Opportunity for Designation in the Amarillo (TX), Fostoria (OH), Schaal (IA), and Wisconsin Areas, and Request for Comments on the Amarillo, Fostoria, Schaal, and Wisconsin Agencies

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration

Opportunity for Designation in the Amarillo (TX), Fostoria (OH),

Schaal (IA), and Wisconsin Areas, and Request for Comments on the

Amarillo, Fostoria, Schaal, and Wisconsin Agencies

AGENCY: Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration

(GIPSA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The United States Grain Standards Act, as amended (Act),

provides that official agency designations will end not later than

triennially and may be renewed. The designations of Amarillo Grain

Exchange, Inc. (Amarillo), Fostoria Grain Inspection, Inc. (Fostoria),

D.R. Schaal Agency, Inc. (Schaal), and the Wisconsin Department of

Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (Wisconsin), will end

November 30, 1998, according to the Act. GIPSA is asking persons

interested in providing official services in the Amarillo, Fostoria,

Schaal, and Wisconsin areas to submit an application for designation.

GIPSA is also asking for comments on the services provided by Amarillo,

Fostoria, Schaal, and Wisconsin.

DATES: Applications must be postmarked or sent by telecopier (FAX) on

or before June 30, 1998. Comments are due by July 31, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Applications and comments must be submitted to USDA, GIPSA,

Janet M. Hart, Chief, Review Branch, Compliance Division, STOP 3604,

Room 1647-S, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-3604.

Applications and comments may be submitted by FAX on 202-690-2755. If

an application is submitted by FAX, GIPSA reserves the right to request

an original application. All applications and comments will be made

available for public inspection at this address located at 1400

Independence Avenue, SW, during regular business hours.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Janet M. Hart, at 202-720-8525.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This Action has been reviewed and determined

not to be a rule or regulation as defined in Executive Order 12866 and

Departmental Regulation 1512-1; therefore, the Executive Order and

Departmental Regulation do not apply to this Action.

Section 7(f)(1) of the Act authorizes GIPSA's Administrator to

designate a qualified applicant to provide official services in a

specified area after determining that the applicant is better able than

any other applicant to provide such official services. GIPSA designated

Amarillo, main office located in Amarillo, Texas, Schaal, main office

located in Belmond, Iowa, and Wisconsin, main office located in

Madison, Wisconsin, to provide official inspection services under the

Act on December 1, 1995. GIPSA designated Fostoria, main office located

in Fostoria, Ohio, to provide official inspection services under the

Act on December 1, 1997.

Section 7(g)(1) of the Act provides that designations of official

agencies shall end not later than triennially and may be renewed

according to the criteria and procedures prescribed in Section 7(f) of

the Act. The designations of Amarillo, Fostoria, Schaal, and Wisconsin

end on November 30, 1998, according to the Act.

Pursuant to Section 7(f)(2) of the Act, the following geographic

area, in the States of Oklahoma and Texas, is assigned to Amarillo.

In Texas:

Bounded on the North by the Texas-Oklahoma State line to the

eastern Clay County line;

Bounded on the East by the eastern Clay, Archer, Throckmorton,

Shackelford, and Callahan County lines;

Bounded on the South by the southern Callahan, Taylor, and Nolan

County lines;

Bounded on the West by the western Nolan, Fisher, Stonewall, King,

and Cottle County lines; the western Childress County line north to

U.S. Route 287; U.S. Route 287 northwest to Donley County; the southern

Donley and Armstrong County lines west to Prairie Dog Town Fork of the

Red River; Prairie Dog Town Fork of the Red River northwest to State

Route 217; State Route 217 west to FM 1062; FM 1062 west to U.S. Route

385; U.S. Route 385 north to Oldham County; the southern Oldham County

line; the western Oldham, Hartley, and Dallam County lines.

Beaver, Beckham, Cimarron, Ellis, Harper, Roger Mills, and Texas

Counties, Oklahoma.

