GIPSA Issues a Final Rule on Weighing Procedures

On August 23, 2013, in GIPSA, by Mary Colville

USDA ‘s Grain Inspection Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) issued a final rule this week that clarifies existing requirements involving scale tickets and live poultry weighing.  The current requirement regarding scale tickets evidencing weight of livestock, live poultry, and feed contains redundant wording about scale tickets issues when weighing livestock. live poultry, and feed. Because the requirements for numbering scale tickets and executing sufficient copies are largely the same for livestock, live poultry, and feed, USDA is consolidating in this final rule the general requirements.  This final rule will require that a zero balance of a scale be recorded and that the time the zero balance was determined be printed on the scale ticket, which is consistent with other weighing regulations involving scale tickets.

In the final rule, GIPSA will also be clarifying that the “number of the person” who performed the weighing service means the identification number of that individual, not that person’s telephone number.  In addition, GIPSA will be clarifying that the regulatory requirement for recording the license number of the truck and trailer applies to situation involving weighing separately the track or the trailer, or both together.

The August 21 GIPSA Final Rule, is available here.