Background:
The Grain Inspection Advisory Committee meets regularly to advise AMS on the programs and services it delivers under the U.S. Grain Standards Act. An area of growing importance in regards to the services delivered is the supply of data to both internal and external users. Having secure access to accurate and standardized data in a timely fashion is paramount to facilitating grain trade.
Discussion Topics:
- Review the security of current networks and systems used in the official system (FGIS, official service providers, and applicants) to ensure vulnerabilities are minimized, federal requirements about systems, recordkeeping and privacy are met, and necessary audits are conducted to ensure all networks and systems have a USDA authority-to-operate (ATO).
- Seek industry input to establish standards around data types to support secure, timely information exchanges between FGIS, applicants, and other interested parties via Application Program Interface. (e.g. Load Order, Flow Path, Sample, Test Result, Weight Result, Logs, Certificates)
- What does an ‘official certificate data packet’ look like, and can it eventually replace a certificate?
- Evaluate current Automatic Weight Management System standards for data handling requirements and establish methods for the transfer of data from the AWMS to secure outside systems.
- Evaluate current systems ability to integrate external device data to improve accuracy.
- Advances in inspection & weighing technology only solve the problem of the actual physical activity.
- Secure capture and transfer of information, and association to the correct sample/test are critical elements to a comprehensive improvement in the inspection process.
- Customers & support vendors desire access to the information produced by the pieces of equipment that extend beyond official criteria.
- Identify Industry needs for FGISonline functionality and ensure its ability to meet those needs.
- Ensure appropriate funding is in place to support data and information system initiatives.