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Grain inspection bill advances

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A bipartisan bill to reauthorize the federal Grain Standards Act has passed the Senate Agriculture Committee and includes steps the US Ag Secretary would have to take to avoid port shipment slowdowns.

Sponsored by Senate Ag Chairman Pat Roberts of Kansas and Ranking Chair Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, the bill would require the Secretary to take actions to “immediately resume inspections or weighings no later than 24 hours after the start of a disruption” – if the Secretary has waived official inspection due to an emergency.

Critics says Secretary Vilsack did not properly use his discretionary authority in the slowdown at the Port of Vancouver in Washington State last year. Vilsack says he kept inspectors out because their lives would be at risk if they were allowed in.

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