United States Grain Standards Reauthorization Act of 2025

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4550) to reauthorize the United States Grain Standards Act, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak on behalf of the United States Grain Standards Reauthorization Act of 2025, a piece of legislation that is more than 100 years old and plays a vital role in preserving safety, quality, and a standard of excellence for the American grain industry.

If we want America to maintain its status as the safest, most abundant grain supply in the world, reauthorization of this act before several of its key provisions expire at the end of September is absolutely essential.

Originally passed in 1916, the United States Grain Standards Act gave the Federal Government the authority to set official marketing standards for grains and oilseeds. It also provided a framework for inspection and weighing procedures.

Because of the United States Grain Standards Act, the American grain industry has developed an enduring reputation for consistency and quality in the global market.

This vital tool plays a critical role in reinforcing the strength of our agriculture supply chain. It ensures that farmers, whether they grow corn, sorghum, soybeans, or any other grain, receive a fair price that reflects the quality of their crop. It allows buyers of U.S. grain to feel confident in the safety and quality of the products they need.

The United States Grain Standards Act also supports U.S. trade, a crucial part of the American farm economy. In 2024, the U.S. exported more than $26 billion of American grains. In just my home State of Pennsylvania alone, almost $100 million of corn and barley are exported every year.

These exports make a difference to the bottom line for family farmers in Pennsylvania and across our country.

American agriculture has certainly changed since 1916, and the United States Grain Standards Act continues to evolve with the times. The 2025 reauthorization of the act includes key improvements that will help grain standards continue to modernize while emphasizing cost- effectiveness from both government and industry.

This legislation promotes technological innovation by advancing grain grading tools to improve accuracy, efficiency, and consistency while giving USDA the flexibility to invest in critical technological upgrades. Annual reports on technological challenges and

solutions ensure Congress remains informed and transparency is maintained.

This bill will improve long-term financial management by allowing user fees to be deposited into interest-bearing trust funds. It also grants the Secretary authority to permit domestic grain inspection at export ports, facilitating faster, more flexible service where needed. Finally, it ensures that advisory committee members may continue serving until replacements are appointed, preserving expertise and continuity.

While much of the act is permanently authorized, such as mandatory inspection and weighing of exported grain, there are important provisions set to expire at the end of this month. A lapse in authorization would disrupt the current grain inspection and weighing process, cost the farm economy more than $70 million a day, and create serious consequences for American family farms, our supply chain, and our international trading partners. These disruptions are entirely avoidable.

We are doing our farmers and export partners a disservice if we don't do our jobs and get this critical piece of legislation across the finish line. Mr. Speaker, I hope you will join me in voting ``yes'' for the United States Grain Standards Reauthorization Act of 2025.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, first, I thank the gentlewoman from the Wheat State for her leadership on the Agriculture Committee and on this topic in particular.

Mr. Speaker, I now yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Austin Scott), chairman of the General Farm Commodities, Risk Management, and Credit Subcommittee and vice chair of the full Agriculture Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Kansas (Ms. Davids) for her passionate work on behalf of America's number one industry, agriculture, and on this specific piece of legislation.

I thank my good friend from Georgia (Mr. Austin Scott) for his leadership as subcommittee chair with the area of jurisdiction from which this bill comes.

Mr. Speaker, it is not too often we have the opportunity to take a piece of legislation that is over 100 years old in its origin and modernize it into the 21st century. That is what we have done with the technological advancements and the transparency.

I am very proud of the work that our Agriculture Committee has done. I certainly would encourage a ``yes'' vote on this piece of legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, first, I thank Chairman Thompson, Ranking Member Craig, and General Farm Commodities, Risk Management, and Credit Subcommittee Chairman Scott for their leadership on this bipartisan bill.

The United States Grain Standards Reauthorization Act of 2025 strengthens the United States Department of Agriculture's ability to improve grain grading technologies through flexibilities to pursue modernization. Using new technologies to improve grain grading is an opportunity to make the process more accurate, efficient, and consistent.

Additionally, the bill reauthorizes key USDA authorities for the grain inspection and grading system and clarifies existing law.

