USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service is seeking comments by January 11, 2027, on extending the paperwork collection used for plant variety protection applications. Breeders and other applicants can weigh in on whether the information is useful, the forms are clear and the agency’s estimates reflect the work required.
The notice carries a November 12, 2026, Federal Register publication date and was filed November 10. It announces AMS’s intent to seek Office of Management and Budget approval for an extension, not an approved extension or a newly effective rule. The current collection approval expires January 30, 2027.
What the paperwork covers
USDA describes plant variety protection as a voluntary, user-funded program granting intellectual property protection to breeders of eligible varieties. Applicants must provide information showing that a variety is new, distinct, uniform and stable. The collection covers application, variety-description and ownership information used to determine eligibility.
AMS specifically requests feedback on the collection’s necessity, the accuracy of its burden estimates, ways to improve the information’s quality and clarity, and ways to reduce paperwork through electronic tools or other technology. The agency estimates an average reporting burden of one hour per response.
How to comment
Comments can be submitted through Regulations.gov under docket AMS-ST-26-2410 or mailed to USDA’s Plant Variety Protection Office. The notice asks commenters to reference the docket number, the November 12, 2026, issue date and Federal Register page 72846.
Commenters should distinguish public feedback from application records: USDA says comments will be posted without changes, including any personal information provided. By contrast, application information generally must remain confidential until a certificate is issued, with certain exceptions. AMS says it will summarize responses and include them in its request for OMB approval.
