The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) today announced the 2021 fee schedule for official inspection and weighing services performed under the United States Grain Standards Act (USGSA), as amended.
The Federal Grain Regulations (7 CFR 800.71(b)) and the Agriculture Reauthorizations Act of 2015 require that the Federal Grain Inspection Service (FGIS) annually review its fees for service, including national and local tonnage fees.
FGIS calculates its tonnage fees according to the regulations, such that provided tonnage fees will consist of the national tonnage fee and local tonnage fees and will be calculated and rounded to the nearest $0.001 per metric ton. FGIS also reviews the amount of funds available in its operating reserve at the end of the fiscal year (FY2020 in this case) to ensure that it has 4.5 months of operating expenses, as required by 7 CFR 800.71(b)(2) of the regulations. Based on the amount of reserves (greater or less than the 4.5 months target amount), FGIS is required to adjust its fees (by 2 percent for each $1,000,000, rounded down, that the operating reserve is less or greater than the 4.5 month operating expense, with a maximum increase or decrease of 5 percent annually).
In reviewing the operating reserve account at the end of FY 2020, FGIS assessed its program operating reserves to be $10,007,544. To meet the target of having 4.5 months of operating expenses available, the amount required is $13,424,097. Therefore, for FY 2021 and according to 7 CFR 800.71(b)(2), FGIS is increasing all Schedule A fees by 5 percent.
Since fees must be increased by 5 percent, FGIS calculates 2021 tonnage fees (national and local) to be as follows:
- National Tonnage Fee: $0.050 per metric ton (mt).
- Local Tonnage Fees (the local field office per metric ton tonnage fees, plus the national tonnage fee):
- New Orleans: $0.069
- League City: $0.108
- Portland: $0.139
- Toledo: $0.195
The Federal Register Notice [Docket #: AM20-0094S-FGIS] published January 8, 2021.
For additional information contact Kendra Kline, Chief of Staff at (202) 690-2410 or Kendra.C.Kline@usda.gov.