Dear BRS Stakeholder,

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Biotechnology Regulatory Services (BRS) announces that effective today, July 15, 2016, for some required reports and notices submitted via mail or email, APHIS BRS staff will enter them into its electronic ePermits system on behalf of regulated organizations that submit them. BRS will expand this practice in the future to include additional reports and notices.

This process improvement ensures information, including planting/release data, is managed more effectively, resulting in enhanced oversight of regulated field trials. This improvement supports a recommendation in a September 2015 Office of Inspector General (OIG) Audit Report.

APHIS prefers and strongly encourages the regulated community to submit all reports and notices electronically via the link in ePermits under “My Reports and Notices.” Easy to use Instructions are available for new users.

We understand there may be times when using email or mail is necessary. APHIS BRS developed guidance to assist with submission of planting/release reports and reports of no planting/release via email/mail. If using email/mail, you must follow the APHIS BRS guidance.

APHIS is beginning this process improvement with planting/release reports and reports of no planting/release, and intends to extend it to other reports and notices in the future.

For more information or questions please contact BRS at 301-851-3935 or via email at BRSCompliance.