Every official agency, every State agency delegated authority under this chapter, and every person licensed to perform any official inspection or official weighing or supervision of weighing function under this chapter shall maintain such samples of officially inspected grain and such other records as the Secretary may by regulation prescribe for the purpose of administration and enforcement of this chapter.

Every official agency, every State agency delegated authority under this chapter, and every person licensed to perform any official inspection or official weighing or supervision of weighing function under this chapter required to maintain records under this section shall keep such records for a period of five years after the inspection, weighing, or transaction, which is the subject of the record, occurred: Provided, That grain samples shall be required to be maintained only for such period not in excess of ninety days as the Secretary, after consultation with the grain trade and taking into account the needs and circumstances of local markets, shall prescribe; and in specific cases other records may be required by the Secretary to be maintained for not more than three years in addition to the five-year period whenever in the judgment of the Secretary the retention of such records for the longer period is necessary for the effective administration and enforcement of this chapter.

Every official agency, every State agency delegated authority under this chapter, and every person licensed to perform any official inspection or official weighing or supervision of weighing function under this chapter required to maintain records under this section shall permit any authorized representative of the Secretary or the Comptroller General of the United States to have access to, and to copy, such records at all reasonable times. The Secretary shall, from time to time, perform audits of official agencies and State agencies delegated authority of this chapter in such manner and at such periodic intervals as the Secretary deems appropriate.

Every State, political subdivision thereof, or person who is the owner or operator of a commercial grain elevator, warehouse, or other storage or handling facility or is engaged in the merchandising of grain other than as a producer, and who, at any time, has obtained or obtains official inspection or weighing services shall maintain such complete and accurate rec­ords for such period of time as the Secretary may, by regulation, prescribe for the purpose of the administration and enforcement of this chapter, and permit any authorized representative of the Secretary, at all reasonable times, to have access to, and to copy, such records and to have access to any grain elevator, warehouse, or other storage or handling facility used by such persons for handling of grain.

(Aug. 11, 1916, ch. 313, pt. B, § 12, as added Pub. L. 90–487, § 1, Aug. 15, 1968, 82 Stat. 766; amended Pub. L. 94–582, § 14, Oct. 21, 1976, 90 Stat. 2882; Pub. L. 95–113, title XVI, §§ 1601, 1604(i), Sept. 29, 1977, 91 Stat. 1024, 1029; Pub. L. 103–156, § 12(k), Nov. 24, 1993, 107 Stat. 1529; Pub. L. 103–354, title II, § 293(a)(5)–(7), Oct. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 3237.)