Starting August 3, 2026, importers dealing with plant health compliance issues have a faster way to respond to regulatory actions. APHIS’ Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) program now allows electronic signatures for Emergency Action Notifications (EANs) and Regulatory Action (RA) Notifications issued through its Agricultural Risk Management (ARM) System, replacing the paper acknowledgment process.
Recipients of a PPQ-issued EAN or RA will receive an email containing a secure link where they can electronically sign the notification and select the appropriate exclusion action, such as re-export, destruction, or treatment. No printing or mailing is required.
Key Points
- Electronic signatures are optional. Importers may still sign paper copies if they prefer.
- Applies only to APHIS PPQ notifications. EANs issued by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) continue to follow the existing CBP process.
- Faster processing. Electronic signatures reduce the time needed to acknowledge notices, helping move noncompliant shipments to the next required action more quickly.
- Verify your contact information. Ensure the correct email address is on file with APHIS PPQ so notifications reach the appropriate person without delay.
“This is good news for shipments denied admission to the U.S.,” said Adam Lees, VP of Customs Brokerage at Alba. Faster sign-off on exclusion actions can help reduce delays and storage costs while a shipment’s disposition is being determined.
What Importers Should Do
- Confirm your EAN/RA contact email is current with APHIS PPQ.
- Notify operations staff about the new email-based signature process so legitimate APHIS notifications are not mistaken for phishing emails.
- Review the APHIS user guide before your next notification arrives so your team is familiar with the new workflow.
References
APHIS User Guide – Submitting or Declining Emergency Action Notification (EAN) and/or Regulatory Action (RA) Notification Digital Acknowledgement within ARM
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/ean-ra-digital-acknowledgement-user-guide.pdf
APHIS Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ)
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant-imports
Questions about how this affects your shipments or compliance workflow?
Contact ASK Alba™ and our trade compliance team will help you navigate it.
