The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Federal Grain Inspection Service (FGIS) opens the annual requirement for U.S. Grain Exporter Registration and waiver requests for the 2022 calendar year October 1. The United States Grain Standards Act, 7 U.S.C. 87f-1, requires registration for anyone engaged in the business of buying grain for sale in foreign commerce. In addition, individuals who handle, weigh, or transport grain for sale in foreign commerce must also register.
The act waives official inspection and weighing for exporters who export less than 15,000 Metric Tons (MT) of grain, on an individual elevator basis during the preceding calendar year, and plan to export less than 15,000 MT of grain during the current calendar year. Such exporters and individual elevator operators must request and receive a waiver from FGIS.
Entities must actively renew each fall for inclusion in the export registration and waiver lists for the following year, which begins January 1. Registrations completed and waivers requested by December 1, 2021 will be included in the January 2022 exporter registration and waiver lists.
FGIS will make public a list of U.S. companies and organizations with contact information, that are registered or under waiver / exemption to buy, handle, weigh, or transport grain for sale in foreign commerce. The list will be shared with foreign governments upon request.
How to Register
To register or renew registration as a grain or oilseed exporter, visit the following website: https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/fgis/ddr-export-registration-instructions. Registrations are not complete until payment is received with the application. Payments can be made using Pay.gov. Instructions for Pay.gov and completing payment can also be found on the website.
Requesting a Waiver
To request a waiver, exporters and individual elevator operators must send written notification to the FGIS Quality Assurance and Compliance Division at FGISQACD@usda.gov. Include: the exporter or elevator operator’s name, address, and telephone number, as well as a statement providing the previous year’s export volume and the current calendar year’s expected volume for each facility; and, if being requested on behalf of a facility, submit the facility’s name, address, and telephone number.
Contact FGISQACD@usda.gov for questions regarding registration requirements or process.
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender