[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 102 (Friday, May 25, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24273-24274]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-11294]



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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


Opportunity for Designation in the Topeka, Kansas; Minot, North 
Dakota; Cincinnati, Ohio; Pocatello, Idaho; Evansville, Indiana; Salt 
Lake City, Utah; West Sacramento, California; Richmond, Virginia; and 
Savage, Minnesota Areas; Request for Comments on the Official Agencies 
Servicing This Area

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The designations of the following official agencies listed 
below will end on the prescribed dates:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                        Headquarters
          Official agency               location and        Designation
                                          telephone             end
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kansas Grain Inspection Service,    Topeka, KS--785-233-       6/30/2018
 Inc.                                7063.
Minot Grain Inspection, Inc.......  Minot, ND--701-838-        6/30/2018
                                     1734.
Tri-State Grain Inspection          Cincinnati, OH--513-       6/30/2018
 Service, Inc.                       251-6571.
Idaho Grain Inspection Service,     Pocatello, ID--208-        9/30/2018
 Inc.                                233-8303.
Ohio Valley Grain Inspection, Inc.  Evansville, IN--812-       9/30/2018
                                     423-9010.
Utah Department of Agriculture and  Salt Lake City, UT--       9/30/2018
 Food.                               801-392-2292.
California Agri Inspection Co.,     West Sacramento, CA--     12/31/2018
 Ltd.                                916-374-9700.
Virginia Department of Agriculture  Richmond, VA--757-        12/31/2018
 and Consumer Services.              494-2455.
State Grain Inspection, Inc.......  Savage, MN--952-808-      12/31/2018
                                     8566.
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    We are asking persons or governmental agencies interested in 
providing official services in the areas presently served by these 
agencies to submit an application for designation. In addition, we are 
asking for comments on the quality of services provided by the 
following designated agencies: Kansas Grain Inspection Service, Inc. 
(Kansas); Minot Grain Inspection, Inc. (Minot); Tri-State Grain 
Inspection Service, Inc. (Tri-State); Idaho Grain Inspection Service, 
Inc. (Idaho); Ohio Valley Grain Inspection, Inc. (Ohio Valley); Utah 
Department of Agriculture and Food (Utah); California Agri Inspection 
Co., Ltd. (Cal-Agri); Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer 
Services (Virginia); and State Grain Inspection, Inc. (State Grain). 
The realignment of offices within the U.S. Department of Agriculture 
authorized by the Secretary's Memorandum dated November 14, 2017, 
eliminates the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration 
(GIPSA) as a standalone agency. The grain inspection activities 
formerly part of GIPSA are now organized under AMS.

DATES: Applications and comments must be received by June 25, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Submit applications and comments concerning this Notice 
using any of the following methods:
     Applying for Designation on the Internet: Use FGISonline 
(https://fgis.gipsa.usda.gov/default_home_FGIS.aspx) and then click on 
the Delegations/Designations and Export Registrations (DDR) link. You 
will need to obtain an FGISonline customer number and USDA 
eAuthentication username and password prior to applying.
     Submit Comments Using the Internet: Go to Regulations.gov 
(http://www.regulations.gov). Instructions for submitting and reading 
comments are detailed on the site.
     Mail, Courier or Hand Delivery: Jacob Thein, Compliance 
Officer, USDA, AMS, FGIS, QACD, 10383 North Ambassador Drive, Kansas 
City, MO 64153.
     Fax: Jacob Thein, 816-872-1257
     Email: [email protected]
    Read Applications and Comments: All applications and comments will 
be available for public inspection at the office above during regular 
business hours (7 CFR 1.27(c)).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jacob Thein, 816-866-2223, 
[email protected] or [email protected]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 7(f) of the United States Grain 
Standards Act (USGSA) authorizes the Secretary 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 (7 U.S.C. 79(f)). Under section 7(g) 
of the USGSA, designations of official agencies are effective for no 
longer than five years, unless terminated by the Secretary, and may be 
renewed according to the criteria and procedures prescribed in section 
7(f) of the USGSA.

Areas Open for Designation

    Kansas, Minot, and Tri-State: Areas of designation include 
Colorado, Kansas, and parts of Nebraska, Wyoming, North Dakota, 
Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio. Please see Federal Register (80 FR 7564-
7565) for designations of areas open for designation.
    Idaho, Ohio Valley, and Utah: Areas of designation include Utah and 
parts of Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee. Please see Federal 
Register (80 FR 37581) for designations of areas open for designation.
    Cal-Agri and Virginia: Areas of designation include Virginia and 
parts of California. Please see Federal Register (80 FR 37580) for 
designations of areas open for designation.
    State Grain: Areas of designation include parts of Minnesota. 
Please see Federal Register (82 FR 30818-30819) for designations of 
areas open for designation.

Opportunity for Designation

    Interested persons or governmental agencies may apply for 
designation to provide official services in the geographic areas of the 
official agencies specified above under the provisions of section 7(f) 
of the USGSA and 7 CFR 800.196. Designation in the specified geographic 
areas for Kansas, Minot, and Tri-State is for the period beginning July 
1, 2018, to June 30, 2023. Designation in the specified geographic 
areas for Idaho, Ohio Valley, and Utah is for the period beginning 
October 1, 2018, to September 30, 2023. Designation in the specified 
geographic areas for Cal-Agri, Virginia,

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and State Grain is for the period beginning January 1, 2019, to 
December 31, 2023. To apply for designation or to request more 
information on the geographic areas serviced by these official 
agencies, contact Jacob Thein at the address listed above.

Request for Comments

    We are publishing this Notice to provide interested persons the 
opportunity to comment on the quality of services provided by the 
Kansas, Minot, Tri-State, Idaho, Ohio Valley, Utah, Cal-Agri, Virginia, 
and State Grain official agencies. In the designation process, we are 
particularly interested in receiving comments citing reasons and 
pertinent data supporting or objecting to the designation of the 
applicant(s). Submit all comments to Jacob Thein at the above address 
or at http://www.regulations.gov.
    We consider applications, comments, and other available information 
when determining which applicants will be designated.

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 71-87k.

    Dated: May 22, 2018.
Greg Ibach,
Under Secretary, Marketing and Regulatory Programs.
[FR Doc. 2018-11294 Filed 5-24-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-02-P