81 FR 2838 - Request for Public Comment on Services Currently Offered or Needed To Facilitate the Marketing of Grain and Related Products
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 11 (January 19, 2016)
Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration
Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 11 (January 19, 2016)
| Page Range | 2838-2839 | |
| FR Document | 2016-00847 |
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 11 (Tuesday, January 19, 2016)] [Notices] [Pages 2838-2839] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2016-00847] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration Request for Public Comment on Services Currently Offered or Needed To Facilitate the Marketing of Grain and Related Products AGENCY: Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration, USDA. ACTION: Request for Information. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) is informing the public that it is soliciting comments to ensure that current services reflect market needs to facilitate the marketing of grain and related commodities. Specifically, GIPSA is inviting comments from producers, handlers, processors, food manufacturers, exporters, importers, consumers, scientists, academicians, industry stakeholders, and other interested persons on how GIPSA can best facilitate the marketing of grains, oilseeds, rice, pulses, and related products or products made from them, including co-products of ethanol production, commonly referred to as distillers' grains, based on market-identified quality attributes. To ensure that standards and official grading practices remain relevant in the market, GIPSA invites interested parties to comment on the relevance of current standards, methods, and grading practices, and on potential market needs for new standards or services. DATES: Comments must be received on or before April 18, 2016. ADDRESSES: You may submit your written or electronic comments on this notice to:Mail: R. Dexter Thomas, GIPSA, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Room 2530, Washington, DC 20250-3604. Fax: (202) 690-2173 Internet: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and follow the on-line instruction for submitting comments. Instructions: All comments will become a matter of public record and should be identified as ``U.S. Services Offered for Grains Notice Comments,'' making reference to the date and page number of this issue of the Federal Register. All comments received become the property of the Federal government, are made a part of the public record, and will generally be posted to www.regulations.gov without change. Comments may also be viewed in the above office during regular business hours (7 CFR 1.27(b)). Please call the GIPSA Management Support Staff at (202) 720- 6529 to make an appointment to read comments received. If you send a comment directly to GIPSA without going through www.regulations.gov, or you submit a comment to GIPSA via fax, the originating address or telephone number will be captured automatically and included as part of the comment that is placed in the public docket and made available on the Internet. Also, all personal identifying information (for example, name, address, etc.) voluntarily submitted by the commenter may be publicly accessible. Do not submit confidential business information or otherwise sensitive or protected information. Electronic submissions should avoid the use of special characters, avoid any form of encryption, and be free of any defects or viruses, since these may prevent GIPSA from being able to read and understand, and thus consider your comment. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Anthony Goodeman at GIPSA, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC, 20250; Telephone (202)-720- 0228; Fax Number (202) 720-1015; email [email protected]. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background Under the authority of the United States Grain Standards Act, as amended, and the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946, as amended, GIPSA establishes standards for grains, oilseeds, rice, pulses, and related graded and processed commodities, regarding kind, class, quality and condition. The standards facilitate marketing and define U.S. grain and commodity quality in the domestic and global marketplace. The standards define commonly used industry terms; contain basic principles governing the application of standards, such as the type of sample used for a particular quality analysis; specify grades, grade requirements, special grades; and special grade requirements. Official procedures for determining grading factors are provided in GIPSA's Inspection Handbooks, which also include standardized procedures for additional quality attributes not used to determine grade, such as protein content and falling number. Together, the grade standards and inspection procedures allow buyers and sellers to communicate quality requirements, compare quality using equivalent forms of measurement, and assist in price discovery. GIPSA periodically reviews the standards to ensure they reflect marketplace needs. In 2007, when the U.S. ethanol industry was expanding rapidly, GIPSA issued an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) titled ``The Role of USDA in Differentiating Grain Inputs for Ethanol Production and Standardizing Testing of the Co- Products of Ethanol Production'' (72 FR 39762). The ANPR sought comments from the marketplace asking if there were any additional services GIPSA should offer to facilitate the marketing of ethanol co- products. Commenters overwhelmingly agreed that GIPSA should not intervene in standardizing testing of ethanol inputs and outputs. Commenters did state that an appropriate role for GIPSA was to continue approving rapid test kits for determining the concentration of mycotoxins. Accordingly, GIPSA did not initiate any rulemaking action related to the matters presented in the ANPR. However, GIPSA did agree to monitor the industry and remain