On June 13, 2025, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced that its Biotechnology Regulatory Services (BRS) has launched an updated Pre-Application Questionnaire that will replace the BRS Permitting Assistant in APHIS eFile. According to APHIS, applicants using APHIS eFile will experience:
- An interface that leads applicants through a series of questions to determine if their application qualifies for a notification or if a permit is required;
- A quick, direct path to apply for a permit when an applicant knows their application does not qualify for a notification; and
- Links to additional support for submitting notification and permit applications.
APHIS notes that to assist applicants with using the Pre-Application Questionnaire, BRS updated its APHIS 2000 Permit Application and Compliance Reporting Job Aid and training resources at APHIS eFile Training.
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