The contents of this web page do not have the force and effect of law and are not meant to bind the public in any way. The following is intended only to provide clarity to the public regarding existing requirements under the law or agency policies.
- Can the special grade infested be added to or removed during a reinspection/appeal (basis file sample), or Board appeal when the original sample was based on a probed sample?
ANSWER. If the sample is made infested during the original inspection, the infested designation cannot be eliminated on a worked or unworked file sample. If, however, the infested designation is not applied during the original inspection, the infested designation may be added during the review inspection process provided sufficient numbers are present in the file sample. NOTE: If the reinspection or appeal is based on a new sample, the infested designation can be added or taken away depending on the number of insects found in the new sample.
- Can the special grade infested be added or taken away on the reinspection, appeal, or Board appeal when the original sample was based on a diverter sample and examined under continuous loading?
ANSWER. The reinspection, appeal, and Board appeal result will follow the original result unless it can be determined that the sampler made a material error at the time of sampling. NOTE: For land carriers and barges an applicant may request that a probe sample be obtained as part of the reinspection or appeal, and examined for condition factors (i.e., musty, sour, heating, infested) only. The review inspection certificate will continue to show the D/T as the “method of sampling” in the sampling block of the certificate. The D/T file sample will be used to determine the factor information and the probe sample to review the condition in question. When a probed sample is used for condition, use the approved statement listed in Book IV (Pages 3-18 or 3-20). This option does not apply to multiple grade inspection lots.
- Can an applicant request a reinspection, appeal, or Board appeal on a worked file sample for objective factors, such as test weight, moisture, broken corn and foreign material, or dockage when there is not a virgin portion to analyze?
ANSWER. An applicant always has the right to request a review inspection, but the applicant should be made aware that the review inspection will not be based on a new portion, the results will be carried over from the preceding inspection if there was not a material error.
- What is the standardized work portion for the grains under the United States Grain Standards Act (USGSA)?
ANSWER. The standardized portion for all grains should range from 1 1/8 to 1 1/4 quarts. When converted to grams the normal range would be the following:Grain Range Grain Range Barley 850-950 Rye 1000-1050 Canola 500 Sorghum 1000-1050 Corn 1000-1050 Soybeans 1000-1050 Flaxseed 1000-1050 Sunflower Seed 500-600 Mixed Grain Depends on Mixture Triticale 1000-1050 Oats 700-750 Wheat 1000-1050
- What are the DKT portion size tolerances for the grains under the USGSA?
ANSWER:GRAIN
FACTOR
GRAMS
RANGE
Barley
DKT
25
22.5-27.5
Barley
HT
50
48.5-51.5
Canola
ODK
10
Canola
HT
5
Canola
DKG
5
Corn
DKT
250
225-275
Corn
HT
250
225-275
Flaxseed
DKT
15
13.5-16.5
Flaxseed
HT
15
13.5-16.5
Mixed Grain
DKT
Depends on mixture
Depends on mixture
Mixed Grain
HT
Depends on mixture
Depends on mixture
Oats
DKT
30
27.0-33.0
Oats
HT
30
27.0-33.0
Rye
DKT
15
13.5-16.5
Rye
HT
30
27.0-33.0
Sorghum
DKT
15
13.5-16.5
Sorghum
HT
30
27.0-33.0
Soybeans
DKT
125
112-138
Soybeans
HT
125
112-138
Sunflower Seed
DST
30
28.5-31.5
Sunflower Seed
HT
30
28.5-31.5
Triticale
DKT
15
13.5-16.5
Triticale
HT
30
27.0-33.0
Wheat
DKT
15
13.5-16.5
Wheat
DKT
20
18.0-22.0
(DU-CuSum)
Wheat
HT
50
45-65.0
Wheat
HT
66
60.0-72.0
(DU-CuSum)
- What is the approximate number of kernels per gram and the approximate number of kernels per damage work portion for the following grains?
ANSWER:GRAIN
KERNELS PER GRAM
KERNELS PER DAMAGE
WORK PORTION
Wheat
33.3*
499
Corn
3.5
875
Soybeans
7.5
938
Sorghum
36
540
Barley
28.8
720
Sunflower Seeds
19.6
588
Rye
40
600
Flaxseed
193
2,895
Oats
30
900
Triticale
25.4
381
*Wheat by class:
HRS/SRW
37/gram
HRW
31/gram
WHCB
29/gram
SWH/DU
25/gram
- Does the quality qualifier “Distinctly Low Quality (DLQ)” apply to submitted samples?
ANSWER. Yes. Remember, the determination may be made on the lot and/or sample as whole. In the case of a submitted sample, the sample functions as both. Consequently, if you have large debris or other unusual conditions present in a submitted sample, (i.e., conditions not listed in Book II, Table No. 5 - “U.S. Sample Grade Criteria”), it would grade DLQ.
- Approximately how many beans/peas/lentils are found per 500 grams?
