88-hour Rule – time constraint applied to “continuous loading.” For a single lot with multiple carriers, there may be no breaks in loading exceeding 88 hours. This allows breaks for overnights, weekends, holidays, breakdowns, etc. This does not mean that every container in a lot must be loaded in 88 hours. For example, an applicant could load a container, stop for 88 hours, load another container, stop for 88 hours, etc. The 88-hour time limit begins after the carrier is sampled. This time limit also applies to official weighing services.
Average Composite – Container samples graded individually with factor results averaged together to get one grade. A maximum of 20 containers may be averaged per certificate.
Average Grade – See “average composite.” This is not to be confused with “Average Quality Certification,” which is a term applied to CuSum lots.
Booking - A portion of a contract that has designated space on an ocean vessel.
Combined Lot – upon applicant request, a certified lot of grain (e.g., a certificate for 20 containers containing U.S. No. 2 YC) may be combined with another certified lot of grain of like quality (e.g., another lot with 20 containers of U.S. No. 2 YC) to get one certificate. To issue a combined lot certificate, the original certificates must be voided. A new certificate will be issued with all carriers listed, and the factor results must be calculated using a weighted average. Combined lot certificates may be formed from single lot certificates that originated in different official service providers’ territories.
Composite Sample – Combining container samples together to make one sample to grade.
Composite Grade – See “composite sample.”
Continuous Loading – a provision that multiple containers loaded as part of the same lot must be loaded in a reasonably continuous fashion. See “88-hour rule.”
Weighted average – used to calculate the factor results for a combined lot certificate. A certificate with 20 containers may be combined with a certificate with 10 containers, provided they are averaged using procedures outlined in Grain Inspection Handbook, Book III, Chapter 1, Section 1.8 “Determining Mathematical or Weighted Average.”