H. Sublot sample.-A sample representing a portion or all of a shiplot which is analyzed to determine the quality of grain to be loaded or that is being loaded. I. Subsample.--A sample which is a portion of a component sample that is collected and examined for the purpose of determining the factors; condition (heating), odor, distinctly low quality, or weevily. III. Sublot sizes for bulk grain A. Maximum Sized Sublots.-Maximum sized sublots of grain, for the most part, shall be based on the normal hourly loading rate of the elevator but shall not exceed 60,000 bushels or the equivalent in tons. Other factors to consider shall be the size of the lot offered for inspection, the quality control of the elevator, the method of sampling, and efficiency of the inspection arrangement. Except for the first and last sublot aboard, the sublots shall be reasonably uniform in size with the established norm of predetermined size. The first sublot shall not be less than 5 percent of the norm or the average size of the remaining sublots. The last sublot shall not amount to less than 5 percent of the average size of the sublots unless after the finishing sublot is loaded aboard the National Cargo Bureau (NCB) surveyor, port surveyor, ship's captain or other person responsible for the security of the vessel, indicates that more grain must be loaded abroad for vessel security. The additional amount ordered will be considered as the last sublot and will be graded, logged, and certificated accordingly. In no instance will an amount of grain less than 5 percent of the sublot norm be considered as a part of the lot being loaded when it is obvious that the remaining grain was delayed in loading in order to get a later certification date. Smaller sized sublots (less than the norm) or more than the minimum number of sublots shall be agreed upon before the loading of the grain and inspection commences. Extra inspection personnel may be needed for the analyses of smaller sized sublots when an elevator elects to deviate from the sublot size customarily used. When an elevator plans in advance of loading to deviate from the normal sized sublot, the official inspection personnel shall be given as much advance notice as possible. B. Minimum Number of Sublots.-The minimum number of sublots for a lot shall be based on the following guidelines: A. Declared grade.-Prior to the beginning of loading or the elevation of grain for loading, the applicant for inspection shall declare the complete grade, any special requirements, and the approximate number of tons or bushels to be loaded. This information is necessary so that the official inspection personnel can apply the applicable tolerances and the rules of this auxiliary. Two lots of the same or different grade may be simultaneously loaded under this auxiliary provided that the rules of this auxiliary are separately applied to each lot. However, grain cannot be offered for inspection as one lot and applied to two declared lots of different grades. B. Cut-offs. When loading has started under this inspection plan, a cut-off for a finished lot (short of the approximate declared amount) can be called before the sampling of the next sublot is completed, provided that no advanced official inspection results (except subsamples) have been made known to the applicant for inspection. In addition, when a cut-off is called for (short of the approximate declared amount), one of the last two sublots (immediately prior to the cut-off) must be within grade (at the grade factor limit or better in quality for all factors) or both sublots shall be considered as a material portion. After a cut-off (end of lot), a new lot of the same or different grade can be started, either under this inspection plan or on a different inspection plan. 2 Bushels or the equivalent in tons may be used interchangeably throughout this auxiliary. 3 Trained personnel who (1) advise the masters of vessels, pier and port officials on proper stowage of cargo, (2) assist in seeing that stowage is properly executed, and (3) upon completion of proper loading, issue a certificate which is accepted as prima facie evidence of compliance with the Coast Guard regulations governing the stowage and carriage of bulk grain. C. Subsamples.-Subsamples of grain shall be taken from each belt, mechanical sampler, moving stream of grain, etc., (at the sampling point) throughout loading and examined for condition (heating), objectionable odors, distinctly low quality factors, or live weevil. If a subsample is found to be heating, musty, sour, or sample grade on some other factor, or weevily, the grain represented by that subsample shall be considered as a material portion and logged and certificated accordingly. D. Component Samples.-Component samples (two or more portions of a sublot) shall be obtained by an approved sampling method and visually examined by the licensed inspector for the purpose of determining the uniformity in quality of the grain with other component samples. If two or more component samples (may be taken from different belts, mechanical samplers, or holds-when pelican sampling) appear to be uniform in quality, the licensed inspector may representatively combine and grade them as a sublot sample. This paragraph applies only to elevators using shipping bins. When component samples of grain each represent a shipping bin, not more than two component samples may be combined and graded as a sublot sample. Also, the component samples shall be combined by pairs in the order that the shipping bins are completed. In no instance may component samples representing shipping bins, be combined in a certain order as requested by the applicant for inspection. For example, 7 shipping bins are being simultaneously filled. The completion times were as follows: Shipping bin No. 1, 8:15 a.m. Shipping bin No. 7, 9:15 a.m. If uniform in quality, the component samples representing the grain in the shipping bins will be combined as pairs and graded