ANSWER:Beans/Peas/Lentils per 500 grams Commodity
Per 500 grams
Commodity
Per 500 grams
Lentils (standard)
9,200
Yelloweye Beans
2,000
Lentils (small seeded)
14,800
Pinto Beans
1,820
Split Peas
6,900
Pink Beans
1,815
Winter Peas
4,690
Great Northern Beans
1,620
Wrinkled Peas
3,170
Small Red Beans
2,500
Smooth Green Peas
2,900
Baby Lima Beans
1,430
Smooth Yellow Peas
2,470
Cranberry Beans
1,090
Mung Beans
10,490
Light Red Kidney Beans
1,040
Small White Beans
3,565
White Kidney Beans
1,000
Flat Small White Beans
3,200
Dark Red Kidney Beans
950
Pea Beans
2,825
Marrow Beans
930
Black Turtle Soup Beans
2,820
Large Lima Beans
480
Blackeye Beans
2,030
- Under the Cu-Sum loading plan individual results for Dark, Hard, and Vitreous (DHV) are recorded on the inspection log to the tenth of a percent and the shiplot average is recorded to the nearest whole percent. How would a sublot result of 68.5% be recorded as a sublot and the final average?
ANSWER. The sublot would be recorded as 68.5% and the shiplot average would be certified as 68.0%. To ensure that the calculating devise being used does not automatically round, it may be necessary to set the calculator to the floating mode. Finally, as a reminder, for single lot certification the result would be certified as 68.0.
- Does the Carter-Day Dockage Tester have to be turned off between samples?
ANSWER. No. As stated in Reference # 177, dated August 11, 1999, it is permissible to allow the Carter Day Dockage Tester to remain running between samples but for checktesting purposes the dockage tester must be turned off between samples. Refer to General Information. - For the determination of Test Weight “sufficient size” is defined as being sufficient quantity to overflow the test weight kettle. Is there a minimum size in grams or tolerance for determining Test Weight?
ANSWER. Not really. Test weight is the weight of a measured volume of grain, not quantity/weight: higher test weight grain requires more grain by weight to overflow the kettle than lower test weight grain. It has also been demonstrated that the accuracy of test weight measurements is not necessarily dictated by the amount of grain overflowing the kettle, or that all sides overflow. What appears to be most important is that sufficient grain is available to create the coning effect or inverted V shape that technicians strike off in order to level the grain. The mounding of grain should be sufficient when there is at least some kettle overflow. As a rule-of-thumb, however, it is probably wise to continue using the 950-1050 gram guideline recommended for most grains.
- For grain shipments to Egypt, we occasionally get requests to check for the presence of “iron filings.” How are we defining iron filings; are there any special procedures that should be used; and how should they be treated?
ANSWER: Iron filings” are metal particles from various sources (e.g., farming machinery) that could possibly find their way into a grain sample. Since the particles could be of varying size, it will be necessary to use the sample as a whole as the basis for determination. For wheat samples, official personnel should check the dockage portion and the remainder of the dockage-free sample for metal particles. Official personnel should perform the inspection for iron filings on the basis of a visual inspection process only. It is not necessary to magnetize grain picks or use magnifying lenses to identify “iron filings.” “Iron filings” should be treated as dockage or foreign material, and if a substantial amount of particles is found in a sample the sample/lot would be considered as DLQ and graded as U.S. Sample Grade. Record the count and weight of the iron filings on the work record and report the findings on the certificate according to the terms of the contract.
- If a sample is submitted for grade and the sample contains lumps of grain which make the sample Distinctly Low Quality (DLQ) can the original inspector remove the lumps of grain and certify the sample without the lumps.
ANSWER. No. The sample submitted would grade DLQ. We can only issue the certificate on the sample as submitted. If the applicant wants to know the grade of the non-lumpy portion, they can remove the offending lumps and submit the lump free sample for grading.
- If an applicant request a moisture only for a grain/commodity (ex. Triticale) which standards have been established but you do not have any inspectors licensed to grade that grain/commodity can one still perform the function?
ANSWER. Yes. A technician is licensed to perform moisture testing. This is applicable to all determinations made by the approved instrument. It is not limited to certain rains/commodities. A technician with the moisture function or a licensed inspector can perform a moisture for triticale. You should make it a “factor analysis only” and identify the grain as “Triticale” on the grade line with the words “grade and kind” crossed out. In the remarks section indicate “factor analysis only”.
- An applicant requested a review inspection for DKT only on a corn lot. The applicant asked why we also certified odor with a new result for the review inspection.
ANSWER. The BAR/DIOO has a standard policy that all sample grade and special grade factors will be reviewed on all review inspections. If it is deemed a material error has been made for any sample grade or special grade determination from the previous inspection the new determination will be certified for the review inspection. All other grading factors are visually reviewed and if a material error has been made from the previous inspection the new grading factor will also be certified for the review inspection.
- An applicant asked can different factors be requested for each type of review inspection.
ANSWER. Yes, as long as the factor was determined on the original inspection (ex. The original inspection for corn certified Test weight, moisture, Heat damage, damage kernels, and broken corn and foreign material. The reinspection was requested on test weight, the appeal inspection was requested on damage kernels and the board appeal was requested on moisture). Since all these factors were analyzed on the original inspection the different factor requests for all the review inspections is permissible. This is not considered a change in scope.
- According to FGIS Directive, 9180.38, 5-26-09, Falling Number Determination for Wheat when reporting Falling Number results for AMA certification it states to describe the commodity as “Wheat.” At the request of the applicant FGIS will provide the Falling Number results in the “Results” section of the USGSA inspection certificate. When reporting Falling Number on an AMA certificate is it permissible to state the commodity class or subclass of the wheat instead of just “Wheat.”
ANSWER. Yes. If the class or subclass has been determined, it is permissible to certify the class or subclass instead of “Wheat” as the commodity. Never show the numerical grade on the AMA certificate.
Contact
Email: FGISBoardofAppealsandReviewSubjectiveAnalysisGroup@usda.gov
Publication Date
03/04/2022