Comments Wanted on Food Import Warnings for Bioterror Safety
Published Date: 9/21/2026
Notice
Summary
The FDA wants your thoughts on keeping the rules for telling them about imported food before it arrives. This affects food importers who must keep sharing info to keep our food safe. You’ve got until November 20, 2026, to send in your comments—no cost changes, just a chance to help shape the process!
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 3 costs, 0 mixed.
Prior-Notice Reporting Continues; Large Time Burden
If you import food (including animal food), you must keep submitting prior notice information electronically under OMB Control No. 0910-0520. FDA estimates this collection now covers 25,761,671 total annual responses and imposes 5,419,656 total annual burden hours, and reports an increase of 1,721,959 responses and 7,629,528 hours since the last approval. Public comments on this information collection are due by November 20, 2026.
Mail Shipments Must Include Tracking Info
If you send or import food by international mail, beginning October 1, 2026 you must include the name of the mail service and the mail tracking number in your prior notice submissions. FDA estimated a one-time burden of 5,460 responses (2,730 hours) and recurring burden of 780,780 responses (54,655 hours) tied to reporting mail service and tracking numbers.
Cancel/Resubmit Rules for Changed Notices
If information in a confirmed prior notice changes, you must cancel and resubmit the prior notice in many cases. You do NOT have to resubmit for changes in estimated quantity, anticipated arrival information, or planned shipment information after confirmation. FDA estimates cancellation and resubmission activity in its burden tables (e.g., cancellations subtotal 23,072 hours).
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Key Dates
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