as sublot samples in the following manner : Shipping bin Nos. 1 and 3 (8:15 a.m. and 8:21 a.m.). If any of the component samples appear to be non-uniform, analyze that component sample for the non-uniform factor. If the non-uniform factor result exceeds the grade factor limit by more than one numerical grade or the equivalent for the grade of the grain being loaded, the grain represented by that component sample shall be considered as a material portion. However, if the component sample result for the non-uniform factor is not more than one numerical grade lower than the declared grade being loaded, the two or more components shall be representatively combined and graded as a sublot. Once combined and graded as a sublot, there shall be no going back and analyzing the other component samples to determine which components do or do not meet the grade factor limit (s). When in advance of loading, special component sample factor analysis is requested for quality control purposes (i.e., each component analyzed mechanically for a particular factor), additional inspection personnel may be needed to keep up with the loading. Also, when performing quality control component sample factor analysis, record each component result in the "remarks" column on the log with the weighted average results of the components shown in the appropriate column as the sublot result. However, if a component factor result is more than one numerical grade lower than the contracted grade, the grain represented by that component sample shall be considered as a material portion. Only one mechanical determination shall be made on component samples. If the inspection results of a component sample (s) exceed the declared grade limit by not more than one numerical grade, the determination of whether or not there is a material portion shall be based on the sublot average results (weighted average of the components) and the applicable rules of this auxiliary. 4 "One numerical grade or the equivalent" can be used interchangeably throughout this instruction. "Equivalent" shall be defined as 0.5 percent dockage in wheat. E. Sublot samples.--Component samples which are not designated as a material portion shall be composited and graded (except for mechanically determined factors) under special component analysis as a sublot sample. Each sublot sample shall be analyzed for the applicable factors and the results recorded to the nearest tenth percent or pound on the "Ship Loading Log," Form GR-380, in the order that sampling was completed. When a sublot factor analysis result (except those determined from the weighted average of the component samples) exceeds the grade factor limit, or the absolute limit, a second portion shall be "cut" from the work sample and analyzed for the applicable factor. When two analyses are made, show each individual result in the remarks column on the log. The average of the two determinations shall be used for the purpose of determining whether there is or is not a material portion present. If a sublot is designated as a material portion, all the component samples in that sublot average shall be considered as a material portion regardless of whether individual component results are or are not within the grade factor limit requirements. 1. Absolute Limit (AL).-If a sublot factor result exceeds the absolute limit for the grade being loaded, the sublot shall be considered as off-grade and a material portion. See Table 1-23 for the applicable absolute limits. Sublot factor results that exceed the absolute limit shall count against the progressive loading limit and the block limit. 2. Progressive Loading Limit.-A sublot result may exceed the grade factor limit (but not the AL) without being considered a material portion, provided that the frequency of such sublots does not exceed the progressive loading limit (see Table 24). The progressive loading limit is applied on a factor-by-factor basis, i.e., a sublot result over the grade limit on broken corn and foreign material (bcfm) and the same or another sublot result over the grade limit on moisture would count as only one sublot against the progressive loading limit for bcfm and one against the progressive loading limit for bcfm and one against the progressive loading limit for moisture. For small lots of grain with three or less sublots, no sublot factor result may exceed the contracted grade factor limit without being considered as off-grade and a material portion (see Table 24). If at the beginning of loading the inspector knows, on the basis of the lot size, that there will be four or more sublots, one sublot factor result over the grade limit (but not the AL) will be permitted on each factor anywhere during the loading of the first seven (7) sublots (see Table 24). For example, a shiplot of U.S. No. 2 Yellow Soybeans, consisting of approximately 25 sublots is being loaded. Sublot No. 3 is found to contain 14.3 percent moisture. Sublot No. 3 would be considered as within grade and not a material portion, provided it was not part of a block (described in IVE3). If in the above example, the applicant for inspection called for a "cut off" as a completed lot after the loading of sublot No. 3, then the rules of the auxiliary would have to be reapplied. In this instance, sublot No. 3 would then be considered as a material portion under the progressive loading limit. If the "cut off" had not been called for and sublot No. 6 was found to contain 14.4 percent moisture, only sublot No. 6 will be considered as exceeding the progressive loading limit and a material portion. The progressive loading limit only allows one sublot over the grade limit (pre factor) during the loading of the first seven (7) sublots. If the allowances in the progressive loading limit are not used during the early part of loading, they may be used at a later point provided that the progressive loading limit is not exceeded For example, if none of the first fourteen (14) sublot results exceed the grade limit for a given factor, three sublots could then exceed the grade factor limit during the loading of sublot Nos. 14-21 and not be considered a material portion, provided that there is not a block and they do not exceed an AL. Sublot results exceeding the absolute limit shall count towards the progressive loading limit and the block limit, but alone shall not result in the progressive loading limits being reapplied (as described in IVE4). 