Angie Craig: “Every summer, grains planted by hardworking Minnesotans cover around 40 percent of my district. U.S. grain standards are…”

“Every summer, grains planted by hardworking Minnesotans cover around 40 percent of my district. U.S. grain standards are a key component of foreign trade and the promotion of American agricultural exports. The inspections and certifications done by the Federal Grain Inspection Service, states and private agencies provide foreign importers with certainty regarding the quality of the grain bought from U.S. farmers. With parts of the existing U.S. Grain Standards Act set to expire on September 30, 2025, I am proud to be the lead Democratic cosponsor to reauthorize and improve this law. This bill before reauthorizes annual appropriations for standard development and maintenance, USDA's authority to collect fees for supervision of inspections and weighing, an administrative/supervisory cost cap and the Grain Inspection Advisory Committee. All important components of the existing law. It also makes key improvements, not least of all directing the USDA to prioritize the modernization of grain grading technologies. The U.S. grain inspection system is known around the world for quality and reliability. By focusing USDA's attention on modernization, we can continue to hold our place as the world's gold standard in grain inspection. Reauthorizing the U.S. Grain Standards Act is important for our farmers and their customers, and I urge all my colleagues to support this legislation.”