We help our customers understand U.S. wheat inspection procedures

The U.S. farm families that produce the wheat and the industry that supplies it are committed to maintaining an open and transparent market. There are many reasons why our overseas customers know they can rely on the integrity of our supply chain, the quality of U.S. wheat, and our unmatched reliability as a supplier. A key example is our third-party wheat inspection procedures, which provide valuable data that customers can use with the help of U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) to get even more value from their purchases.

USW, in collaboration with the Federal Grain Inspection Service (FGIS) and the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), has produced an “Overview of U.S. Wheat Inspection.” This publication summarizes the official sampling, weighing, inspection, and certification procedures used by FGIS or FGIS-authorized government and private agencies for U.S. wheat exports. The “Overview” provides U.S. wheat importers and end users with a convenient, concise reference on U.S. wheat standards, inspection methods, procedures, and resulting data on their purchases.

Nationwide mandatory wheat inspection

Based on two acts of Congress that establish a standardized procedure, trained and certified officials inspect and grade all wheat exported from the United States as it is loaded onto an export vessel, be it a train or a ship. This independent wheat inspection process sets the United States apart by providing a form of assurance and protection for global wheat buyers.

The supply chain follows government-regulated and uniform grain segregation and testing procedures. Grain elevators in the U.S. and export elevators inspect and test the wheat upon arrival, separating it by grade and quality to meet customer requirements. FGIS independently inspects the wheat upon loading the vessel to ensure that the quality loaded meets customer specifications. Only after inspection is complete is wheat loaded onto a vessel.

Each FGIS field office has a trained quality assurance specialist who ensures that inspectors and testing equipment are functioning properly. A Complaints and Review Committee consists of the agency’s most senior inspectors who make the final decisions on grain quality assessments.

Five inspection processes

A FGIS inspector uses a Boerner divider to divide the wheat sample into two smaller, equal-sized portions for inspection.

The “Overview of Wheat Inspection in the United States” describes the five basic processes performed during export before and during ship loading: stowage testing, weighing, sampling, inspection and certification.

Officially Weigh is mandatory for all grain exported from the United States by sea. FGIS integrates weighing systems into export elevator systems and monitors the entire weighing process. The results are documented and verified to confirm the actual weight of the cargo.

When a bulk carrier arrives at a U.S. export silo, federal inspectors examine the ship’s holds for possible deficiencies to ensure that the ship is substantially clean, dry and ready to receive wheat, and issue an official Congestion investigation Certificate for the buyer.

Using a standardized mechanical “diverter” device, FGIS inspectors receive a consistent sample Amount of wheat that enters the elevator shipping bins and is held there until inspections are completed. After passing the preliminary tests, the FGIS sample is divided into a “working sample” used to determine all sorting factors and check and certify other quality factors specified in the purchase contract, as well as a “file” sample that FGIS keeps sealed for 90 days after the wheat inspection.

Each batch of grain must meet, within specified tolerances, the official grade and factors required by the buyer in their contract. Batches that do not meet tolerances are not loaded onto the vessel and are returned to the elevator. An inspection log is recorded for each batch, which contains a complete record of all inspection information the buyer may request. Local USW representatives can help buyers adjust their future contract specifications based on this inspection data to ensure they receive the quality they want at the best price. The online brochure, Overview of US Wheat Inspections, contains examples of all official Certifications and records the procedures established under the U.S. federally regulated grain inspection procedures.

USW Customer Support

USW strongly supports the unique U.S. grain inspection system as a competitive advantage for wheat buyers worldwide and works with the FGIS Office of International Affairs to demonstrate the integrity of the U.S. wheat supply chain. In addition to publishing the “U.S. Wheat Inspection Overview,” USW and FGIS have conducted many inspection workshops for foreign buyers.

USW believes this wheat inspection training for import customers will give them a deeper understanding and greater confidence in the FGIS inspection and certification process. The changes implemented at mills following the training should result in fewer discrepancies between the FGIS grade and local, in-house inspection results, leading to increased satisfaction with U.S. wheat.

In collaboration with USW, FGIS agent José Robinson was in Lima, Peru in 2019 to conduct half-day seminars for wheat import companies. Robinson trained quality control managers of flour mills in the FGIS wheat inspection process as part of USW’s commercial and technical service activities.

Here are online resources for more information:

USW – Reliable employees, reliable wheat – Information sheet

Official Grain Inspection and Weighing System

U.S. Department of Agriculture grain inspectors work to maintain America’s reputation for quality and support new markets

ATP funds and FGIS support importers with training on identifying wheat quality factors