Implementation of a New Official Moisture Meter

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration

Implementation of a New Official Moisture Meter

AGENCY: Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration

(GIPSA) is announcing the selection of a new official moisture meter;

i.e., a device approved by GIPSA for determining the moisture content

of grain inspected under the United States Grain Standards Act.

Specifically, the Grain Analysis Computer Model 2100 (GAC 2100),

manufactured by Dickey-john Corporation, Auburn, Illinois, has been

selected by GIPSA to replace the Motomco Model 919 Moisture Meter. The

new moisture meter is expected to improve the ease, speed, and

reliability of official moisture measurement and to allow automated

measurements and electronic transmission of results.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steven N. Tanner, Director, Technical

Services Division, GIPSA, USDA, 10383 N. Executive Hills Boulevard,

Kansas City, Missouri 64153; telephone (816) 891-0401; fax (816) 891-

0478.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration

(GIPSA), acting through the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection

Service, issued a solicitation on May 15, 1997, for the purpose of

selecting and procuring new official moisture meters. GIPSA uses a

single technology for all official moisture measurements because

research has demonstrated that the use of multiple technologies would

result in significant uncorrectable differences between official

inspection points. This is true even if the different technologies have

comparable accuracy with respect to the USDA air oven reference method.

Therefore, the moisture meter selected from this solicitation will

replace the current official moisture meter model, the Motomco Model

919.

GIPSA evaluated the received proposals according to the criteria

specified in the solicitation. The criteria included potential range of

grain types for which the instrument could be used; the range of

moisture over which it exhibited acceptable accuracy; its potential to

be used for measurement of other grading factors; its ability to

operate in the temperature, vibrational, and electromagnetic

environment typical of a grain inspection point; time and sample size

required for measurements; ease of use; instrument self-checking

capabilities; manufacturer's quality control plan and error analysis;

degree of expected variation between measurements from different

instruments of the same model; proposed procedures for checking the

performance of field instruments against a master instrument (check-

testing); and cost to the government. GIPSA surveyed current users of

the instruments and conducted field tests of existing instruments at

several different locations.

Implementation of the new instruments for official measurements of

grains, oilseeds, and processed commodities will be phased in, product

by product, over a period of at least 2 years. For any given product,

all official moisture measurements will be performed using the Motomco

Model 919 until the transition date for that product; the GAC 2100 will

be used exclusively thereafter. The transition date for each product

will be announced by GIPSA through a Notice in the Federal Register

prior to the transition. Transition dates for each product will be

selected to minimize the impact of the changes on the value of carry-

over stocks and will be announced in advance. Tentative transition

dates are as follows: August 1, 1998--corn, soybeans, and sunflower

seeds; May 1, 1999--barley, oats, rough rices, sorghum, and all wheats.

Transition dates for peas, beans, lentils, and other commodities may

lie beyond 1999.

The GAC 2100 uses separate calibration equations for each grain

type to achieve optimum accuracy. GIPSA routinely reviews the accuracy

of official calibrations and revises calibration equations to optimize

accuracy with respect to the USDA air oven method. All GAC 2100

calibration equations will be carefully reviewed for accuracy based on

several years' crop data. Where accuracy can be improved, calibrations

will be adjusted prior to issuing them as official calibrations.

Both the Motomco Model 919 and the GAC 2100 are calibrated to the

USDA air oven method. Therefore, the overall average change in moisture

results between the instruments should be quite small. The substantial

differences in measurement methods between the two instrument types

will, however, cause moisture measurements to differ for the two

instruments on specific samples. It is impossible to predict exactly

what the differences between Motomco Model 919 and GAC 2100 results

will be for a given grain sample. Most results should agree within plus

or minus 0.5 percent moisture, but some differences will exceed plus or

minus 1.0 percent moisture.

GIPSA is currently reviewing Part 801 of the regulations,

``Official Performance Requirements For Grain Inspection Equipment''.

Changes to the regulations will be published as appropriate and

necessary.

GIPSA anticipates several important benefits from the new moisture

meter. The new instrument's speed and ease of operation will help to

hold down inspection costs. The instrument will increase confidence in

official moisture results by eliminating most of the operator

interactions in the moisture measurement process. Electronic

transmission of results and adaptability to automated operation will

contribute to improving the timeliness and value of official

inspections. The instrument's newer technology and built-in system

checks will improve reliability, reduce down-time, and automatically

notify the operator of potential performance problems.

[[Page 17357]]

GIPSA's decision to approve and adopt the GAC 2100 as the new

official moisture meter does not mean that the Agency endorses or

recommends this instrument for unofficial purposes over other similar

instruments that are not approved for the official system. The Agency's

selection of this instrument was based on GIPSA's unique operational

needs. Other instrument models may be as suitable or more suitable for

a commercial entity's needs.

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

71 et seq.)

Dated: April 2, 1998.

David R. Shipman,

Acting Administrator.

[FR Doc. 98-9417 Filed 4-8-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410-EN-P