Article
Grain inspection implementation plan
Published: 04/05/2023
Industry associations and stakeholders in the grain and oilseed value chain prepared a statement of principles for grain inspections in 2022. The Statement of Principles was provided to the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) in June 2022. This statement is non-binding and does not supplant or replace the administrative process for the determination of Leaf’s methodology and fees.
On 6 December 2022, the DALLRRD informed stakeholders in the grain industry that Leaf Services appointed the University of Pretoria’s STATOMET division to establish a statistical basis for inspection frequency. The outcome of the study will form the basis for determining the proposed methodology and inspection fees. Leaf Services intended to commence with the inspection of grain and grain products during August 2023.
By April 2023, Leaf Services informed the DALRRD and the industry that the study was more complex than anticipated. Leaf Services now have a sense of changes required to the methodology and are updating the financial model accordingly. The changes to the financial model are significant. Leaf Services met with the DALRRD to discuss the STATOMET report.
Preliminary indications are that the Leaf Services will focus on the improvement of industry compliance. Furthermore, it is determined that cost optimisation is possible and fair. According to Mauritz de Kock of
Leaf Services, this will make current self-regulation visible as low-risk role-players will receive minimum inspections and higher risk score role-players will be frequently inspected. The proposed methodology will allow higher-risk role-players to move to low risk as compliance improves. – Agbiz Grain