehouse
          Licensed capacity            location with a  location without
                                         CCC storage      a CCC storage
                                          agreement         agreement
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1-150,000...........................              $155              $310
150,001-250,000.....................               310               620
250,001-500,000.....................               455               910
500,001-750,000.....................               615             1,230
750,001-1,000,000...................               765             1,530
1,000,001-1,200,000.................               920             1,840
1,200,001-1,500,000.................             1,070             2,140
1,500,001-2,000,000.................             1,220             2,440
2,000,001-2,500,000.................             1,375             2,750
2,500,001-5,000,000.................             1,525             3,050
5,000,001-7,500,000.................             1,685             3,370

[[Page 71264]]

 
7,500,001-10,000,000................             1,840             3,680
10,000,001+.........................           * 1,840          ** 3,680
------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Plus $50 per million bushels above 10,000,000 or fraction thereof.
** Plus $95 per million bushels above 10,000,000 or fraction thereof.

    Inspection fees will be charged at the rate of $17 for each 10,000 
bushels of licensed capacity, or fraction thereof, but in no case less 
than $170 nor more than $1,700.

                                  Nuts
                             [In short tons]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                       Annual fee for    Annual fee for
                                       each warehouse    each warehouse
          Licensed capacity            location with a  location without
                                         CCC storage      a CCC storage
                                          agreement         agreement
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1-4,500.............................              $250              $500
4,501-7,500.........................               410               820
7,501-15,000........................               580             1,160
15,001-22,500.......................               745             1,490
22,501-30,000.......................               905             1,810
30,001-36,000.......................             1,060             2,120
36,001-45,000.......................             1,220             2,440
45,001-60,000.......................             1,375             2,750
60,001-75,000.......................             1,535             3,070
75,001-150,000......................             1,690             3,380
150,001-225,000.....................             1,840             3,680
225,001+............................           * 1,995          ** 3,990
------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Plus $11 per 100 short tons above 225,000 short tons or fraction
  thereof.
** Plus $19 per 100 short tons above 225,000 short tons or fraction
  thereof.

    Inspection fees will be charged at the rate of $8.50 for each 100 
short tons of licensed capacity, or fraction thereof of peanuts and $15 
for each 1,000 hundredweight, or fraction thereof, of other nuts, but 
in no case less than $170 nor more than $1,700.

                                Dry Beans
                           (In hundredweight)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                   Licensed capacity                       Annual fee
------------------------------------------------------------------------
100-90,000............................................              $840
90,001-150,000........................................             1,170
150,001-300,000.......................................             1,520
300,001-450,000.......................................             1,855
450,001-600,000.......................................             2,185
600,001-720,000.......................................             2,515
720,001-900,000.......................................             2,860
900,001-1,200,000.....................................             3,200
1,200,001-1,500,000...................................             3,525
1,500,001-3,000,000...................................             3,860
3,000,001+............................................           * 4,200
------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Plus $1.40 per 1,000 hundredweight above 3,000,000 or fraction
  thereof.

    Inspection fees will be charged at the rate of $17 for each 1,000 
hundredweight of licensed capacity, or fraction thereof, but in no case 
less than $170 nor more than $1,700.
Tobacco and Wool (Currently Inactive)
    Annual fee: $17 for each 100,000 pounds of licensed capacity, or 
fraction thereof, but in no case less than $680.
    Inspection fee: $17 for each 100,000 pounds of licensed capacity, 
or fraction thereof, but in no case less than $170 nor more than 
$1,700.
Sweeteners
    Annual fee: $6.50 for each 5,000 gallons of liquid or 55,000 pounds 
of dry capacity, or fraction thereof, but in no case less than $680.
    Inspection fee: $6.50 for each 5,000 gallons of liquid or 55,000 
pounds of dry capacity, or fraction thereof, but in no case less than 
$170 nor more than $1,700.
Cottonseed
    Annual fee: $17 for each 1,000 short tons of licensed capacity, or 
fraction thereof, but in no case less than $680.
    Inspection fee: $17 for each 1,000 short tons of licensed capacity, 
or fraction thereof, but in no case less than $170 nor more than 
$1,700.

    Signed in Washington, DC, on November 16, 2005.
Teresa C. Lasseter,
Administrator, Farm Service Agency.
[FR Doc. 05-23353 Filed 11-25-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-05-P