3. Block Limit.-A "block" consists of three or more consecutive sublots that exceed the same grade factor limit. When a block is found during loading, all the sublots included in the block shall be considered as a material portion. The returning or unloading of only one or more of the sublots in a block does not remove the material portion designation from any of the remaining sublot (s) included in the block. 4. Action after a Material Portion (AMP).—When a material portion is found because the progressive loading limit or the block limit is exceeded or the action after a material portion rule is violated, the limits shall be reapplied as though loading had just begun and the progressive loading allowances are lost. When the limits are to be reapplied, begin renumbering the sublots (starting with the first sublot after the last sublot of the material portion) on the log as 1A, 2A, 3A, etc. If a second material portion is found because the progressive loading limit or the block limit, are exceeded, begin renumbering the sublots as 1B, 2B, 3B, etc. In addition, anytime there is a material portion because the progressive loading limit or the block limit is exceeded, or the action after a material portion rule is violated, the next five sublot results must be within grade on the factor that caused the material portion designation. For example, if sublot No. 18 exceeded the progressive loading limit for moisture, the next 5 consecutive sublots must be within grade on moisture. If one of the sublot moisture results is over the grade factor limit, that sublot shall be designated as a material portion and the limits must be reapplied as though loading has just begun and renumbered accordingly. 5. Discharge or Return of Material Portions to Elevator.-Any grain designated as a material portion (because the absolute limit, progressive loading limit, block limit, or action after a material portion limit are exceeded) may be re-elevated or retained by the elevator (shipping bin houses) or removed by discharging (houses loading direct to vessel) from the ship in lieu of separate export certification showing the grain loaded aboard the vessel. If a sublot result exceeded the allowable number in the progressive loading limit and another previously loaded sublot exceeded the same grade factor requirement but was within the progressive loading limit,' the most accessible sublot (of the 2) may be discharged in lieu of the other sublot. 6. Holding Grain in Shipping Bins for Another Lot.-Occasionally, more grain than is needed for a declared lot is elevated, graded, and held in a shipping bin. When this occurs, a completed and graded shipping bin can be held for a subsequent shipment provided that the next lot is for the same grade and that the 88hour time limit has not expired. However, if a portion of a completed and graded shipping bin has been loaded aboard the vessel, the remainder of the shipping bin (sublot) cannot be applied towards a different lot because the weights would not be accurate, and also (because some of the grain has been removed) the identification has been lost. (See Section 26.17 of the regulations.) An off-grade shipping bin cannot be held over for a subsequent lot of any grade. F. Final Grade. The final grade and factor results of the lot, for certification purposes, shall be computed in accordance with Part IV, "Determining Weighted or Mathematical Average Factor Information" of GR Instruction 918-6, Aux. 9, "Weighted Averages." Part VIII "Certification" of the same auxiliary shall be used in preparing the official inspection certificate. V. Better grade or quality grain Section 26.14(f) of the regulations under the U.S. Grain Standards Act is applicable and should be followed when the nonuniform quality of the grain is better than or superior in grade when compared to the grade to be loaded. VI. Effective date This inspection procedure becomes effective as follows: Elevators with shipping bins-October 1, 1974 (All grains). All export elevators-November 1, 1975 (All grains). When performing inspection under this procedure, no allowances for variations shall be made by official inspection personnel other than as provided in this auxiliary. This auxiliary implements Section 26.14 of the regulations under the U.S. Grain Standards Act and does not establish a new or revised substantive rule. For the purpose of Section 26.14 (b) (2) of the regulation, under this inspection procedure, only those portions which are identified as "material portions" shall be deemed to be a "portion of off-grade" grain which is of an inferior grade. W. T. WISHECK, Chief, Grain Inspection Branch. Attachments. 1 Red Durum Wheat of any grade may contain not more than 10 percent of wheat of other classes. 2 There shall be no tolerance for these factors when any one is the degrading factor(s). U.S. Sample grade shall be wheat which does not meet the requirements for any of the grades from U.S. No. 1 to U.S. No. 5, inclusive; or which contains more than two crotalaria seeds (Crotalaria spp.) in 1,000 g. of grain, or contains castor beans (Ricinus communis), stones, broken glass, animal filth, an unknown foreign substance(s), or a commonly recognized harmful or toxic substance(s); or which is musty, sour, or heating; or which has any commercially objectionable foreign oder except of smut or garlic; or which contains a quantity of smut so great that any one or more of the grade requirements cannot be applied accurately; or which is otherwise of distinctly low quality. |