The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announced the 2023/2024 rates it will charge for voluntary grading, inspection, certification, auditing and laboratory services for various agricultural commodities, including fruits and vegetables, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture
The rates for regular, overtime, holiday and laboratory services will be applied at the beginning of the crop year, fiscal year or as required by law depending on the commodity.
This year, cost-based analyses indicated a need to increase user fee rates for the Specialty Crops Inspection Division grading and audit services. While cost-saving measures have and will continue to be implemented, user fee rate increases are required to offset rising operational costs. In those instances where current rates are sufficient to cover the costs of providing the service, user fee rates remain unchanged.
Some of the specialty crop fees for fresh fruits and vegetables include: Quality and condition inspections for whole lots ($242 per lot); quality and condition half lot or condition-only inspections for whole lots ($200 per lot); quality and condition or condition-only inspections for additional lots of the same product ($110 per lot); charge per individual product for dockside inspection ($242 per lot); audit services (federal and state-$155).
The newly announced rates are also in place for other commodities like meat and poultry, eggs, dairy products, rice, cotton and tobacco.
Producers should contact their local Specialty Crops Inspection Division office for additional information.