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The Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) soon plans to issue a request for comments on whether the agency should play a role in standardizing the testing of inputs and outputs of ethanol coproduct processing, the National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) reported in its June 21 newsletter.

During a meeting June 12-13 of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Grain Inspection Advisory Committee, GIPSA officials noted the widely varying quality characteristics of ethanol coproducts, principally distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS), attributable to differences in the processes used to manufacture ethanol.

Among the questions GIPSA is likely to pose are whether the agency should develop reference methods, rapid quality-determination methods, or offer testing for various coproduct quality traits under the official grain inspection system.

The committee responded by approving a resolution -- one of three adopted during the meting -- recommending that the agency provide its "expertise" to the ethanol industry in developing "standardized methods for testing appropriate qualities" in corn and ethanol coproducts.

During the advisory committee meeting, GIPSA officials also said they soon would issue a final rule concerning changes to the U.S. grain standards for sorghum.

While not indicating what, if any, changes will be made, GIPSA noted it had proposed to:

> Delete references to tannin from the definitions of sorghum classes.

> Revise the definition of non-grain sorghum.

> Reduce the grade limits for broken kernels and foreign material (BNFM) and foreign material (FM).

> Insert a total count limit of 10 for other material used to determine sample grade factors.

> Report test weight in tenths of a pound.

GIPSA also updated the advisory committe on its pilot program that is utilizing independent third parties to perform officail grain inspections at various export ports.

The pilot program currently is operating in California; Milwaukee, WI; Toldeo, OH; Chicago, IL/Portage, IN; and Corpus Christi, TX.

The advisory committee adopted a resolution recommending that GIPSA continue the pilot program, with periodic reviews on progress and a clearer definition of the parameters of the program for full implementation.

In addition, GIPSA officials reviewed the expanded volume of export container shipments, challenges in issuing phytosanitary certificates, and in-transit vessel fumigation.

The agency said expanded export container volumes are challenging the official system, in terms of monitoring such shipments under the current 15,000-metric-ton threshold rule; registering export shipping companies; increasing the number of scales to weigh such containers; and increasing the number of locations where official service for containers is needed.

GIPSA also said it was taking several actions to address what it called the inconsistent efficacy of in-transit fumigation.

Such acitons include implementing short-voyage fumigation procedures, increasing employee training, reviewing and improving local fumigation procedures, and evaluating fumigation application methods and minimum dosage rates.

The advisory committee meets twice annually to receive reports and advise GIPSA on programs and services provided under the U.S. Grain Standards Act.

Its next meeting is being planned for the first or second week of November at a yet-to-be-determined location.

See Related Websites/Articles:

• National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA)
• Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA)

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