actively engaged with the ethanol and co-product markets and to support the industry, as appropriate, in its efforts to successfully market ethanol co-products. Further, GIPSA has continued to approve rapid test kits for mycotoxins. [[Page 2839]] The production of distillers' grains has continued to grow in recent years concurrent with increased ethanol production. GIPSA will broadly refer to ``distillers' grains'' as being any of the plethora of co-products generated by dry-mill ethanol plants, including distillers' wet grains (DWG), distillers' dried grains (DDG), distillers' wet grains with solubles (DWGS), distillers' dried grains with solubles (DDGS), and condensed distillers' solubles (CDS), unless otherwise specified. According to USDA's Economic Research Service, the United States produced an estimated 44.6 million metric tons of DDGS in the 2014/15 crop year, compared to 12.4 million metric tons of DDGS in 2006/07, when GIPSA's previous ANPR was first published. Increasing supply, two years of higher prices for competing feeds (soybean meal and corn), and successful foreign market development efforts by USDA and trade associations have led to a surge in DDGS exports from the United States. Exports now constitute nearly 25 percent of domestic DDGS production, totaling 11.0 million metric tons in the 2014/15 crop year, compared to exports of only 14.5 percent of production, totaling 1.8 million metric tons in 2006/07. In order for U.S. standards and grading procedures to remain relevant, GIPSA is issuing this Request for Information to invite interested parties to submit comments, ideas, and recommendations on GIPSA's role in the marketing of grain, oilseeds, and related agricultural products, including distillers' grains. All interested persons are specifically encouraged to comment on the following issues related to this notice: 1. Are there any market-identified quality attributes that GIPSA does not currently describe (or provide testing) that would facilitate the marketing of grain, oilseeds, and related products? 2. What role should GIPSA take, if any, in standardizing the testing of inputs and outputs of ethanol co-product processing? Has anything changed in the marketing of ethanol and ethanol co-products since GIPSA's last ANPR in 2007 related to standardization, product description, or quality assessment? 3. Are there any other services that GIPSA could offer to facilitate the marketing of grain, oilseeds, or related products? Authority: 7 U.S.C. 71-87K; 7 U.S.C. 1621-1638D Larry Mitchell, Administrator, Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration. [FR Doc. 2016-00847 Filed 1-15-16; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410-KD-P
![2838 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 11 / Tuesday, January 19, 2016 / Notices
6522), and its implementing regulations standards, methods, and grading Background
are also acceptable. As with any practices, and on potential market needs
alternative compliance approach, the for new standards or services. Under the authority of the United
NOP strongly encourages industry to States Grain Standards Act, as amended,
DATES: Comments must be received on and the Agricultural Marketing Act of
discuss alternative approaches with the
or before April 18, 2016. 1946, as amended, GIPSA establishes
NOP before implementing them to avoid
unnecessary or wasteful expenditures of ADDRESSES: You may submit your standards for grains, oilseeds, rice,
resources, and to ensure the proposed written or electronic comments on this pulses, and related graded and
alternative approach complies with the notice to: processed commodities, regarding kind,
OFPA and its implementing regulations. • Mail: R. Dexter Thomas, GIPSA, class, quality and condition. The
USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue standards facilitate marketing and
Electronic Access define U.S. grain and commodity
SW., Room 2530, Washington, DC
Persons with access to Internet may 20250–3604. quality in the domestic and global
obtain the final guidance at the NOP’s marketplace. The standards define
Web site at http://www.ams.usda.gov/ • Fax: (202) 690–2173 commonly used industry terms; contain
nop. Request for hard copies of the final • Internet: Go to http:// basic principles governing the
guidance document can be obtained by www.regulations.gov and follow the on- application of standards, such as the
submitting a written request to the line instruction for submitting type of sample used for a particular
person listed in the FOR FURTHER comments. quality analysis; specify grades, grade
INFORMATION CONTACT section of this Instructions: All comments will requirements, special grades; and
Notice. become a matter of public record and special grade requirements. Official
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 6501–6522. should be identified as ‘‘U.S. Services procedures for determining grading
Dated: January 13, 2016.
Offered for Grains Notice Comments,’’ factors are provided in GIPSA’s
making reference to the date and page Inspection Handbooks, which also
Erin Morris,
number of this issue of the Federal include standardized procedures for
Associate Administrator, Agricultural Register. All comments received additional quality attributes not used to
Marketing Service.
become the property of the Federal determine grade, such as protein
[FR Doc. 2016–00862 Filed 1–15–16; 8:45 am]
government, are made a part of the content and falling number. Together,
BILLING CODE 3410–02–P
public record, and will generally be the grade standards and inspection
posted to www.regulations.gov without procedures allow buyers and sellers to
change. Comments may also be viewed communicate quality requirements,
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
in the above office during regular compare quality using equivalent forms
Grain Inspection, Packers and business hours (7 CFR 1.27(b)). Please of measurement, and assist in price
Stockyards Administration call the GIPSA Management Support discovery.
