(a) General. Requests shall be made with the field office responsible for the area in which the original service was performed. Requests for Board appeal inspections may be made with the Board of Appeals and Review or the field office that performed the appeal inspection. Verbal requests must be confirmed in writing, upon request, as specified in § 868.21. Copies of request forms may be obtained from the field office upon request. If at the time the request is made the documentation required by § 868.21 is not available, official personnel may, at their discretion, withhold service pending the receipt of the required documentation.

(b) Request requirements. (1) This subparagraph is applicable to rice inspection only. Except as may be agreed upon by the interested persons, the application shall be made: (i) Before the rice has left the place where the inspection being appealed was performed and (ii) no later than the close of business on the second business day following the date of the inspection being appealed. However, the Administrator may extend the time requirement as deemed necessary.

(2) Subject to the limitations of paragraph (b)(3) of this section, the applicant may request that an appeal inspection be based on: (i) The file sample or (ii) a new sample. However, an appeal inspection shall be based on a new sample only if the lot can positively be identified by official personnel as the one that was previously inspected and the entire lot is available and accessible for sampling and inspection. Board appeals shall be on the basis of the file sample.

(3) An appeal inspection shall be limited to a review of the sampling procedure and an analysis of the file sample when, as a result of a previous inspection, the commodity was found to be contaminated with filth (other than insect fragments in nongraded processed products) or to contain a deleterious substance. If it is determined that the sampling procedures were improper, a new sample shall be obtained if the lot can be positively identified as the lot which was previously inspected and the entire lot is available and accessible for sampling and inspection.