456 ANNUAL KEPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



On July 15, 1018, the standards for both shelled corn and wheat 

 were revised. The revision in the case of the corn standards was 

 slight, while the changes in the wheat grades were greater. As a 

 result of these changes the percentage of the 1918 crop of wheat 

 which fell into the higher grades was considerably higher than the 

 percentage of the 1917 crop so falling. Available data shoAv aiso 

 that a larger percentage of the 1917 crop, which was graded by the 

 original standards, fell into the top grades than would have been true 

 had former diverse State and local standards been applied. The 

 fixed price for wheat, which was based upon the Federal grades, re- 

 sulted in the use of these grades in practically all sales of Avheat made 

 throughout the United States during this period, and consequently 

 close cooperation was maintained with the Grain Corporation of the 

 Food Administration. 



On June 16, 1919, the Federal standards for oats were made effec- 

 tive and seem to be giving general satisfaction. These standards 

 had been discussed with producers, grain shippers, elevators, ware- 

 housemen, and other members of the trade prior to their publication 

 and public hearings also were held. The grades also were tried out 

 experimentally for several wrecks before they were finally put into 

 effect. 



As the residt of conferences with representative members of the 

 grain trade a committee Avas selected late in the fiscal year to investi- 

 gate conditions at inspection points east of the Eocky Mountains. 

 This committee was selected by the grain trade and was composed 

 of representatives of the Grain Dealers' National Association, the 

 National Council of Farmers' Cooperative Associations, the Council 

 of Grain Exchanges, the Millers' National Federation, and the Car 

 Service Section of the Railroad Administration. All phases of the 

 work performed in enforcing the grain standards act were consid- 

 ered, and the report of the committee shows that the trade and most 

 of the inspection departments consider the Federal standards satis- 

 factory when uniform methods and equipment are used, and that 

 where proper cooperation was maintained between the various 

 agencies concerned the enforcement of the act was proceeding in an 

 entirely satisfactory manner. The committee recommended that an 

 amendment to the grain standards act should be made in order to 

 permit the entertaining of appeals on the grading of intrastate ship- 

 ments by licensed inspectors and that grain samplers should be 

 licensed under the act in the same manner that inspectors are licensed. 



It became evident at the beginning of the fiscal year that closer 

 contact with the actual work of supervision, inspection, and grading 

 was necessary, and in January a field headquarters office was estab- 

 lished at Chicago, 111., within one night's travel of most of the great 

 grain markets of the country. 



Chicago also was made the headquarters of the board established 

 during the past fiscal year to review the grade determinations made 

 in the 35 branch offices. Since its organization during the past fiscal 

 year, this board has reviewed 3,837 samples submitted by the various 

 supervision offices and considered appeals from shippers who were 

 dissatisfied with the decisions made by supervisors on appeals from 

 inspections by licensed inspectors. This board also has reviewed, 

 analyzed, and tabulated its findings with regard to 1,500 samples of 

 oats from various supervision offices, and has prepared 185 type trays 



