Word: grains
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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...Elton, money long ago became as abstract as grain futures. Paintings, jewelry and amusing baubles are what count, but most of his purchases become gifts. His U.S. agent has received a Rolls-Royce, his secretary a $2,300 raccoon coat. His manager got an $80,000 yacht and a $10,000 Faberge clock. Elton sent a Rembrandt etching of The Adoration of the Shepherds to Rod Stewart's 30th birthday party...
...Justice are investigating violations of this sort in most major U.S. ports. During the past year, grand juries in Texas and Louisiana have handed down 18 indictments, most of them against inspectors; five have pleaded guilty to accepting bribes in exchange for certifying unfit ships or deliberately misgrading grain...
...expects the scandal to stop there. Operators of grain elevators are suspected of holding back some grain destined for export, selling it to domestic buyers, and covering the shortages by dumping lower grades, broken kernels or rye into the grain shipments bound for foreigners...
Rodent Enriched. The Department of Agriculture has much to answer for. According to a report written by the department's Office of Audit in 1973 and made public last week, the department's Grain Division once held back a plan to determine uniformity in export shiploads because of the objections of a single trade organization, whose members included large exporting companies. In addition, the report said grain inspectors often failed to notify the Food and Drug Administration of "deleterious substances" in grain destined for human consumption. Among them: poisonous mercury-treated kernels, rodent excreta and insect-damaged kernels...
Last week a Senate subcommittee heard a plea by Agriculture Under Secretary J. Phil Campbell that Congress put off action until his department worked out a reform plan for the grain trade. But several lawmakers have already proposed remedies. Iowa's Clark, among others, has called for creation of a semi-independent grain-inspection agency that would have strong enforcement powers and be less exposed to "possible economic or political pressures or administrative indifference...