GIPSA PROPOSES FEE INCREASE FOR RICE AND COMMODITY SERVICES

GIPSA PROPOSES FEE INCREASE FOR RICE AND COMMODITY SERVICES    The U.S. Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration, a division of the Agriculture Department, has proposed a 3.7-percent increase in fees for all hourly rates and certain unit rates for inspection services rice and other graded commodity exports.
   GIPSA can impose fees for these inspection services under the 1946 Agriculture Marketing Act. The agency said the increases are needed to cover increased operational costs resulting from the mandated January 2001 federal employee pay increase.
   The fees also cover the GIPSA administrative and supervisory costs, such as travel, rent, communications, utilities, contractual services, supplies and equipment.
   “This proposed fee increase will collect an estimated $155,500 in additional revenues in the rice program based on the projected fiscal year 2001 work volume of 3.9 million metric tons,” GIPSA said.
   Graded commodities market is made up of shippers of edible beans, peas and lentils, while the processed commodity covers wheat flour, soybean meal, vegetable oil and corn meal.
   Although most of these producers are small businesses, the fee increase should not impose a significant financial burden on these operators, GIPSA said.
   The rice inspection fees were last amended on March 30, and became effective May 1. The commodity inspection fees were last amended on Dec. 18, 1996, and became effective on Feb. 18, 1997.
   GIPSA said it will take comments about the proposed rate increase from the industry through Jan. 2. For more information contact David Orr of GIPSA’s Field Management Division at (202) 690-2755.