Solicitation of Nominations for Members of the USDA Grain Inspection Advisory Committee

AGENCY:

Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION:

Notice to solicit nominees.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is seeking nominations for individuals to serve on the USDA Grain Inspection Advisory Committee (Advisory Committee). The Advisory Committee meets no less than once annually to advise AMS on the programs and services it delivers under the U.S. Grain Standards Act (USGSA). The committee is governed in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act. Recommendations by the Advisory Committee help AMS better meet the needs of its customers who operate in a dynamic and changing marketplace.

DATES:

AMS will consider nominations received by August 26, 2024.

ADDRESSES:

Submit nominations for the Advisory Committee by completing form AD-755 and send via email as an attachment to: Kendra.C.Kline@usda.gov. Form AD-755 may be obtained via USDA's website: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-755.pdf. For more information about the committee visit the Grain Inspection Advisory Committee website: https://www.ams.usda.gov/about-ams/facas-advisory-councils/giac.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Kendra Kline, Telephone (202) 690-2410 or Email Kendra.C.Kline@usda.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

As required by section 21 of the USGSA (7 U.S.C. 87j), as amended, the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary) initially established the Advisory Committee on September 29, 1981, to provide advice to the AMS Administrator on implementation of the USGSA. As specified in the USGSA, members of the advisory committee shall be appointed to three-year terms and no member may serve, successively, for more than 2 terms. The final selection of Advisory Committee members is made by the Secretary.

The Advisory Committee consists of 15 members, appointed by the Secretary, who represent the interests of grain producers, processors, handlers, merchandisers, consumers, exporters, and scientists with expertise in research related to the policies in section 2 of the USGSA (7 U.S.C. 74). While members of the Advisory Committee serve without compensation, AMS reimburses them for travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, for travel away from their homes or regular places of business in performance of Advisory Committee service (see 5 U.S.C. 5703).

A list of current Advisory Committee members and other relevant information are available on the USDA website at: https://www.ams.usda.gov/about-ams/facas-advisory-councils/giac.

The grain industry that utilizes Official Inspection and Weighing services for barley, canola, corn, flaxseed, oats, rye, soybeans, sorghum, sunflower seed, triticale, wheat, and mixed grain is diverse. AMS is seeking nominations for the Advisory Committee that will reflect the diversity of the grain industry, including, but not limited to, grain producers, processors, handlers, merchandisers, consumers, exporters, and scientists. Therefore, when making recommendations for appointments, the industry must consider the diversity of the population served and the knowledge, skills, and abilities of the members to serve a diverse population.

USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information ( e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

Equal opportunity practices in accordance with USDA's policies will be followed in all appointments to the Committee. To ensure that the recommendations of the Committee have taken into account the needs of the diverse groups served by the Department, membership shall include, to the extent practicable, individuals with demonstrated ability to represent the many communities, identities, races, ethnicities, backgrounds, abilities, cultures, and beliefs of the American people, including underserved communities. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.