(a) Plants, plant products, plant pests, biological control organisms, noxious weeds, soil, and other products and articles subject to the regulations in this part that are unloaded, landed, or otherwise brought or moved into or through the United States in violation of this part may be seized, destroyed, or otherwise disposed of in accordance with section 414 of the Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 7714). Any person who unloads, lands, or otherwise brings or moves into or through the United States any regulated plants, plant products, plant pests, biological control organisms, noxious weeds, soil, or other products or articles in violation of this part will be subject to prosecution under the applicable provisions of law.

(b) Whenever the Deputy Administrator of the Plant Protection and Quarantine Programs shall find that existing conditions of danger of plant pest escape or dissemination involved in the arrival, unloading, landing, or other movement, or possession in the United States of plants, plant products, plant pests, biological control organisms, noxious weeds, soil, or other products or articles subject to the regulations in this part, make it safe to modify by making less stringent the restrictions contained in any such regulation, he shall publish such findings in administrative instructions, specifying the manner in which the regulations shall be made less stringent with respect thereto, whereupon such modification shall become effective; or he may, upon request in specific cases, when the public interests will permit, authorize arrival, unloading, landing, or other movement, or possession in the United States under conditions that are less stringent than those contained in the regulations in this part.

(c) The Deputy Administrator also may set forth and publish, in administrative instructions, requirements and conditions for any class of products or articles supplemental to the regulations in this part, and may promulgate interpretations of this part.

(d) The Deputy Administrator shall employ procedures to carry out the purposes of this part which will impose a minimum of impediment to foreign commerce, consistent with proper precaution against plant pest, noxious weed, or biological control organism dissemination.

[25 FR 1929, Mar. 5, 1960, as amended at 66 FR 21059, Apr. 27, 2001; 75 FR 68952, Nov. 10, 2010; 84 FR 29966, June 25, 2019]