United States Department of Agriculture

Agricultural Marketing Service

Federal Grain Inspection Service

Directive 9180.68 November 27, 2006

Distribution: FGIS, OSP, Industry Originating Office: FMD PPMAB

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in its programs on the basis of race, color, 

national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, and marital or familial status. (Not all prohibited 

bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternate means for communication of program 

information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and 

TDD).

To file a complaint, write to the USDA, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, 

Washington, DC 20250-9410, or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal employment opportunity 

employer.

CROSS UTILIZATION OF EQUIPMENT

Contents

CROSS UTILIZATION OF EQUIPMENT ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������1

1. PURPOSE����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������

2. REPLACEMENT HIGHLIGHTS��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������

3. BACKGROUND��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������

4. POLICY ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������

5. QUESTIONS ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������

Attachment �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������6
FGIS Directive 9180.68 November 27, 2006

Page 2

1. PURPOSE

This directive outlines procedures for cross utilizing inspection and weighing equipment

Specifically, it addresses:

a. Government-owned official inspection and weighing equipment;

b. Official agency (OA)-owned equipment used for determining official inspection

factors, weighing results, and specific criteria (e.g., aflatoxin, falling number, etc.) in 

grain, rice, pulses, and processed commodities;

c. Industry-owned equipment or supplied material used for determining official

inspection factors, weighing results, and specific criteria (e.g., aflatoxin, falling 

number, etc.) in grain rice, pulses, and processed commodities; and

d. Commercial equipment approved or allowed by State or local jurisdictions as

“Legal for Trade” and used for Official Commercial Inspection Services.

2. REPLACEMENT HIGHLIGHTS

This directive replaces FGIS Program Directive 9180.68, Cross Utilization of Equipment,

dated July 18, 2000. It is updated to reflect changes to the cross utilization of official

agency or elevator-owned dockage tester sieves and hand sieves. Previous rules

prohibited the sharing of sieves. This establishes guidelines to consider so that the

sieves may be shared, if they are protected from misuse or unauthorized replacement.

3. BACKGROUND

Due to the prohibitive cost, maintenance, and stationary design of some inspection

weighing equipment, the Federal Grain Inspection Service (FGIS) has relied on the 

grain industry to supply certain equipment (e.g., diverter-type sampling systems) to 

official personnel for use in sampling and weighing of grain, rice, pulses, and processed

commodities. FGIS has further allowed the use of industry-owned equipment or

materials (e.g., moisture meters, dockage testers, mycotoxin test kits) provided they are

cost-effective and meet certain criteria established by the agency.

FGIS requires that equipment supplied by industry and used in the performance of

inspection or weighing activities under the United States Grain Standards Act or the

Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 must be approved by FGIS. Additionally, the

equipment must meet all pertinent safety standards and be installed, aligned, and

calibrated according to manufacturer’s recommendations; maintained in good repair;

protected from unauthorized adjustments; and, if applicable, tested at periodic intervals

and found to be within acceptance tolerances
FGIS Directive 9180.68 November 27, 2006

Page 3

4. POLICY

Using guidelines provided by FGIS, Agency Managers have the responsibility to

determine the most appropriate type of equipment and procedures needed to perform

inspection and weighing activities in accordance with written directives, handbooks, etc.

a. Government-owned inspection and weighing equipment can only be used by

government agencies. FGIS has the following guidelines in place for loaned

equipment to OAs:

(1) Loaned equipment should be considered a temporary situation during 

legitimate emergencies for short time periods;

(2) All temporary loan provisions must be documented; and

(3) No open-ended loans are to be approved.

b. OA-owned equipment may be used by company representatives at the facility 

where the inspection and weighing equipment is located if the guidelines listed 

below are in effect:

(1) The Agency Manager should review each situation, especially the methods

that will be used to protect the equipment from misuse or unauthorized 

adjustments;

(2) Company representatives must use their own test weight kettles. OA owned

test weight kettles must be secured and used only by OA personnel;

(3) Any hand sieves and dockage tester sieves may be shared, but if they are

precision (tested) sieves, they must have a secure I.D. or Approval Sticker 

that positively identifies the individual item and prevents intentional or 

unintentional replacement and substitution. Non-precision sieves do not

require special identification except a locally assigned I.D. Official personnel 

should visually inspect sieves for evidence of damage or abuse, such as 

bowing of hand sieves or uneven flow across dockage tester sieves.

(4) Vulnerable equipment controls or devices, such as moisture meters, the 

dockage tester air-baffles, and laboratory balances shall be secured with 

locks or seals.

When a moisture meter has been out of official agency control, it must be 

checked per the instructions in Section 3.2 of the Moisture Handbook before 

being returned to official use.

