Designation for the Essex, Illinois; Savage, Minnesota; Alabama; and Washington Areas

AMS is announcing the designations of Kankakee Grain Inspection, Inc. (Kankakee); State Grain Inspection, Inc. (State Grain); Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries (Alabama); and the Washington Department of Agriculture (Washington) to provide official services under the United States Grain Standards Act (USGSA), as amended. 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 the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS).