USDA Seeks Renewal for Food Tech Waiver Notifications
Published Date: 3/20/2026
Notice
Summary
The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service wants to keep collecting info on how companies tell them about new tech or ask for special permission (waivers). Nothing’s changing, but they need to renew this approval before it expires on July 31, 2026. If you’re involved in food safety tech or waivers, now’s the time to share your thoughts by May 19, 2026!
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 2 costs, 0 mixed.
Estimated time burdens and respondent counts
FSIS estimates it takes 8 hours to submit a notification of intent to use new technology (if no in-plant trial is needed). If an in-plant trial is required, FSIS estimates 80 hours to develop a protocol plus 80 hours to collect trial data and keep records. For waivers, FSIS estimates 120 hours to collect data and conduct recordkeeping. FSIS estimates 75 respondents will submit notifications, 50 will develop and run in-plant trials, 50 will collect trial data, 35 will collect data under waivers, and the total estimated annual burden is 12,800 hours. Comments on the renewal are due by May 19, 2026 and the current OMB approval expires July 31, 2026.
You must notify FSIS about new tech
If you run an official meat, poultry, or egg products establishment or you make or sell technology to those establishments, you must notify FSIS before using new technology or requesting a waiver. Your submission must describe how the technology operates and explain why it will not (1) adversely affect product safety, (2) jeopardize the safety of Federal inspection personnel, or (3) interfere with inspection procedures; waiver requests must identify the specific regulation and justify alternative procedures. If FSIS needs more data, an in-plant trial may be required and you must submit a trial protocol and collect supporting data.
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Key Dates
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