USDA Eases Overtime Fees for Small Meat and Poultry Inspectors
Published Date: 11/18/2025
Notice
Summary
The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service is bringing back a form they use to track overtime and holiday inspection fees for small meat, poultry, and egg businesses. They’re using $20 million to temporarily lower these fees, helping small businesses save money. If you want to share your thoughts, make sure to comment by January 20, 2026!
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Temporary $20M Fee Reduction for Small Plants
The USDA’s FSIS will use $20,000,000 in de-obligated Meat and Poultry Expansion Program funds to temporarily reduce overtime and holiday inspection fees for small and very small official meat, poultry, and egg products establishments. This reduction is targeted only to those small and very small establishments; FSIS says it is temporary but does not give an end date in this notice.
Reinstated Form Required to Get Fee Cuts
FSIS will reinstate FSIS Form 5200-16 (Overtime/Holiday Rate Reduction Form). Small and very small official establishments must submit that form to request and receive the reduced overtime and holiday inspection fees. Completing the form is optional only for establishments that do not want or use overtime/holiday inspection services.
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Key Dates
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