Grain

Important Notice from the Nebraska Public Service Commission

We at the Nebraska Public Service Commission (PSC) are working to keep both the citizens we serve and the industries we regulate informed as we adapt to changes presented by the Coronavirus.
Please visit the PSC COVID-19 Information & Guidance page for the latest from the PSC.
We thank you for your patience and understanding as we adapt to this evolving situation

Grain

The Grain Department is responsible for the licensing and enforcement of the Grain Warehouse Act, the Grain Dealer Act, the Grain Moisture Meter and Mechanical Probe Inspection Program, as well as conducting soybean audits for the Nebraska Soybean Board.

Our philosophy is to create a regulatory environment that emphasizes safety and security for grain producers. By taking a proactive approach our goal is to minimize the risk to the entity’s that rely on the grain industry.

Mike Bartels serves as the Director of the Grain Department. He began his career at the PSC in April of 1986 as a Grain Warehouse Examiner and worked his way up to Assistant Director, a position he held for 25-years before taking over the Directors' role in January 2019. Mike holds a Bachelors Degree in Finance from the University of Nebraska Lincoln. During his nearly 33-years with the Commission, he has witnessed the introduction of paperless exams, the reduction of licensed elevators and the automation of moisture meters. He anticipates continued changes in the industry to include further consolidations and is looking forward to working through any challenges the changes may bring.

Grain Exam Wahoo
Grain Dept. Director Mike Bartels pays a visit to a Grain Storage facility in Wahoo

Grain Warehouse

State law requires that any person, partnership, corporation, limited liability company or association in the state who receives grain for storage, shipment, or both, must obtain a license for that purpose, except warehouses licensed under the U.S. Warehouse Act. All licensed warehouses are inspected at least once every twelve months to assure compliance with the law and Commission regulations. Each applicant must submit to a criminal background check by providing fingerprint cards to the Nebraska State Patrol.

Grain Exam Wahoo

Grain Dealer

Grain dealer means any person, partnership, limited liability company, corporation or association that (i) buys grain from the producer of the grain within this state for purposes of selling such grain or (ii) acts as an employee or agent of a buyer or seller for purposes of collective bargaining in the marketing of grain. Producers, or businesses, who sell their own grain or buy grain for feeding purposes are exempt from this licensing requirement. The minimum security filing requirement is $35,000 and maximum is $300,000. Each applicant must submit to a criminal background check by providing fingerprint cards to the Nebraska State Patrol.

Grain Moisture Meter and Probe Inspection Program

Every meter in Nebraska used to ascertain the moisture and test weight content of grain in connection with, or in any manner relating to, the storage, purchase or sale of grain, shall be tested and inspected annually by the Grain Department. Tolerances are established in conjunction with the standard as set by the United States Department of Agriculture. Yearly inspections are conducted on these meters by skilled inspectors who also maintain the Standards Laboratory in Lincoln, Nebraska.

The same inspectors are responsible for approval and disapproval of all mechanical probes for the taking of a sample from a load of grain to determine foreign material content.

GrainMeasure Grain Measure