Effective 02/15/2022 

Fees for Official USDA Designated Grain Inspection Agency services, provided by the 

Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) under the United States Grain Standards Act 

(USGSA). 

The Federal Grain Inspection Service (FGIS) must approve all fees for official services and Official Agencies 

will access only those fees appearing on their current approved fee schedule. Federal Grain Inspection Fees 

(see FGIS Directive 9180.74) will be assessed in addition to all other charges when applicable, as outlined in 

Section D of this document. 

Official Inspection and Weighing Services 

United States Grain Standards Act 

A. HOURLY FEES 

I. CONTRACT RATES PER EMPLOYEE* 

REGULAR TIME: $40.00/hour 

OVERTIME: $50.00/hour 

-Saturday, Sunday, and Hours worked in excess of 8hours for the contracted personnel 

HOLIDAYS: $75.00/hour 

*MDA reserves the right to assign additional non-contract personnel during any shift. 

II. NON-CONTRACT RATES PER EMPLOYEE* 

REGULAR TIME: $52.00/hour 

OVERTIME: $62.00/hour 

-Saturday, Sunday, Holidays, and hours worked in excess of 8hours Monday through Friday. 

*MDA reserves the right to assign additional non-contract personnel during any shift. 

B. OFFICIAL GRADING SERVICES 

I. GRADING: Minimums at the applicable hourly rates listed above. Fees, in 

addition to these rates, may apply. 

-Composite Grade (all land carriers up to full grade. Includes 

compositing, grading, and certification as applicable.): 1 Hour 

minimum for each composite grade. 

-Individual/Average Grade (all land carriers up to full grade. 

Includes grading and certification as applicable.): 1 Hour 

minimum for each individual carrier. 

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Effective 02/15/2022 

-Submitted Sample (up to full grade): 1/2 Hour minimum. 

-Re-inspection: 1/2 Hour minimum. 

II. Other Testing 

-Mycotoxin Testing: $30.00 per test (in addition to actual time at above rates.) 

-Testing provided by outside agencies will be charged the actual cost of the testing as specified by 

official service agreements and billed to MDA. 

C. OTHER FEES 

I. Corrections or Changes to Certificates* (errors or changes made by applicant after certification): 

1/2 hour minimum per corrected document. 

*Corrections or changes to certificates and other documents are not always permissible or possible, and 

are at the discretion of official agency personnel following FGIS regulations. 

II. Load Order, Container List, and Paperwork Corrections (errors or changes made by applicant 

after submission to MDA): 1/2 hour minimum per corrected document. 

III. Requests to ship samples to non-FGIS locations or locations not covered by a service 

agreement: $20.00/request, In addition to actual shipping costs. 

IV. Service requests not covered by the above fees will be assessed the Non-Contract hourly rate 

for time worked per assigned employee. 

D. FEDERAL FEES 

I. FGIS Administrative Tonnage Fees. In addition to all other applicable fees, FGIS administrative 

tonnage fees for export grain shipments inspected and/or weighed, excluding land carrier 

shipments to Canada and Mexico, will be assessed at the current per metric ton rate identified in 

FGIS Directive 9180.74 Service Fees and Billing Codes, Attachment 1. Invoices will identify assessed 

administrative tonnage fees as separate line items per applicable carrier/unit type. 

II. FGIS Supervision Fees. In addition to all other applicable fees, FGIS supervision fees for domestic 

U.S. grain shipments inspected and/or weighed, including land carrier shipments to Canada and 

Mexico, will be assessed at the current per metric ton rate identified in FGIS Directive 9180.74 

Service Fees and Billing Codes, Attachment 2. Invoices will identify assessed supervision fees as 

separate line items per applicable carrier/unit type. 

E. ADDITIONAL POLICIES AND INFORMATION 

I. Official Services include, but are not limited to: grading, 

weighing, sampling, stowage examination, phytosanitary 

inspections, fumigation witnessing, site inspections, travel, 

sample preparation, and certification under the United States 

Grain Standards Act. 

II. Hourly Rates will be assessed in one half hour increments. 

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Effective 02/15/2022 

III. Standby, Downtime, Cancelations, and Changes to Original Scheduling, which may occur 

through no fault of MDA, will be assessed at the applicable hourly rate per assigned employee. A 

minimum of two hours standby time, per assigned employee, will be assessed for requested service 

when services cannot be performed through no fault of MDA. This includes any changes or 

cancellations not made in accordance with normal scheduling procedures. 

IV. The IRS standard mileage rate will be assessed per actual miles traveled, plus travel time per 

assigned employee. Any change to the mileage rate is effective when the IRS changes their 

standard mileage rate. 

V. Travel Time is charged at the contract/non-contract rate as applicable per assigned employee. 

VI. Shipping of Samples is billed at the actual cost of shipping, plus any additional fees as 

applicable. 

VII. Holidays are days so designated and observed by the government of the State of Maryland. 

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