GIPSA's Federal Grain Inspection Service provides a variety of inspection, weighing, and related services on grains, pulses, oilseeds, and processed and graded commodities. Our programs and services facilitate the marketing of America's grain in domestic and international markets.
Stowage Examinations
GIPSA provides stowage examinations that ensure that carriers and containers that hold grain, rice, pulses, and related products are clean, dry, and fit for loading.
A stowage examination is a service performed by official personnel or licensed cooperators who visually inspect an identified carrier or container and determine if the stowage areas are clean; dry; free of infestation, rodents, toxic substances, and foreign odor; and suitable to store or carry bulk or sacked grain, rice, beans, peas, lentils, or processed commodities.
Federal Grain Inspection Service provides inspection services on grains, pulses, oilseeds, and processed and graded commodities. These services facilitate the efficient and effective marketing of U.S. grain and other commodities from farmers to domestic and international end users.
The National Type Evaluation Program (NTEP) is a program of cooperation between the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the National Conference on Weights and Measures (NCWM), States, and the private sector for determining, on a uniform basis, conformance of a type.
Type evaluation is the testing, examination and/or evaluation of a type by a participating laboratory.
FGIS is a participating laboratory that provides type evaluations of automatic bulk weighing systems, railway track and grain test scales.
GIPSA also participates in the cooperative effort with NIST and the NCWM to standardize commercial grain equipment as part of NTEP. GIPSA's Technical Center in Kansas City, Missouri, serves as the sole NTEP laboratory for grain inspection equipment.
Additional information on the NTEP program, including application forms for NTEP testing, are available at the
National Conference on Weights and Measures (www.ncwm.net) website.
All exported grain must be officially Class X weighed. Domestic shipments may be Class X or Class Y weighed. Class X weighing is 100 percent supervised by licensed official personnel, who then issue an official "white" certificate. Class Y weighing is performed by elevator personnel who do the weighing and issue "yellow" certificates.
Official inspections result in the issuance of official certificates. Certificates report the grade of the grain inspected based on characteristics such as test weight, moisture, cleanliness, and damage. Certificates are issued for the various grains for which standards exist under the U.S. Grain Standards Act, as amended, and for rice, pulses, and miscellaneous processed commodities covered by Part 68 of the regulations under the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946, as amended.
Auditing and Verification Services
GIPSA provides suppliers of agricultural products and services the opportunity to verify the performance of their laboratories and products, and processes to assure customers of their ability to provide consistent quality products or services.
