III 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 546 

Honoring the centennial of the United States Grain Standards Act. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JULY 14, 2016 

Mr. ROBERTS (for himself and Ms. STABENOW) submitted the following 

resolution; which was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Honoring the centennial of the United States Grain 

Standards Act. 

Whereas before the enactment in 1916 of the United States 

Grain Standards Act (7 U.S.C. 71 et seq.) (referred to 

in this preamble as the ‘‘Act’’) and the United States 

Warehouse Act (7 U.S.C. 241 et seq.)— 

(1) the grading, weighing, and warehousing of grain 

was regulated exclusively by States; 

(2) there existed no uniform, nationwide system to 

inspect, weigh, and store grain; and 

(3) each State enacted laws, standards, and regulations relating to the inspection, weighing, and storage of 

grain; 

Whereas, on August 11, 1916, the 64th Congress passed the 

Act, which established national uniformity in grain standards; 


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•SRES 546 ATS 

Whereas, before 1916, foreign and domestic purchasers of 

grain were subject to practices that could result in a poor 

quality of grain, despite inspection certificates indicating 

higher grades, and farmers and others involved in the 

United States grain trade suffered as a result; 

Whereas, in 1916, Congress established an official inspection 

and certification system that— 

(1) made available official inspection and certification; 

(2) prohibited conflicts of interest by personnel of 

the official inspection and certification system; 

(3) authorized the Secretary of Agriculture to use 

administrative sanctions to prevent corrupt practices; and 

(4) established prohibitions on certain acts and penalties for violations; 

Whereas, in 1976, Congress amended the Act to require official inspection and certification for grain exports and 

provide that any interested party may request official inspection and certification for any United States grain; 

Whereas agricultural producers and purchasers benefitted 

from a system that generated certainty and confidence in 

the uniformity of inspection methods, weighing, and 

grading under rules and regulations protected by law; 

Whereas, on October 21, 1976, Congress amended the Act to 

establish the Federal Grain Inspection Service to preserve 

the credibility and integrity of the United States grain 

market; 

Whereas 2016 is the 40th anniversary of the establishment 

of the Federal Grain Inspection Service to facilitate the 

marketing of United States grain commodities; 


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•SRES 546 ATS 

Whereas for 100 years the Act has supported a system of 

marketing for United States grain; and 

Whereas, in 2016, the Act still provides certainty and transparency for United States agriculture and consumers involved in the international grain trade: Now, therefore, be 

it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) reaffirms the significance of the United 

3 States Grain Standards Act (7 U.S.C. 71 et seq.); 

4 and 

5 (2) finds that the United States Grain Stand6 ards Act (7 U.S.C. 71 et seq.) remains necessary to 

7 facilitate the movement of United States grain into 

8 the marketplace by providing agricultural producers, 

9 handlers, processors, exporters, and international 

10 buyers an internationally recognized standard in 

11 sampling, inspection, process verification, weighing, 

12 and stowage examination services that accurately 

13 and consistently describe the quality and quantity of 

14 grain commodities traded domestically and inter15 nationally. 

Æ 


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