House Ag Passes Grain Standards Bill

LINCOLN, Neb. (DTN) -- The House Agriculture Committee on Tuesday passed a bill reauthorizing the U.S. Grain Standards Act after no amendments or debate, sending the measure to the full House.

Several key provisions of the act are set to expire on Sept. 30, 2025, including funding and grain inspections mandates.

Ag groups including the National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) and the North American Export Grain Association have highlighted several challenges including inequitable user-fee structures. The industry has called for adjusting the $55 million annual cap to exclude commodities such as rice and pulses.

Other issues raised by ag groups include what they say are inconsistent regulations on inspection waivers, particularly in non-emergency situations. They've also called for the use of advanced technologies to improve grain-grading efficiency and to reduce costs.

The National Grain and Feed Association on Tuesday commended the committee for moving the legislation.

"This is a must-pass bill for the entire grain value chain," NGFA President and CEO Mike Seyfert said in a news release.

"It plays a vital role in facilitating the movement of U.S. grain to domestic and global markets."

The NGFA said the legislation "ensures continuity" for "critical" grain inspection and weighing services set to expire. The bill includes several NGFA-backed provisions to enhance the efficiency and transparency of the Federal Grain Inspection Service, including measures to promote the use of new technology.

The committee-passed package also modifies the type of activities that apply to the annual user fee cap set by Congress -- a change NGFA said will "help expand resources available" for official grading and inspection services.

"This bill strengthens the reliability and competitiveness of U.S. grain by promoting modernization and minimizing red tape," Seyfert said.

"Its timely passage is a top priority for NGFA, and we are looking forward to working with Congress to pass strong legislation out of both chambers and onto President Trump's desk for signature."

The original act was signed into law in 1916 to address what was seen as a growing need to create uniform grains standards.

Congress established the Federal Grain Inspection Service to oversee grain-quality standards, to prevent fraud and to provide reliable inspection services.

Before the committee advanced the measure unanimously, Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn., said the reauthorization was important to farmers during a time of widespread uncertainty.

"When farmers plant their crops, they don't know if the weather will cooperate," she said during the meeting.

"Usually, it doesn't in Minnesota. Will their fields get too much rain, too little sun, cold snap or an unexpected severe weather event? None of this is in the hands of the farmer planting .... Lately, America's farmers have experienced another kind of uncertainty. The president's trade policies, how much will tariffs drive up input costs? Will tariffs ultimately shut down U.S. farmers out of foreign markets? Will any trade deal the administration makes be enough to offset the market loss?"

Craig said farmers are continuing to lose market share and U.S. grain standards are a key component of foreign trade and promoting American agriculture exports.

"The inspections and certifications done by the Federal Grain Inspection Service, states and private agencies, provide foreign importers with certainty regarding the quality of the grain bought from U.S. farmers."

With parts of the existing act set to expire, Craig said Congress should avoid "adding additional uncertainty to farmers' lives" by reauthorizing and "improving" the law.

The bill would reauthorize annual appropriations for standard development and maintenance as well as USDA's authority to collect fees for supervision of inspections and other actions.

"The U.S. grain inspection system is known around the world for quality and reliability," Craig said.

"Yet as new technologies and new tests with improved speed, accuracy and consistency come into play other countries try to leap ahead of our high standards. We cannot rest on our laurels; by focusing USDA's attention on modernization, we can continue to hold our place as the world's gold standard in grain inspection. Our grain farmers need to know that they can rely on the USDA as a reliable partner, not a roadblock to trade."

Todd Neeley can be reached at todd.neeley@dtn.com

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