Staff at (202) 720–6529 to make an GIPSA periodically reviews the
Request for Public Comment on appointment to read comments standards to ensure they reflect
Services Currently Offered or Needed received. If you send a comment marketplace needs. In 2007, when the
To Facilitate the Marketing of Grain directly to GIPSA without going through U.S. ethanol industry was expanding
and Related Products www.regulations.gov, or you submit a rapidly, GIPSA issued an Advance
comment to GIPSA via fax, the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR)
AGENCY: Grain Inspection, Packers and originating address or telephone number
Stockyards Administration, USDA. titled ‘‘The Role of USDA in
will be captured automatically and Differentiating Grain Inputs for Ethanol
ACTION: Request for Information. included as part of the comment that is Production and Standardizing Testing of
SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of placed in the public docket and made the Co- Products of Ethanol Production’’
Agriculture’s (USDA) Grain Inspection, available on the Internet. Also, all (72 FR 39762). The ANPR sought
Packers and Stockyards Administration personal identifying information (for comments from the marketplace asking
(GIPSA) is informing the public that it example, name, address, etc.) if there were any additional services
is soliciting comments to ensure that voluntarily submitted by the commenter GIPSA should offer to facilitate the
current services reflect market needs to may be publicly accessible. Do not marketing of ethanol co-products.
facilitate the marketing of grain and submit confidential business Commenters overwhelmingly agreed
related commodities. Specifically, information or otherwise sensitive or that GIPSA should not intervene in
GIPSA is inviting comments from protected information. standardizing testing of ethanol inputs
producers, handlers, processors, food Electronic submissions should avoid and outputs. Commenters did state that
manufacturers, exporters, importers, the use of special characters, avoid any an appropriate role for GIPSA was to
consumers, scientists, academicians, form of encryption, and be free of any continue approving rapid test kits for
industry stakeholders, and other defects or viruses, since these may determining the concentration of
interested persons on how GIPSA can prevent GIPSA from being able to read mycotoxins. Accordingly, GIPSA did
best facilitate the marketing of grains, and understand, and thus consider your not initiate any rulemaking action
oilseeds, rice, pulses, and related comment. related to the matters presented in the
products or products made from them, ANPR. However, GIPSA did agree to
asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
including co-products of ethanol Anthony Goodeman at GIPSA, USDA, monitor the industry and remain
production, commonly referred to as 1400 Independence Avenue SW., actively engaged with the ethanol and
distillers’ grains, based on market- Washington, DC, 20250; Telephone co-product markets and to support the
identified quality attributes. To ensure (202)–720–0228; Fax Number (202) 720– industry, as appropriate, in its efforts to
that standards and official grading 1015; email Anthony.T.Goodeman@ successfully market ethanol co-
practices remain relevant in the market, usda.gov. products. Further, GIPSA has continued
GIPSA invites interested parties to to approve rapid test kits for
comment on the relevance of current SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: mycotoxins.
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![Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 11 / Tuesday, January 19, 2016 / Notices 2839
The production of distillers’ grains Authority: 7 U.S.C. 71–87K; 7 U.S.C. National Agricultural Statistics Service
has continued to grow in recent years 1621–1638D
concurrent with increased ethanol Title: Local Food Marketing Practices
Larry Mitchell,
production. GIPSA will broadly refer to Survey
Administrator, Grain Inspection, Packers and
‘‘distillers’ grains’’ as being any of the Stockyards Administration. OMB Control Number: 0535–NEW
plethora of co-products generated by [FR Doc. 2016–00847 Filed 1–15–16; 8:45 am] Summary of Collection: Data will be
dry-mill ethanol plants, including BILLING CODE 3410–KD–P collected under the authority of 7 U.S.C.
distillers’ wet grains (DWG), distillers’ 2204(a). Section 10016(a)(1)(A) of the
dried grains (DDG), distillers’ wet grains 2014 Farm Bill (Public Law 113–79)
with solubles (DWGS), distillers’ dried DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE directs the Department of Agriculture
grains with solubles (DDGS), and (USDA) to collect data on ‘‘the
condensed distillers’ solubles (CDS), National Agricultural Statistics Service
production and marketing of locally or
unless otherwise specified. According to Submission for OMB Review; regionally produced agricultural food
USDA’s Economic Research Service, the Comment Request products,’’ while Section 10016(b)(2)
United States produced an estimated requires USDA to ‘‘conduct surveys and
44.6 million metric tons of DDGS in the January 13, 2016.
