Report on USGSA Reauthorization Issues

Last week, NAEGA conveyed a report from Senior Advisor Kirk Miller on “2019 U.S. Grain Standards Act Reauthorization Issues” Kirk’s report is part of the extensive work of the NAEGA Grades and Inspections Committees on going consideration and joint work with the NGFA Grades and Weights committee to develop policy related to the in order to inform U.S. Grain Standards Act (USGSA) on September 30, 2020.

Kirk report’s on several FGIS actions and commercial trade concerns that the U.S. Congress could be encouraged to consider as part of the USGSA reauthorization. They include

1. Regional coordination and cooperation measures under a future U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).
2. General waivers for private third party inspections and weighing.
3. Limiting the use of FGIS grain quality inspections in phytosanitary dispute resolution activities.
4. FGIS oversight and external reviews to ensure that service competitiveness is being met.
5. Alternative practices and procedures to prevent export inspections from bearing the burden of being the last critical control point for control of any pest problems that are being used as TBT’s.
6. Promoting scientifically valid risk assessments in U.S. trade dispute resolution. Kirk’s report can be accessed here.