Reauthorizing the United States Grain Standards Act is critical for farmers and for the rest of the agricultural supply chain.

The inspections provided by the Federal Grain Inspection Service define and classify grains, as well as assign grades to specify weight and quality requirements.

These inspections provide a gold standard assurance backed by the U.S. Federal Government to both grain buyers and grain sellers.

I proudly represent Kansas, often called the Wheat State, where agriculture plays a critical role in our State's economy.

Kansas farmers feed not just the Nation but the entire world. In 2023 alone, Kansas farmers exported $5.2 billion in agricultural products around the world. Grain farmers in Kansas and across the country participate in a very competitive global market. Foreign grain buyers should be confident in the process we have in place to ensure that our exports are adequately inspected.

The bipartisan United States Grain Standards Reauthorization Act of 2025 is critical for the global grain trade. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Thompson, Ranking Member Craig, and Chairman Scott for their work on this bipartisan bill.

As a member of the House Committee on Agriculture, I have made it a priority to support family farmers and strengthen our supply chains because I know how vital they are to rural economies, to our global competitiveness, and to grocery costs.

To that end, the United States Grain Standards Reauthorization Act of 2025 is so important to ensuring the continuity and strength of our grain grading and inspection system. This is critical to farmers in Kansas and folks in the grain industry across the country.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this bipartisan bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to speak in support of H.R. 4550. This legislation reauthorizes the United States Grain Standards Act, a cornerstone of American agriculture and trade for nearly a century.

Mr. Speaker, I don't want to go any further without first thanking Chairman Thompson for his work, Ranking Member Craig for her work, and the gentlewoman from Kansas (Ms. Davids) for her work on this piece of legislation.

As chairman of the General Farm Commodities, Risk Management, and Credit Subcommittee, I, too, have seen firsthand the importance of this law. Earlier this year, we held a hearing with industry stakeholders to discuss the act's significance and explore ways to foster innovation.

The provisions in this bill ensure transparency, market confidence, and fair price discovery, all of which are essential to a functioning agricultural market.

H.R. 4550 not only reauthorizes this critical legislation, but also advances grain grading technology to modernize inspection and weighing services. These updates will help the industry adopt new technologies, improve the accuracy and the efficiency of grain standards, and keep American agriculture competitive in a global market.

Allowing this law's authority to lapse would have severe consequences, costing our farm economy over $70 million a day and disrupting supply chains and international trade partnerships.

Exports of grain and grain products in my home State of Georgia contribute over $900 million annually in economic output. The United States exports over $26 billion of grain on an annual basis. These numbers underscore the need for uninterrupted, reliable, and cost- effective inspection services.

H.R. 4550 protects these essential services and helps maintain the United States' reputation as the global standard in grain production.

I was proud to work with Ranking Member Davids on the General Farm Commodities, Risk Management, and Credit Subcommittee to hold a hearing that laid the groundwork for this reauthorization.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to support this bipartisan legislation, and I urge my colleagues to support its final passage.

Mr. Speaker, every summer, grains planted by hardworking Minessotans cover around 40 percent of my district.

U.S. grain standards are a key component of foreign trade and the promotion of American agricultural exports. The inspections and certifications done by the Federal Grain Inspection Service, states and private agencies provide foreign importers with certainty regarding the quality of the grain bought from U.S. farmers.

With parts of the existing U.S. Grain Standards Act set to expire on September 30, 2025,

I am proud to be the lead Democratic cosponsor to reauthorize and improve this law.

This bill before reauthorizes annual appropriations for standard development and maintenance, USDA's authority to collect fees for supervision of inspections and weighing, an administrative/supervisory cost cap and the Grain Inspection Advisory Committee. All important components of the existing law.

It also makes key improvements, not least of all directing the USDA to prioritize the modernization of grain grading technologies. The U.S. grain inspection system is known around the world for quality and reliability. By focusing USDA's attention on modernization, we can continue to hold our place as the world's gold standard in grain inspection.

Reauthorizing the U.S. Grain Standards Act is important for our farmers and their customers, and I urge all my colleagues to support this legislation.