---
kind: "section"
citation: "7 U.S.C. § 87f–1"
title: "7"
title_heading: "Agriculture"
number: "87f–1"
heading: "Registration requirements"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/7/87f-1"
units:
  - "Chapter 3 — Grain Standards"
---

# §87f–1. Registration requirements

- (a) **General requirement—** The [Secretary](/usc/7/75.md?p=a) shall provide, by regulation, for the registration of all [persons](/usc/7/75.md?p=c) engaged in the business of buying [grain](/usc/7/75.md?p=g) for sale in foreign commerce, and in the business of handling, weighing, or transporting of [grain](/usc/7/75.md?p=g) for sale in foreign commerce. This section shall not apply to—
  - (1) any [person](/usc/7/75.md?p=c) who only incidentally or occasionally buys for sale, or handles, weighs, or transports [grain](/usc/7/75.md?p=g) for sale and is not engaged in the regular business of buying [grain](/usc/7/75.md?p=g) for sale, or handling, weighing, or transporting [grain](/usc/7/75.md?p=g) for sale;
  - (2) any producer of [grain](/usc/7/75.md?p=g) who only incidentally or occasionally sells or transports [grain](/usc/7/75.md?p=g) which the producer has purchased;
  - (3) any [person](/usc/7/75.md?p=c) who transports [grain](/usc/7/75.md?p=g) for hire and does not own a financial interest in such [grain](/usc/7/75.md?p=g); or
  - (4) any [person](/usc/7/75.md?p=c) who buys [grain](/usc/7/75.md?p=g) for feeding or processing and not for the purpose of reselling and only incidentally or occasionally sells such [grain](/usc/7/75.md?p=g) as [grain](/usc/7/75.md?p=g).
- (b) **Required information—**
  - (1) All [persons](/usc/7/75.md?p=c) required to register under this chapter shall submit the following information to the [Secretary](/usc/7/75.md?p=a):
    - (A) the name and principal address of the business,
    - (B) the names of all directors of such business,
    - (C) the names of the principal officers of such business,
    - (D) the names of all [persons](/usc/7/75.md?p=c) in a control relationship with respect to such business,
    - (E) a list of locations where the business conducts substantial operations, and
    - (F) such other information as the [Secretary](/usc/7/75.md?p=a) deems necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter.

    [Persons](/usc/7/75.md?p=c) required to register under this section shall also submit to the [Secretary](/usc/7/75.md?p=a) the information specified in clauses (A) through (F) of this paragraph with respect to any business engaged in the business of buying [grain](/usc/7/75.md?p=g) for sale in interstate commerce, and in the business of handling, weighing, or transporting of [grain](/usc/7/75.md?p=g) for sale in interstate commerce, if, with respect to such business, the [person](/usc/7/75.md?p=c) otherwise required to register under this section is in a control relationship.

  - (2) For the purposes of this section, a [person](/usc/7/75.md?p=c) shall be deemed to be in a “control relationship” with respect to a business required to register under [subsection (a)](#a) and with respect to applicable interstate businesses if—
    - (A) such [person](/usc/7/75.md?p=c) has an ownership interest of 10 per centum or more in such business, or
    - (B) a business or group of business entities, with respect to which such [person](/usc/7/75.md?p=c) is in a control relationship, has an ownership interest of 10 per centum or more in such business.
  - (3) For purposes of clauses [(A)](#b-2-A) and [(B)](#b-2-B) of paragraph (2) of this subsection, a [person](/usc/7/75.md?p=c) shall be considered to own the ownership interest which is owned by his or her spouse, minor children, and relatives living in the same household.
- (c) **Certificate of registration—** The [Secretary](/usc/7/75.md?p=a) shall issue a certificate of registration to [persons](/usc/7/75.md?p=c) who comply with the provisions of this section. The certificate of registration issued in accordance with this section shall be renewed annually. If there has been any change in the information required under [subsection (b)](#b), the [person](/usc/7/75.md?p=c) holding such certificate shall, within thirty days of the discovery of such change, notify the [Secretary](/usc/7/75.md?p=a) of such change. No [person](/usc/7/75.md?p=c) shall engage in the business of buying [grain](/usc/7/75.md?p=g) for sale in foreign commerce, and in the business of handling, weighing, or transporting of [grain](/usc/7/75.md?p=g) in foreign commerce unless the [person](/usc/7/75.md?p=c) has registered with the [Secretary](/usc/7/75.md?p=a) as required by this chapter and has an unsuspended and unrevoked certificate of registration.
- (d) **Suspension or registration of certificate of registration—** The [Secretary](/usc/7/75.md?p=a) may suspend or revoke any certificate of registration issued under this section whenever, after the [person](/usc/7/75.md?p=c) holding such certificate has been afforded an opportunity for a hearing in accordance with sections [554](/usc/5/554.md), [556](/usc/5/556.md), and [557](/usc/5/557.md) of title 5, the [Secretary](/usc/7/75.md?p=a) shall determine that such [person](/usc/7/75.md?p=c) has violated any provision of this chapter or of the regulations promulgated thereunder, or has been convicted of any violation involving the handling, weighing, or inspection of [grain](/usc/7/75.md?p=g) under title 18.
- (e) **Fees—** The [Secretary](/usc/7/75.md?p=a) shall charge and collect fees from any [person](/usc/7/75.md?p=c) registered under this section. The amount of such fees shall be determined on the basis of the costs of the [Secretary](/usc/7/75.md?p=a) in administering the registration required by this section. Such fees shall be deposited in, and used as part of, the fund described in [section 79(j) of this title](/usc/7/79.md?p=j).

## Source credit

(Aug. 11, 1916, ch. 313, pt. B, § 17A, as added Pub. L. 94–582, § 22, Oct. 21, 1976, 90 Stat. 2886; amended Pub. L. 95–113, title XVI, § 1604(l), Sept. 29, 1977, 91 Stat. 1029; Pub. L. 103–156, § 12(p), Nov. 24, 1993, 107 Stat. 1529; Pub. L. 103–354, title II, § 293(a)(7), Oct. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 3237.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1994—Subsecs. (a), (b)(1), (c) to (e). Pub. L. 103–354 substituted “Secretary” for “Administrator” wherever appearing.

1993—Pub. L. 103–156, § 12(p), which directed amendment of “Section 17A”, without specifying the name of the Act being amended, was executed to this section, which is section 17A of the United States Grain Standards Act, to reflect the probable intent of Congress.

Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 103–156, § 12(p)(1), substituted “the producer” for “he”.

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 103–156, § 12(p)(2), substituted “the person” for “he” in last sentence.

1977—Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 95–113 substituted “All persons required to register” for “All persons registered” in provisions preceding subpar. (A).

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1977 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 95–113 effective Oct. 1, 1977, see section 1901 of Pub. L. 95–113, set out as a note under section 1307 of this title.

### Effective Date

Section effective 30 days after Oct. 21, 1976, see section 27 of Pub. L. 94–582, as amended, set out as an Effective Date of 1976 Amendment note under section 74 of this title.