470 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



grading of grain, since the putting into operation of the provisions 

 of the United States grain standards act, has been placed on a uni- 

 form and sounder basis. 



DETERMINATION OF DISPUTES AND APPEALS. 



Work on the determination of disputes and appeals is directed by 

 Mr. E. G. Boerner. 



Appeals from the inspection and grading of grain by licensed 

 inspectors are filed by parties to the transactions with the Office of 

 Federal Grain Supervision in the district in which the inspection 

 and grading were performed. The supervisor in charge of such office 

 determines the jurisdiction to entertain the appeal, causes official 

 samples of such grain to be taken and analysis determinations made, 

 and issues to the respective parties to the transaction memoranda of 

 the true grade of the grain. The record of such appeal or dispute is 

 forwarded to the Washington office, together with advance costs 

 collected from the appealing party. The advance deposits are trans- 

 mitted by the Washington office to the disbursing officer of the de- 

 partment, the record of the appeal is carefully checked, and review 

 is made of the analysis separations of the samples of grain involved. 

 The formal findings of the Secretary of Agi'iculture covering the 

 appeal are then prepared and sent to the party, with nnj refund 

 due after deducting from the advance costs the costs incurred by the 

 department. Refunds of the entire deposit are made in cases 

 where the appeal is sustained. The costs assessed by the depart- 

 ment are covered into the Treasury of the United States. 



From December 1, 1916. to June 30, 1917, 300 appeals and 1 dis- 

 pute were filed with the Offices of Federal Grain Supervision. Seven 

 appeals were dismissed for lack of jurisdiction and 293 were enter- 

 tained. In 83 such cases the complaint was found justified, the 

 appeal sustained, and refund made of the costs deposited with the 

 department. In 210 cases the grade assigned by the licensed in- 

 spector was determined to be correct, the appeal was not sustained, 

 and the costs assessed were covered into the Treasury. 



LABORATORY METHODS AND PROCEDURE. 



Much assistance has been rendered to members of the grain trade, 

 to grain inspectors, and to the grain inspection departments of 

 boards of trade, grain exchanges, and other organizations with re- 

 gard to the proper methods and procedure employed in the sampling, 

 testing, and analyzing of grain. Standardized methods have been 

 developed in the entire procedure of laboratory work of the Offices 

 of Federal Grain Supervision in the field, and detailed instructions 

 in the handling of appeal and dispute samples and samples of grain 

 secured in the supervision work proper have been j)repared and dis- 

 tributed to such offices. Laboratory equipment in the Offices of 

 Federal Grain Supervision and at the Washington office has been 

 arranged for and installed with a view to absolute uniformity in the 

 work performed. The laboratory equipment in such offices has been 

 standardized and the working conditions in the laboratories made 

 uniform in so far as the available space would permit. 



