(a) General. The inspection of bulk or sacked grain loaded or unloaded from any carrier or container, except shiplot grain, must be conducted in accordance with the provision in this section and procedures prescribed in the instructions. Applicant must provide written instructions to official personnel, reflecting contract requirements for quality and quantity for the inspection of multiple carriers graded on a composite grade or average grade basis.
(b) Single and multiple grade procedure -
(1) Single grade. When grain in a carrier(s) is/are offered for inspection as one lot and the grain is found to be uniform in condition, the grain must be sampled, inspected, graded, and certified as one lot. For the purpose of this paragraph, condition only includes the factors heating and odor.
(i) Composite grade. Grain loaded in multiple carriers offered for inspection may be combined into a single sample for grade analysis and certified as a single lot, provided that the grain in each individual carrier is inspected and found uniform in respect to odor, condition, and insect infestation, and sampling is performed at the individual loading location in a reasonably continuous operation. The maximum number of individual units that may be combined to form a composite grade analysis is 20 containers, 5 railcars, or 15 trucks. Composite analysis must be restricted to carriers inspected within the official service provider's area of responsibility.
(ii) Average grade. Grain loaded in multiple carriers offered for inspection may be graded individually, then averaged for certification as a single lot, provided that: the grain in each individual carrier is inspected and graded as an individual unit; the grain is found to be uniform in respect to odor, condition, and insect infestation; and sampling is performed at the individual loading location in a reasonably continuous operation. The maximum number of individual units that may be combined to form an average grade analysis is 20 containers, 5 railcars, or 15 trucks. Average grade analysis is restricted to carriers inspected within the official service provider's area of responsibility.
(2) Multiple grade. When grain in a carrier is offered for inspection as one lot and the grain is found to be not uniform in condition because portions of the grain are heating or have an odor, the grain in each portion will be sampled, inspected, and graded separately; but the results must be shown on one certificate. The certificate must show the approximate quantity or weight of each portion, the location of each portion in the carrier or container, and the grade of the grain in each portion. The requirements of this section are not applicable when an applicant requests that the grade of the entire carrier be based on a determination of heating or odor when only a portion of the carrier is found to be heating or have an odor.
(3) Infested. If any portion of grain in a lot is found to be infested, according to applicable provisions of the Official U.S. Standards for Grain, the entire lot shall be considered infested. When grain in railcars or trucks with permanently enclosed tops is considered infested, the applicant for inspection shall be promptly notified and given the option of
(i) receiving a grade certificate with a special grade designation indicating that the entire lot is infested or
(ii) fumigating the grain in the lot in accordance with instructions and receiving a grade certificate without the special grade designation.
(c) One certificate per carrier: exceptions. Except as provided in this paragraph, one official certificate must be issued for the inspection of the grain in each truck, trailer, truck/trailer(s) combination, container, railcar, barge, or similarly-sized carrier, or composite/average grade analysis on multiple carrier units. The requirements of this paragraph are not applicable:
(1) When grain is inspected in a combined lot under § 800.85;
(2) When grain is inspected under paragraph (d) of this section; or
(3) When certification is at the option of the applicant in accordance with instructions.
(d) Bulkhead lots. If grain in a carrier is offered for official inspection as two or more lots and the lots are separated by bulkheads or other partitions, the grain in each lot shall be sampled, inspected, and graded separately in accordance with paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section. An official certificate shall be issued for each lot inspected. Each certificate shall show the term “Bulkhead Lot,” the approximate quantity or weight of the grain in the lot, the location of the lot in the carrier, and the grade of the grain in the lot.
(e) Bottom not sampled. If bulk grain offered for official inspection is at rest in a carrier or container and is fully accessible for sampling in an approved manner, except that the bottom of the carrier or container cannot be reached with each probe, the grain shall be sampled as thoroughly as possible with an approved probe. The grain in the resulting samples shall be inspected, graded, and certificated, except that each certificate shall show a statement, as specified in the instructions, indicating the depth probed. Any inspection which is based on a sample that does not represent the entire carrier or container does not meet the mandatory inspection requirements of section 5(a)(1) of the Act.
(f) Partial inspection - heavily loaded -
(1) General. When an “In” movement of bulk grain is offered for inspection at rest in a carrier or container and is loaded in such a manner that it is possible to secure only door-probe or shallow-probe samples, the container shall be considered to be “heavily loaded,” and the request for inspection either shall be dismissed or a partial inspection shall be made. If the request is for the inspection of an “Out” movement of grain, the request shall be dismissed on the grounds that the grain is not accessible for a correct “Out” inspection.
(2) Certification procedure. If a partial inspection is made, the grain will be sampled as thoroughly as possible with an approved probe and inspected, graded, and a “partial inspection - heavily loaded” certificate issued. The certificate shall show the words “Partial inspection - heavily loaded” in the space provided for remarks. The type of samples that were obtained shall be described in terms of “door probe” or “shallow probe.”
(3) Reinspection and appeal inspection procedure. A request for a reinspection or an appeal inspection service on grain in a carrier or container that is certificated as “partial inspection - heavily loaded” shall be dismissed in accordance with § 800.48(a)(4).
(4) Restriction. No “partial inspection - heavily loaded” certificate shall be issued for sacked grain or any inspection other than the inspections described in paragraphs (f)(1) through (4) of this section and § 800.85(h)(2).
(g) Part lots -
(1) General. If a portion of the grain in a carrier or container is removed, the grain that is removed and the grain remaining shall be considered separate lots. When an official inspection service is requested on either portion, the grain shall be sampled, inspected, graded, and a “part-lot” inspection certificate issued.
(2) Grain remaining in carrier or container. The certificate for grain remaining in a carrier or container shall show
(i) the following completed statement: “Partly unloaded; results based on portion remaining in (show carrier or container identification),”
(ii) the term “Part lot” following the quantity information,
(iii) the identification of the carrier or container, and
(iv) the estimated amount and location of the part lot.
(3) Grain unloaded from carrier or container. If grain is sampled by official personnel during unloading, the certificate for the grain that is unloaded shall show
(i) the completed statement: “Part lot; results based on portion removed from (show carrier identification)” and
(ii) the term “Part lot” following the quantity information. If the grain is not sampled by official personnel during unloading, the certificate may, upon request of the applicant, show a completed statement such as “Applicant states grain is ex-car ” or “Applicant states grain is ex-barge ,” but the certificate shall not otherwise show a carrier or container identification or the term “Part lot.”
(h) Identification for compartmented cars. The identification for compartments in a compartmented railcar shall, in the absence of readily visible markings, be stated in terms of the location of the grain in a compartment, with the first compartment at the brake end of the car being identified as B-1, and the remaining compartments being numbered consecutively towards the other end of the car.
[50 FR 49671, Dec. 4, 1985, as amended at 57 FR 11428, Apr. 3, 1992; 78 FR 43756, July 22, 2013]