WHAT HAPPENED: The White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) has published the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions, a snapshot of rules federal agencies plan to propose or finalize.
WHAT IS IN IT IMPORTANT TO CHICKEN: Several entries in it touch broiler production, HPAI response, and grower contracting. Of note:
- Packers and Stockyards Act (PSA) rescissions (AMS): Three Biden-era PSA rules are teed up for formal rescission via new rulemaking including the “Inclusive Competition and Market Integrity” rule, the “Transparency in Poultry Grower Contracting and Tournaments” rule, and the “Poultry Grower Payment Systems and Capital Improvement Systems” rule. A related final rule already delayed the payment-systems rule’s effective date until December 31, 2027; the rescission proposed rule is the next step in unwinding it.
- Line speed modernization (FSIS): FSIS’s Maximum Line Speed Rates for Young Chicken and Turkey Establishments Operating Under the New Poultry Inspection System (NPIS) remains listed; the comment period closed April 20, 2026, and the agency is now working toward a final rule.
- Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) import requirements (APHIS): This proposed rule would shorten the current 90-day waiting period before live birds and avian commodities can be imported from a region after an HPAI-affected premises is cleared, aligning the U.S. standard with World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) benchmarks.
- National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP) biennial update (APHIS): A proposed rule would codify changes to NPIP regulations approved by voting delegates at the 2024 NPIP Biennial Conference.
- Payment of Indemnity and Compensation for HPAI (APHIS): APHIS is moving to finalize its December 2024 interim final rule requiring commercial poultry premises to pass a biosecurity audit before restocking after an HPAI outbreak, or before buffer-zone premises can move birds onto the property.
- SNAP “eligible food” definition (FNS): Tied to the administration’s MAHA initiative, this proposed rule would narrow what qualifies as “eligible food” under SNAP, which could have downstream effects on chicken as a covered protein.
WHY IT MATTERS: Several of these items are top priorities for NCC and the Unified Agenda provides a clear window into USDA’s rulemaking priorities.
NCC’s TAKE: “We thank Secretary Rollins and President Trump for their work in cutting unnecessary red tape on businesses and producers, including the Biden administration’s Packers and Stockyard rules,” said Harrison Kircher, President, National Chicken Council. “These rules were rushed, one-size-fits-all mandates that would have added compliance costs and legal uncertainty without benefiting farmers or consumers. We trust this Administration to regulate competitive markets, support American agriculture, and protect consumers — not through duplicative federal mandates, but through common-sense oversight that reflects how the modern broiler industry actually works. NCC and its members look forward to continuing to work with USDA on policies that strengthen the entire chicken supply chain, reward farmers, and keep America’s #1 protein affordable for American consumers.”
WHAT’S NEXT: We will monitor the Federal Register for the publication of rules pertaining to all the topics previously mentioned. NCC will have opportunities to comment on each PSA rescission proposed rule once available. Regarding line speeds, the next milestone is for FSIS to publish a final rule. We will continue tracking timing and circulating comment deadlines as dockets open.
Source: NBC News
