The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“TESTING FOR DEOXYNIVALENOL IN BARLEY” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Agriculture was published in the Senate section on pages S1741-S1742 on March 1, 2001.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
TESTING FOR DEOXYNIVALENOL IN BARLEY
Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I believe the Senator from Indiana, the chairman of the Agriculture Committee, is aware that barley growers are concerned about the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration testing of deoxynivalenol, or DON, levels in malting barley. Is that correct?
Mr. LUGAR. The Senator from North Dakota is correct. Identifying the presence of DON in malting barley is important because the presence of DON reduces the price producers receive for their barley. Malting barley purchasers are affected because DON can affect the characteristics of the products they make with that barley.
Mr. CONRAD. Many malting barley growers believe that current GIPSA measurement standards are unacceptable. When the Congress reauthorized the Grain Standards Act late last year, the Senator and I discussed these measurement standards. The Senate suggests that the Federal Grain Inspection Program Grain Standards division of GIPSA consider new technology that would allow for the more accurate measurement of DON in barley.
Mr. LUGAR. We also suggest that GIPSA consider ceasing the use of the
``Optional Procedure,'' under which they measure to the tenth of one part per million, and use only the ``Standard Procedure,'' where measurements are rounded to the nearest whole number.
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