Customer Service Standards

Our Mission and Customers

The mission of the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) is to facilitate the marketing of grains, livestock, poultry, and meat for the overall benefit of consumers and American agriculture. In fulfilling our mission, we serve a diverse group of customers:

• Grain, livestock, and poultry producers
• Stockyards, livestock market agencies, and dealers
• Meat packers, brokers, wholesalers, and distributors
• Poultry growers and live poultry dealers
• Foreign grain buyers
• Grain and commodity handlers, processors, millers, and exporters
• Other Federal and State agencies
• Authorized State and private inspection and weighing agencies
• Academic and research institutions
• The general public

Customer Service Standards

Each and every GIPSA customer can expect:

• Courtesy and respect. Your views and needs are important to us, and, in return, you can expect professional treatment, objectivity, and confidentiality. You will be assisted by a polite, responsive, and knowledgeable staff person.
• Fairness.Our services will be objective, whatever role you play in American agriculture -- from producer to handler to end user -- and regardless of your race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, and marital or familial status.
• Clarity. We will clearly explain to you what we do, how our programs work, and who to contact for further assistance. If our information is unclear, tell us and we will try to make it clearer.
• Accessibility. We are available to serve you and to talk to individuals and organizations about our programs. Just drop by your nearest GIPSA office or contact us by letter, phone, or fax.
• Timeliness. We will provide an official grain inspection and weighing certificate within one full business day after completing your inspection. In our regulatory role, we will respond to your concerns and work to ensure fairness and equity in the marketplace.
• Responsiveness. We will continue to seek your views, listen to your needs, and take action based on them. If you are not satisfied with any aspect of our programs, tell us so we can continue to improve.

Giving You What You Asked For

Based on what you, our customers, have told us in nationwide meetings and focus groups, customer interviews, and an extensive employee survey, GIPSA is focusing on these five important areas:

• Service Credibility. The credibility of our service must be unquestionable. Our service is valuable for buyers and sellers, because it is an impartial assessment of what is delivered and received.
• Good Value. Our diverse programs, whether funded by direct service recipients or the American taxpayer, must be of good value. We will provide you with top quality, professional service whenever and wherever you need it.
• Accurate and Consistent Results. Our results must be accurate and consistent nationwide. We rely on sound procedures and science in providing uniform, nationwide services.
• Market Responsiveness. Our programs must be responsive to market demands. We are committed to listening to your needs and responding to them in a professional manner.
• Highly Trained Employees. Since you rely on us, our employees must be highly trained professionals who are responsive to our customers, motivated, and capable of identifying and helping to prevent problems.

Talk to Us

Responding to our customers needs is GIPSA"s main priority. We have designed our programs to concentrate on your needs. Please continue to tell us what you think about our programs, services, and our Customer Service Standards. We pledge to respond to your needs and review our Customer Service Standards based on your input.

If you have any comments about the GIPSA Customer Service Standards or want information on any of our diverse programs, contact:

USDA Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration
Stop 3601
1400 Independence Ave., SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-3601
Telephone: (202) 720-0219
FAX: (202) 205-9237
or via e-mail