analysis and publish reports relating to
2014/15 crop year, compared to 12.4 The Department of Agriculture has
the production, handling, distribution,
million metric tons of DDGS in 2006/07, submitted the following information
retail sales, and trend studies. . . of or
when GIPSA’s previous ANPR was first collection requirement(s) to OMB for
on locally or regionally produced
published. Increasing supply, two years review and clearance under the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, agricultural food products.’’ The survey
of higher prices for competing feeds will gather data on production, risk
Public Law 104–13. Comments are
(soybean meal and corn), and successful management, and marketing practices.
requested regarding: (1) Whether the
foreign market development efforts by Contingent upon the availability of
collection of information is necessary
USDA and trade associations have led to for the proper performance of the funding, the Local Foods Survey will be
a surge in DDGS exports from the functions of the agency, including a Census follow-on-survey.
United States. Exports now constitute whether the information will have Need and Use of the Information: A
nearly 25 percent of domestic DDGS practical utility; (2) the accuracy of the growing interest in support of local
production, totaling 11.0 million metric agency’s estimate of burden including agricultural economies through the
tons in the 2014/15 crop year, compared the validity of the methodology and purchase of foods from sources that are
to exports of only 14.5 percent of assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance geographically close to the consuming
production, totaling 1.8 million metric the quality, utility and clarity of the areas, via channels that are direct from
tons in 2006/07. information to be collected; (4) ways to farm to consumer or at most one step
In order for U.S. standards and minimize the burden of the collection of removed. The institution of the USDA
grading procedures to remain relevant, information on those who are to Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food
GIPSA is issuing this Request for respond, including through the use of
Initiative was designed to eliminate
Information to invite interested parties appropriate automated, electronic,
organizational barriers to improve
to submit comments, ideas, and mechanical or other technological
collection techniques or other forms of coordination and availability of
recommendations on GIPSA’s role in resources for the promotion of local
information technology.
the marketing of grain, oilseeds, and food systems. The primary purpose of
Comments regarding this information
related agricultural products, including collection received by February 18, 2016 the survey is to produce benchmark
distillers’ grains. All interested persons will be considered. Written comments statistics on the number of operations
are specifically encouraged to comment should be addressed to: Desk Officer for that produce local foods, the value of
on the following issues related to this Agriculture, Office of Information and local foods sales (in total and by specific
notice: Regulatory Affairs, Office of marketing channel), and marketing
1. Are there any market-identified Management and Budget (OMB), New practices and expenses. Farms in all 50
quality attributes that GIPSA does not Executive Office Building, 725—17th states will be asked to provide these
currently describe (or provide testing) Street NW., Washington, DC, 20503. data. Statistics from this survey will be
that would facilitate the marketing of Commenters are encouraged to submit used by state agencies to better
grain, oilseeds, and related products? their comments to OMB via email to: understand, support, and promote their
OIRA_Submission@omb.eop.gov or fax local food markets, as well as by
2. What role should GIPSA take, if
(202) 395–5806 and to Departmental researchers studying local foods.
any, in standardizing the testing of Clearance Office, USDA, OCIO, Mail
inputs and outputs of ethanol co- Description of Respondents: Farmers
Stop 7602, Washington, DC 20250–
product processing? Has anything 7602. Copies of the submission(s) may and Ranchers.
changed in the marketing of ethanol and be obtained by calling (202) 720–8681. Number of Respondents: 28,000.
ethanol co-products since GIPSA’s last An agency may not conduct or Frequency of Responses: Reporting:
ANPR in 2007 related to sponsor a collection of information Annually.
standardization, product description, or unless the collection of information
asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
quality assessment? displays a currently valid OMB control Total Burden Hours: 21,000.
3. Are there any other services that number and the agency informs Charlene Parker,
GIPSA could offer to facilitate the potential persons who are to respond to Departmental Information Collection
marketing of grain, oilseeds, or related the collection of information that such Clearance Officer.
products? persons are not required to respond to [FR Doc. 2016–00914 Filed 1–15–16; 8:45 am]
the collection of information unless it
BILLING CODE 3410–20–P
displays a currently valid OMB control
number.
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Document Created: 2016-01-16 01:12:49
Document Modified: 2016-01-16 01:12:49
| Category | Regulatory Information | |
| Collection | Federal Register | |
| sudoc Class | AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106: | |
| Publisher | Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration | |
| Section | Notices | |
| Action | Request for Information. | |
| Dates | Comments must be received on or before April 18, 2016. | |
| Contact | Anthony Goodeman at GIPSA, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC, 20250; Telephone (202)-720- 0228; Fax Number (202) 720-1015; email [email protected] | |
| FR Citation | 81 FR 2838 |
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