§79b. Testing of equipment

(a) Random and periodic testing at least annually; fees

The Secretary shall provide for the testing of all equipment used in the sampling, grading, inspection, and weighing for the purpose of official inspection, official weighing, or supervision of weighing of grain located at all grain elevators, warehouses, or other storage or handling facilities at which official inspection or weighing services are provided under this chapter, to be made on a random and periodic basis, but at least annually and under such regulations as the Secretary may prescribe, as the Secretary deems necessary to assure the accuracy and integrity of such equipment. Such regulations shall provide for the charging and collection of reasonable fees to cover the estimated costs to the Secretary incident to the performance of such testing by employees of the Secretary. Such fees shall be deposited into the fund created by section 79(j) of this title.

(b) Personnel to conduct testing

The Secretary is authorized to cause such testing provided for in subsection (a) of this section to be performed (1) by personnel employed by the Secretary, or (2) by States, political subdivisions thereof, or persons under the supervision of the Secretary, under such regulations as the Secretary may prescribe.

(c) Use of non-approved equipment prohibited

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person shall use for the purposes of this chapter any such equipment not approved by the Secretary.

(Aug. 11, 1916, ch. 313, pt. B, §7B, as added Pub. L. 94–582, §9, Oct. 21, 1976, 90 Stat. 2877 ; amended Pub. L. 95–113, title XVI, §1604(f), Sept. 29, 1977, 91 Stat. 1028 ; Pub. L. 103–156, §12(f), Nov. 24, 1993, 107 Stat. 1528 ; Pub. L. 103–354, title II, §293(a)(7), (8), Oct. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 3237 .)

Amendments

1994-Pub. L. 103–354 substituted "Secretary" for "Administrator" and "Service" wherever appearing.

1993-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 103–156, which directed amendment of "Section 7B(a)" by substituting "as the Administrator deems necessary" for "as he deems necessary", without specifying the name of the Act being amended, was executed to this section, which is section 7B of the United States Grain Standards Act, to reflect the probable intent of Congress.

1977-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 95–113, §1604(f)(1), (2), substituted "and weighing for the purpose of official inspection, official weighing, or supervision of weighing of grain located at all grain elevators" for "and weighing of grain located at all grain elevators" and inserted provisions that regulations provide for the charging and collection of reasonable fees to cover the estimated costs to the Service incident to the performance of testing by employees of the Service and that the fees be deposited into the fund created by section 79(j) of this title.

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 95–113, §1604(f)(3), substituted "shall use for the purposes of this chapter" for "shall use".

Effective Date of 1977 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 95–113 effective Oct. 1, 1977, see section 1901 of Pub. L. 95–113, set out as a note under section 1307 of this title.

Effective Date

For effective date of section, see Effective Date of 1976 Amendment note set out under section 74 of this title.

Section Referred to in Other Sections

This section is referred to in sections 87b, 87e, 87h of this title.