(5) The Field Office Manager (FOM) should be kept informed of procedures and 

should review them with the OA on a periodic basis. Procedures determined

not adequate by the FOM shall not be used.
FGIS Directive 9180.68 November 27, 2006

Page 4

c. Industry-owned equipment may be used by FGIS and OAs for official purposes 

provided the FOM approves the use of the equipment. The FOM must consider the

equipment guidelines as listed below in the approval process:

(1) FGIS approved model and type;

(2) Tested or examined prior to official use;

(3) Maintained in good working condition;

(4) Controlled by official personnel through the use of security seals, lead/wire 

seals, physical custody, or other means appropriate to maintain accuracy and 

adjustments;

(5) Reviewed by the FOM and Agency Manager for each situation, especially the 

methods that will be used to protect the equipment from misuse or 

unauthorized adjustments;

(6) FGIS and OA’s must use their own test weight kettles. They may not utilize 

industry-owned test weight kettles;

(7) Any hand sieves and dockage tester sieves may be shared, but if they are 

precision (tested) sieves, they must have a secure I.D. or Approval Sticker 

that positively identifies the individual item and prevents intentional or 

unintentional replacement and substitution. Non-precision sieves do not

require special identification except a locally assigned I.D.

Official personnel should visually inspect sieves for evidence of damage or 

abuse, such as bowing of hand sieves or uneven flow across dockage tester 

sieves

(8) Security sealed moisture meters, dockage tester air-baffles, laboratory 

balances, etc;

(9) Approved arrangements must follow procedures; and

(10) Meet the requirements for NIRT instruments outlined in Attachment. Optional 

approved procedures or approved equipment may be requested by a facility; 

for example, sampling with an Ellis cup instead of a pelican. If managers 

determine that requests are based on sound reason and are in the best 

interest of official personnel, equipment that is owned by a grain elevator, flour 

mill, or rice mill may be used by official inspection and weighing personnel.

However, if the changes are made for the convenience of the facility, any 

materials, supplies, and specialized training required by official personnel to 

operate the equipment must be supplied by the facility at no expense to FGIS 

or the OA providing the service
FGIS Directive 9180.68 November 27, 2006

Page 5

d. Commercial approved equipment includes devices that are approved or allowed

by local or State weights and measures jurisdictions as “Legal for Trade”. 

Commercial equipment used for Official Commercial Inspection Services may be 

cross utilized

5. QUESTIONS

Direct any questions concerning this directivve to the Policies, Procedures, and Market 

Analysis Branch (PPMAB) at (202) 720-0228.

Attachment
FGIS Directive 9180.68 November 27, 2006

Page 6

Attachment

PREREQUISITES FOR CROSS UTILIZING ELEVATOR OWNED-NIRT 

INSTRUMENTS FOR OFFICIAL INSPECTIONS

1. The instrument must be an Infratec Model 1225, 1226, 1227, 1229, or 1241.

2. Located in a dust-free, vibration free, and stable environment.

3. Protected from drafts, heating and cooling vents, and windows.

4. Temperature maintained between 60 °F and 80 °F. Official certificates cannot 

issued on samples run outside of this temperature range.

5. Hygrometer (± 3 percent Relative Humidity) and thermometer (± 1 °F) located near 

the instrument

6. Dedicated 120 ± 10 VAC/15-20 amp circuit with a maximum of two electronic 

instruments (e.g., NIRT, NMR or Hardness tester) plus their associated printers 

and/or computers on the same circuit. The Tripp-lite line protector supplied with the 

Infratec 1241 should be used when a dedicated circuit is available

7. If a dedicated circuit cannot be provided, a standby uninterruptable power supply 

(UPS) is an acceptable alternative. The UPS should be rated as shown in the NIRT 

Handbook.

Additional Requirements:

8. Applicant for calibration service agrees to assume the financial responsibility for 

the requested calibration service at the applicable rate (see code G240 Table 3 – 

Miscellaneous Services of the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) fee schedule).

9. Elevator owner agrees not to alter any adjustments made in standardizing the 

instrument and to notify the official agency and/or field office prior to any repair or 

replacement of any portion of the instrument.

10. Official Agency has personnel licensed for NIRT.

11. Standard Reference Samples (SRS) and Check samples (for corn) are available 

for official use from Quality Systems and Services Unit, TSD. These items are to 

be kept in the possession of the licensed personnel, either under lock and key, onsite, or transported by the licensed personnel:

1. SR

2. SRS worksheets and bias logs.

3. Official calibration disk
FGIS Directive 9180.68 November 27, 2006

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Note: If the SRS are being transported, they must be allowed to equilibrate to 

the instrument room temperature (± 5 °F).

Operator Checkout Prior to Analysis for Official Certification

1. Temperature within 60 °F and 80 °

2. Instrument is clean and meets the environmental location requirement

3. Transported SRS are within ± 5 °F of room temperature.

4. Official calibrations are:

(a) Available on disk (disk drive units); or

(b) Stored on the hard drive for units with an Audit Trail log or count, which is 

reviewed prior to use; or

(c) Loaded onto the instrument and deleted before the operator leaves.

5. Verify that correct O- and P-Constants are being used.

6. Verify slope and intercept values agree with SRS records.

7. Verify that the sample cell used during standardization is available and installed 

correctly (flush with the mounting bracket).

8. Verify that none of the following have occurred: repair/replace the monochromator, 

replace the lamp, or replace the sample cell.

If the operator is able to answer yes to all of the above, he/she may proceed to run the 

SRS, make any necessary bias adjustments, and begin certifying market samples.

On an annual basis, the pathlength for both the 18 millimeter (wheat) and 30-millimeter 

(corn and soybean) sample cells will need to be checked (remeasured).