[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 63 (Monday, April 3, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19605-19606]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-06763]


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 Notices
                                                 Federal Register
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
 or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
 and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings, 
 delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency 
 statements of organization and functions are examples of documents 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 63 / Monday, April 3, 2023 / 
Notices  

[[Page 19605]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[Doc. No. AMS-FGIS-23-0012]


Opportunity for United States Grain Standards Act (USGSA) 
Designation in the Texas Central Area

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is seeking persons or 
governmental agencies interested in providing official services in the 
area noted below to submit an application for designation. Designation 
provides for private entities or state governmental agencies to be an 
integral part of the official grain inspection system (https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/fgis/official-grain-inspection-weighing-system). Designated agencies work under the supervision of the Federal 
Grain Inspection Service (FGIS) and are authorized to provide official 
inspection and/or weighing services in a defined geographical area. In 
addition, AMS requests comments on the USGSA service need in this area. 
AMS encourages submissions from traditionally underrepresented 
individuals, organizations, and businesses to reflect the diversity of 
this industry. AMS encourages submissions from qualified applicants, 
regardless of race, color, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender 
identity, national origin, religion, disability status, protected 
veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

DATES: Applications for the Texas Central area and comments about the 
need for USGSA inspection and weighing services in this area must be 
received by May 3, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Submit applications and comments concerning this notice 
using any of the following methods:
     To Apply for USGSA Designation: You will need to obtain an 
FGISonline customer number (CIM) and create a USDA eAuthentication 
account at https://www.eauth.usda.gov/eauth/b/usda/home prior to 
applying. Then go to FGISonline at https://fgisonline.ams.usda.gov/ and 
then click on the Delegations/Designations and Export Registrations 
(DDR) link. Applicants are encouraged to begin the designation 
application process early and allow time for system authentication.
     To Submit Comments Regarding the Need for USGSA Services 
in the Texas Central Area: Go to Regulations.gov (https://www.regulations.gov). Instructions for submitting and reading comments 
are detailed on the site. Interested persons are invited to submit 
written comments concerning this notice. All comments must be submitted 
through the Federal e-rulemaking portal at https://www.regulations.gov 
and should reference the document number and the date and page number 
of this issue of the Federal Register. All comments submitted in 
response to this notice will be included in the record and will be made 
available to the public. Please be advised that the identity of the 
individuals or entities submitting comments will be made public on the 
internet at the address provided above.
    Read Applications and Comments: To view the applications, please 
contact [email protected]. All comments will be available for public 
inspection online at https://www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jacob Thein, Compliance Officer; 
Federal Grain Inspection Service, AMS, USDA; Telephone (816) 308-1351; 
Email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Sec. 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 the applicant is better able than any other applicant to 
provide such official services (7 U.S.C. 79(f)). A designated agency 
may provide official inspection service and/or Class X or Class Y 
weighing services at locations other than export port locations. Under 
sec. 7(g) of the USGSA, designations of official agencies may be 
awarded for no longer than five years, unless terminated by the 
Secretary, and may be renewed according to the criteria and procedures 
prescribed in sec. 7(f) of the USGSA. See also 7 CFR 800.196 for 
further information and guidance.

Designation Application Locations

    The following geographic area is open for application.
    In Texas, the counties of: Anderson, Angelina, Atascosa, Austin, 
Bandera, Bastrop, Bell, Bexar, Blanco, Bosque, Brazos, Brewster, Brown, 
Burleson, Burnet, Caldwell, Camp, Cherokee, Coke, Coleman, Collin, 
Comal, Comanche, Concho, Cooke, Coryell, Crane, Crockett, Culberson, 
Dallas, Delta, Denton, DeWitt, Eastland, Ector, Edwards, Ellis, El 
Paso, Erath, Falls, Fannin, Fayette, Franklin, Freestone, Frio, 
Gillespie, Glasscock, Gonzales, Grayson, Gregg, Grimes, Guadalupe, 
Hamilton, Hardin, Harrison, Hays, Henderson, Hill, Hood, Hopkins, 
Houston, Hudspeth, Hunt, Irion, Jack, Jasper, Jeff Davis, Johnson, 
Karnes, Kaufman, Kendall, Kerr, Kimble, Kinney, Lamar, Lampasas, 
Lavaca, Lee, Leon, Liberty, Limestone, Llano, Loving, McCulloch, 
McLennan, Madison, Marion, Mason, Maverick, Medina, Menard, Midland, 
Milam, Mills, Montague, Montgomery, Morris, Nacogdoches, Navarro, 
Newton, Orange, Palo Pinto, Panola, Parker, Pecos, Polk, Presidio, 
Rans, Reagan, Real, Red River, Reeves, Robertson, Rockwall, Runnels, 
Risk, Sabine, San Augustine, San Jacinto, San Saba, Schleicher, Shelby, 
Smith, Somervell, Stephens, Sterling, Sutton, Tarrant, Terrell, Titus, 
Tom Green, Travis, Trinity, Tyler, Upshur, Upton, Uvalde, Val Verde, 
Van Zandt, Walker, Ward, Washington, Williamson, Wilson, Winkler, Wise, 
Wood, Young, and Zavala.
    Excludes any established or future export port locations which are 
serviced by FGIS.

Opportunity for Designation

    Interested persons or governmental agencies may apply for 
designation to provide official services in the geographic area noted 
above under the provisions of sec. 7(f) of the USGSA and 7 CFR 800.196. 
Applicants may apply for all or part of the Texas Central geographic 
area. The designation time frame for the Texas Central area will be 
determined as part of this application process provided that there is 
at least one qualified applicant. For more information on how to apply 
for

[[Page 19606]]

designation or to request more information about this geographic area, 
please contact [email protected].
    Please note that sampling, weighing, and inspection services may be 
offered by designated agencies under the Agricultural Marketing Act of 
1946 for other commodities under the authority of FGIS through separate 
cooperative service agreements with AMS. The coverage area for 
cooperative service agreements generally aligns with the USGSA 
designation area. For further information, see 7 U.S.C. 1621 et seq. or 
contact [email protected].

Request for Comments

    AMS is also publishing this notice to provide interested persons 
the opportunity to comment on the need for USGSA services in the Texas 
Central area as noted and any adjacent area service needs. All comments 
should be submitted through the Federal e-rulemaking portal at https://www.regulations.gov. In the event any applicants are deemed qualified, 
AMS may issue an additional notice requesting public comment about the 
applicant(s) and their ability to provide quality official services.
    AMS considers applications, comments, and other available 
information when determining which applicants may be designated.
    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 71-87k.

Melissa Bailey,
Associate Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2023-06763 Filed 3-31-23; 8:45 am]
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