(a) Meaning of terms. For the purpose of this section, the following terms shall have the meaning given for them below:

(1) Grain business. The term “grain business” shall include (i) any entity that is engaged in the commercial transportation, storage, merchandising or other commercial handling of grain, which includes: The commercial buying, selling, transporting, cleaning, elevating, storing, binning, mixing, blending, drying, treating, fumigating, or other preparation of grain (other than as a grower of grain or the disposition of inspection samples); the cleaning, treating, or fitting of carriers or containers for transporting or storing of grain; the merchandising of equipment for cleaning, drying, treating, fumigating, or other processing, handling, or storing of grain; the merchandising of grain inspection and weighing equipment (other than the buying or selling by an agency or official personnel of the equipment for their exclusive use in the performance of their official inspection or Class X or Class Y weighing services); and the commercial use of official inspection and Class X or Class Y weighing services and (ii) any board of trade, chamber of commerce, grain exchange, or other trade group composed, in whole or in part, of one or more such entities.

(2) Interest. The term “interest” when used with respect to an individual, shall include the interest of a spouse, minor child, or blood relative who resides in the immediate household of the individual.

(3) Related. The term “related” when used in reference to a business or governmental entity means an entity that owns or controls another entity, or is owned or controlled by another entity, or both entities are owned or controlled by another entity.

(4) Substantial stockholder. The term “substantial stockholder” means any person holding 2 per centum or more, or 100 shares or more of the voting stock of the corporation, whichever is the lesser interest.

(b) Prohibited conflicts of interest. Unless waived on a case-by-case basis by the Administrator under section 11(b)(5) or the Act, the following conflicts of interest for a business or association are prohibited:

(1) Agency and contractor. No agency or contractor, or any member, director, officer, or employee thereof, and no business or governmental entity related to any such agency or contractor, shall be employed in or otherwise engaged in, or directly or indirectly have any stock or other financial interest in, any grain business or otherwise have any conflict of interest specified in § 800.187(b).

(2) Grain business. No grain business or governmental entity conducting any such business, or any member, director, officer, or employee thereof, and no other business or governmental entity related to any such entity, shall operate or be employed by, or directly or indirectly have any stock or other financial interest in, any agency or contractor.

(3) Stockholder in any agency or contractor. No substantial stockholder in any agency or contractor shall be employed in or otherwise engaged in, or be a substantial stockholder in, any grain business, or directly or indirectly have any other kind of financial interest in any such business or otherwise have any conflict of interest specified in § 800.187(b).

(4) Stockholder of a grain business. No substantial stockholder in any grain business shall operate or be employed by or be a substantial stockholder in, or directly or indirectly have any other kind of financial interest in an incorporated agency or contractor.

(5) Gratuity. No person described in paragraph (b)(1) of this section shall give to or accept from a person described in paragraph (b)(2) of this section any gratuity, and no person described in paragraph (b)(2) of this section shall give to or accept from a person described in paragraph (b)(1) of this section any gratuity. A “gratuity” is defined in § 800.187(a).

(c) Exempt conflicts of interest—(1) Agency and contractor. An agency or contractor may use laboratory or office space or inspection, weighing, transportation, or office equipment that is owned or controlled, in whole or in part, by a grain business or related entity when the use of the space or equipment is approved by the Service for the performance of onsite official services under the Act.

(2) Financial institution. A bona fide financial institution that has a financial relationship with one or more grain businesses or related entities may have a financial relationship with an agency, contractor, or related agency.

(3) Grain business. A grain business or related entity may furnish laboratory or office space or inspection, weighing, transportation, or office equipment for use by an agency, contractor, or field office when use of the space or equipment is approved by the Service for the performance of onsite official inspection or weighing services.

(d) Disposition of a conflict of interest. Upon being informed that a prohibited conflict of interest exists in the ownership, management, or operation of an agency and that remedial action is required, the agency shall take immediate action to resolve that conflict of interest and inform the Service of the action taken. An agency which believes that remedial action will cause undue economic hardship or other irreparable harm may request a waiver by forwarding to the Service a written statement setting forth the facts, the circumstances, and the reasons for requesting a waiver.