The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) is seeking comments by Oct. 23 on a proposal to require scales used to weigh livestock, live poultry or feed to be tested at least twice a year within six-month intervals and to encompass swine contractors within the list of entities to which the scale-testing requirement applies.
Currently, GIPSA's regulations under the Packers and Stockyards Act regulations allow scale owners to have their scales tested twice annually at intervals "approximately" every six months. Under the GIPSA proposal, scale owners would be required to complete the first of two scale tests between Jan. 1 and June 30 of the calendar year, with the second test required to be completed between July 1 and Dec. 31 of the same calendar year. GIPSA said the agency found it difficult to determine when a scale owner was in violation of submitting scale-test reports given the use of the term "approximately." The proposed regulation applies primarily to stockyard owners, market agencies, packers and live poultry dealers.
In addition, GIPSA's proposal would require that at least a 120-day time period elapse between the two tests each year. More frequent testing still would be required in instances where a scale does not maintain its accuracy between tests, the agency noted. Further, GIPSA said, its proposal to expressly include swine contractors within the scale-testing regulations would "dispel any confusion" that they are subject to the requirement, which was mandated under the 2002 farm law.
You may click here to access a copy of the GIPSA proposal, which includes information on how to submit comments.