# 2026-15845: Feds Polish Up National Plan for Healthier Chickens 2026-15845, National Poultry Improvement Plan and Auxiliary Provisions, is a Federal Register proposed rule from Agriculture Department, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service published 2026-08-05, effective We will consider all comments that we receive on or before October 5, 2026.; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-08-12). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-15845 - As of: 2026-08-12 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Document number: 2026-15845 - Title: National Poultry Improvement Plan and Auxiliary Provisions - Type: Proposed Rule - Agencies: Agriculture Department; Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service - Citation: 91 FR 50488 - Published: 2026-08-05 - Effective: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before October 5, 2026. - Comments close: 2026-10-05 - Significant: no - Touches household money: yes - Regulation identifier numbers: 0579-AE89 - Last updated: 2026-08-12 ## In one line Feds Polish Up National Plan for Healthier Chickens ## Summary We are proposing to amend the regulations governing the National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP). These amendments would, among other things, clarify existing provisions of the regulations, fix editorial errors, and align the regulations more closely with current producer practices. These proposed changes were voted on and approved by the voting delegates at the NPIP's 2024 National Plan Conference. ## Effects PRIA read - Remote Inspections Allowed by Rule: benefit, low. The rule adds a definition for "remote inspection" allowing real-time audio/video inspections by an Official State Agent or designee. APHIS says remote inspections provide increased biosecurity and efficiency for facilities and personnel. - Baby Poultry Age Defined (72 Hours): benefit, low. The definition of "baby poultry" is changed to mean newly hatched birds up to 3 days of age (up to 72 hours). The revision is intended to harmonize NPIP with APHIS import protocols. - Easier Import Path for Foreign Flocks: benefit, medium. The rule would allow products from non‑participant flocks located outside the U.S. to be imported into participant hatcheries without the usual Sec. 145.4(d) conditions if freedom from Plan diseases is shown via APHIS import certificates (9 CFR 93.205), inspection at port (9 CFR 93.207), and, where… - Imported Eggs Exception for Participants: benefit, medium. Sec. 145.5(a) is revised so participating flocks do not have to be separated from nonparticipants if eggs imported from another country come from flocks certified and tested free of Plan diseases or considered equivalent by the Official State Agency with APHIS concurrence under Sec. 145.4(f). - Simplified Newcastle Disease Clean Rules: benefit, medium. The Newcastle Disease Clean program is revised to apply to the primary breeding-hatchery industry only, to focus on prevention and control of virulent Newcastle disease, and to limit use as an added assurance to participants enrolled in and in good standing with the U.S. H5/H7 Avian Influenza Clean… - State Surveillance Option for Exhibitions: benefit, medium. For Pullorum-Typhoid clean status, birds going to public exhibition may come from a State-approved surveillance program instead of requiring each bird to come from a Pullorum-Typhoid Clean flock or have a negative test. The rule retains the option of negative testing within 90 days of exhibition or… - State Inspection Language Clarified: benefit, low. Several definitions are revised to replace the phrase "equivalent to Federal inspection" with "at least equal to" Federal inspection to align with the Federal Meat Inspection Act and the Poultry Products Inspection Act. - H5/H7 Testing: Remove Antibody Requirement: benefit, low. For H5/H7 Avian Influenza monitored status, the rule removes the specific reference to testing for antibodies (while retaining the existing minimum of 11 birds tested negative), reflecting that modern testing often detects the virus itself rather than antibodies. - Sanitize Definition Adds Virucidal: benefit, low. The definition of "sanitize" is revised to include products and procedures that are virucidal (in addition to germicidal, fungicidal, pseudomonacidal, and tuberculocidal) and retains that products must be EPA‑registered and approved by the Official State Agency with APHIS concurrence. - Program Standards Updated and Versioned: benefit, low. The NPIP Program Standards document would be updated to match these regulatory changes, add compartmentalization definitions and audit checklists, update test-kit names and product numbers, and add footers in PUB.MONTH, YEAR format for version control to aid international trade partners. ## Related documents - [2026-19532](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-19532): Amendments To Import Requirements for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, 2026-09-24 - [2025-04813](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2025-04813): Horse Protection Amendments; Further Delay of Effective Date, and Request for Comment, 2025-03-21 - [2025-01836](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2025-01836): Horse Protection Amendments; Postponement of Regulations, 2025-01-28 - [2026-20631](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-20631): Notice of Decision To Deregulate Chrysanthemum White Rust and the Importation of Chrysanthemum spp. Cuttings, and In Vitro Plantlets, and S…, 2026-10-08 - [2026-20630](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-20630): Cut Flowers Regulations; Removal of Chrysanthemum White Rust-Related Provisions, 2026-10-08 - [2026-19237](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-19237): Bayer U.S.-Crop Science: Availability of a Petition for a Determination of Nonregulated Status and Draft Plant Pest Risk Assessment for Her…, 2026-09-21 ## Sources - [2026-15845 on federalregister.gov](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/08/05/2026-15845/national-poultry-improvement-plan-and-auxiliary-provisions) - [2026-15845 as published (PDF)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-08-05/pdf/2026-15845.pdf) ## Related - [Previous: 2026-15824, Petition for Rulemaking of Matheus Garcia Pereira](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-15824) - [Next: 2026-15857, Importation of Coffee Into Hawaii and Puerto Rico](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-15857) - [All Federal Register documents](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-15845 (as of 2026-08-12).