Pursuant to Section 7(f)(2) of the Act, the following geographic

area, in the State of Ohio, is assigned to Fostoria.

Bounded on the North by the northern and eastern Fulton County

lines; the eastern Henry County line; the northern and eastern Wood

County lines; the northern Sandusky County line east to State Route

590;

Bounded on the East by State Route 590 south to Seneca County; the

northern Seneca County line east to State Route 53; State Route 53

south to

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Wyandot County; the northern Wyandot County line; the northern Crawford

County line east to State Route 19; State Route 19 south to U.S. Route

30;

Bounded on the South by U.S. Route 30 west to the western Hancock

County line; and

Bounded on the West by the western Hancock County line; the

southern Henry County line west to State Route 108; State Route 108

north to U.S. Route 24; U.S. Route 24 southwest to the Henry County

line; the western Henry and Fulton County lines.

Pursuant to Section 7(f)(2) of the Act, the following geographic

area, in the State of Iowa, is assigned to Schaal.

Bounded on the North by the northern Kossuth County line from U.S.

Route 169; the northern Winnebago, Worth, and Mitchell County lines;

Bounded on the East by the eastern Mitchell County line; the

eastern Floyd County line south to B60; B60 west to T64; T64 south to

State Route 188; State Route 188 south to C33;

Bounded on the South by C33 west to T47; T47 north to C23; C23 west

to S56; S56 south to C25; C25 west to U.S. Route 65; U.S. Route 65

south to State Route 3; State Route 3 west to S41; S41 south to C55;

C55 west to Interstate 35; Interstate 35 southwest to the southern

Wright County line; the southern Wright County line west to U.S. Route

69; U.S. Route 69 to C54; C54 west to State Route 17; and

Bounded on the West by State Route 17 north to the southern Kossuth

County line; the Kossuth County line west to U.S. Route 169; U.S. Route

169 north to the northern Kossuth County line.

Schaal's assigned geographic area does not include the following

grain elevators inside Schaal's area which have been and will continue

to be serviced by the following official agencies:

1. Central Iowa Grain Inspection Service, Inc.: Farmers Co-op

Elevator Company, Chapin, Franklin County; and Farmers Community Co-op,

Inc., Rockwell, Cerro Gordo County.

2. A. V. Tischer and Son, Inc.: West Bend Elevator Co., Algona,

Kossuth County; Big Six Elevator, Burt, Kossuth County; Gold-Eagle,

Goldfield, Wright County; and Farmers Co-op Elevator, Holmes, Wright

County.

Pursuant to Section 7(f)(2) of the Act, the following geographic

area, the entire State of Wisconsin, except those export port locations

within the State, is assigned to Wisconsin.

Interested persons, including Amarillo, Fostoria, Schaal, and

Wisconsin are hereby given the opportunity to apply for designation to

provide official services in the geographic areas specified above under

the provisions of Section 7(f) of the Act and section 800.196(d) of the

regulations issued thereunder. Designation in the Amarillo, Schaal, and

Wisconsin areas is for the period beginning November 1, 1998, and

ending November 30, 2001. Designation in the Fostoria area, is for the

period beginning November 1, 1998, and ending August 31, 2001. Persons

wishing to apply for designation should contact the Compliance Division

at the address listed above for forms and information.

GIPSA also is publishing this notice to provide interested persons

the opportunity to present comments on the Amarillo, Fostoria, Schaal,

and Wisconsin official agencies. Commentors are encouraged to submit

pertinent data concerning the Amarillo, Fostoria, Schaal, and Wisconsin

official agencies including information on the timeliness, cost,

quality, and scope of services provided. All comments must be submitted

to the Compliance Division at the above address.

Applications, comments, and other available information will be

considered in determining which applicant will be designated.

Authority: Pub. L. 94-582, 90 Stat. 2867, as amended (7 U.S.C.

71 et seq.).

Dated: May 21, 1998.

Neil E. Porter,

Director, Compliance Division.

[FR Doc. 98-14042 Filed 5-29-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410-EN-P