On May 8, 2019, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s (APHIS) Biotechnology Regulatory Services (BRS) announced the pilot launch of its new online permitting system: APHIS eFile. Launching on July 23, 2019, APHIS will be inviting, at the end of May, those who have been issued a BRS permit or notification in the past two years to apply for the pilot program. The plan is for BRS to transition fully to APHIS eFile in November 2019 to allow applicants who join the pilot to learn the system. The pilot will be a way for APHIS BRS to test the new system in a real-world environment.

Replacing the ePermits system, APHIS eFile, is expected to reduce regulatory burdens and offer intuitive, user-friendly digital experiences. Applicants who do not participate in the pilot should continue to apply for BRS permits using the old system until APHIS eFile’s full release.