2023/2024 RATES FOR SPECIALTY CROPS INSPECTION GRADING AND AUDIT SERVICES

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announced the 2023/2024 rates they will charge for voluntary grading, inspection, certification, auditing, and laboratory services for a variety of agricultural commodities including meat and poultry, fruits and vegetables, eggs, dairy products, rice, cotton, and tobacco. The 2023/2024 regular, overtime, holiday, and laboratory services rates will be applied at the beginning of the crop year, fiscal year, or as required by law depending on the commodity. The Federal Register notice that published on May 22, 2023, establishes the rates for user funded programs based on costs incurred by AMS, including for the services provided by the Specialty Crops Inspection (SCI) Division. This year, cost-based analyses indicated the need to increase user fee rates for SCI’s grading and audit services. While cost-saving measures have and will continue to be implemented, user fee rate increases are necessary to offset rising operational costs. In cases where current rates are sufficient to cover the costs of providing the service, user fee rates remain unchanged. USDA’s fees are effective 10/1/23. However, for Washington State, the fee increase effective date may change depending on when Washington State Department of Agriculture rulemaking goes into effect. WSDA will provide updates as they move through the rulemaking process.