[Federal Register: September 1, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 169)] [Notices] [Page 47759-47760] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr01se99-53] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration Designations for the Hastings (NE), Aberdeen (SD), Missouri, Decatur (IL), Grand Forks (ND), McCrea (IA), and South Carolina Areas AGENCY: Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA). ACTION: Notice. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: GIPSA announces designation of the following organizations to provide official services under the United States Grain Standards Act, as amended (Act): Hastings Grain Inspection, Inc. (Hastings); Aberdeen Grain Inspection, Inc. (Aberdeen); Missouri Department of Agriculture (Missouri); Decatur Grain Inspection, Inc. (Decatur); Grand Forks Grain Inspection Department, Inc. (Grand Forks); John R. McCrea Agency, Inc. (McCrea); and South Carolina Department of Agriculture (South Carolina). EFFECTIVE DATES: November 1, 1999, for Hastings, December 1, 1999, for Aberdeen and Missouri, and January 1, 2000, for Decatur, Grand Forks, McCrea, and South Carolina. ADDRESSES: USDA, GIPSA, Janet M. Hart, Chief, Review Branch, Compliance Division, STOP 3604, Room 1647-S, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-3604. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Janet M. Hart, at 202-720-8525. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This action has been reviewed and determined not to be a rule or regulation as defined in Executive Order 12866 and Departmental Regulation 1512-1; therefore, the Executive Order and Departmental Regulation do not apply to this action. [[Page 47760]] In the April 1, 1999, Federal Register (64 FR 15724), GIPSA asked persons interested in providing official services in the geographic areas assigned to Hastings, Aberdeen, Missouri, Decatur, Grand Forks, McCrea, and South Carolina to submit an application for designation. Applications were due by April 30, 1999. Aberdeen, Decatur, Grand Forks, McCrea, and South Carolina were the only applicants for their respective areas, and each applied for designation to provide official services in the entire area currently assigned to them. There were two applicants for the Hastings area: Hastings and Kansas Grain Inspection Service, Inc. (Kansas). Hastings applied for designation to provide official services in the entire area currently assigned to them. Kansas, a designated official grain inspection agency operating in Kansas, Colorado, and Wyoming, applied for designation to provide official services in the western portion of the Hastings area. There were three applicants for the Missouri area: Missouri, Kansas, and North Dakota Grain Inspection Services, Inc. (North Dakota). Missouri applied for designation to provide official services in the entire area currently assigned to them. Kansas applied for designation to provide official services in the western portion of the Missouri area. North Dakota, a designated official grain inspection agency operating in Illinois as Illinois Official Grain Inspection, applied for the eastern portion of the Missouri area. In the April 1, 1999, Federal Register, GIPSA asked for comments on the official services provided by Hastings, Aberdeen, Missouri, Decatur, Grand Forks, McCrea, and South Carolina. There were two comments to the April 1, 1999, Federal Register, both from grain industry customers of Missouri, and both supporting designation of Missouri. In the June 1, 1999, Federal Register (64 FR 29259), GIPSA asked for comments on the applicants for the Hastings and Missouri areas. Since Aberdeen, Decatur, Grand Forks, McCrea, and South Carolina were the only applicants for their respective areas, GIPSA did not ask for comments on them. There were 19 comments to the June 1, 1999, Federal Register, on the applicants for the Hastings area: 13 comments from Hastings grain customers supporting Hastings, 1 from Hastings supporting themselves, and 5 comments (3 from grain firms, 1 from a railroad, and 1 from a popcorn company) supported designation of Kansas. There were 21 comments to the June 1, 1999, Federal Register on the applicants for the Missouri area: 19 comments from legislators of Missouri and 2 from grain companies all supporting designation of Missouri. There were no comments on Kansas or North Dakota. GIPSA evaluated all available information regarding the designation criteria in Section 7(f)(1)(A) of the Act and, according to Section 7(f)(1)(B), determined that Hastings and Missouri are better able than any other applicant to provide official services in the geographic areas for which they applied. GIPSA evaluated all available information regarding the designation criteria in Section 7(f)(l)(A) of the Act and, according to Section 7(f)(l)(B), determined that Aberdeen, Decatur, Grand Forks, McCrea, and South Carolina are able to provide official services in the geographic areas for which they applied. The following organizations are designated to provide official services in the geographic areas specified in the April 1, 1999, Federal Register. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Designation Designation Official agency start end Telephone ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hastings........................................................ 11/01/1999 9/30/2002 402-462-4254 Aberdeen........................................................ 12/01/1999 9/30/2002 605-225-8432 Missouri........................................................ 12/01/1999 9/30/2002 573-751-5515 Decatur......................................................... 01/01/2000 9/30/2002 217-429-2466 Grand Forks..................................................... 01/01/2000 9/30/2002 701-772-0151 McCrea.......................................................... 01/01/2000 9/30/2002 319-242-2073 South Carolina.................................................. 01/01/2000 9/30/2002 843-554-1311 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Interested persons may obtain official services by calling the telephone numbers listed above. Authority: Pub. L. 94-582, 90 Stat. 2867, as amended (7 U.S.C. 71 et seq.). Dated: August 23, 1999. Neil E. Porter, Director, Compliance Division. [FR Doc. 99-22553 Filed 8-31-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410-EN-P