StacksVerified U.S. federal law reference

7 U.S.C. § 8914 — Agriculture and food defense

Verified against govinfo.gov as of June 20, 2026View official text on govinfo.gov ↗
  1. (a)DefinitionsIn this section:
    1. (1)AnimalThe term “animal” has the meaning given the term in section 8302 of this title.
    2. (2)Disease or pest of concernThe term “disease or pest of concern” means a plant or animal disease or pest that—
      1. (A)is—
        1. (i)a transboundary disease; or
        2. (ii)an established disease; and
      2. (B)is likely to pose a significant risk to the food and agriculture critical infrastructure sector that warrants efforts at prevention, protection, mitigation, response, and recovery.
    3. (3)Established diseaseThe term “established disease” means a plant or animal disease or pest that—
      1. (A)
        1. (i)if it becomes established, poses an imminent threat to agriculture in the United States; or
        2. (ii)has become established, as defined by the Secretary, within the United States; and
      2. (B)requires management.
    4. (4)High-consequence plant transboundary diseaseThe term “high-consequence plant transboundary disease” means a transboundary disease that is—
      1. (A)
        1. (i)a plant disease; or
        2. (ii)a plant pest; and
      2. (B)of high consequence, as determined by the Secretary.
    5. (5)PestThe term “pest”—
      1. (A)with respect to a plant, has the meaning given the term “plant pest” in section 7702 of this title; and
      2. (B)with respect to an animal, has the meaning given the term in section 8302 of this title.
    6. (6)PlantThe term “plant” has the meaning given the term in section 7702 of this title.
    7. (7)Plant health management strategyThe term “plant health management strategy” means a strategy to timely control and eradicate a plant disease or plant pest outbreak, including through mitigation (such as chemical control), surveillance, the use of diagnostic products and procedures, and the use of existing resistant seed stock.
    8. (8)Transboundary disease
      1. (A)In generalThe term “transboundary disease” means a plant or animal disease or pest that is within 1 or more countries outside of the United States.
      2. (B)InclusionThe term “transboundary disease” includes a plant or animal disease or pest described in subparagraph (A) that—
        1. (i)has emerged within the United States; or
        2. (ii)has been introduced within the United States.
    9. (9)Veterinary countermeasureThe term “veterinary countermeasure” has the meaning given such term in section 8302 of this title.
  2. (b)Disease or Pest of Concern Response Planning
    1. (1)In generalThe Secretary shall—
      1. (A)establish a list of diseases or pests of concern by—
        1. (i)developing a process to solicit and receive expert opinion and evidence relating to the diseases or pests of concern entered on the list; and
        2. (ii)reviewing all available evidence relating to the diseases or pests of concern entered on the list, including classified information; and
      2. (B)periodically update the list established under subparagraph (A).
    2. (2)Response plans
      1. (A)Comprehensive strategic response plan or plansThe Secretary shall develop, in collaboration with appropriate Federal, State, regional, and local officials, a comprehensive strategic response plan or plans, as appropriate, for the diseases or pests of concern that are entered on the list established under paragraph (1).
      2. (B)State or region response plan or plansThe Secretary shall provide information to a State or region to assist in producing a response plan or plans that shall include a concept of operations for a disease or pest of concern or a platform concept of operations for responses to similar diseases or pests of concern that are determined to be a priority to the State or region that shall, as appropriate—
        1. (i)describe the appropriate interactions among, and roles of—
          1. (I)Federal, State, Tribal, and units of local government; and
          2. (II)plant or animal industry partners;
        2. (ii)include a decision matrix or dynamic decision modeling tools that, as appropriate, include—
          1. (I)information and timing requirements necessary for the use of veterinary countermeasures;
          2. (II)plant health management strategies;
          3. (III)deployment of other key materials and resources; and
          4. (IV)parameters for transitioning from outbreak response to disease management;
        3. (iii)identify key response performance metrics to establish—
          1. (I)benchmarking to provide assessments of capabilities, capacity, and readiness to achieve response goals and objectives;
          2. (II)progressive exercise evaluation; and
          3. (III)continuing improvement of a response plan, including by providing for—
            1. (aa)ongoing exercises;
            2. (bb)improvement planning and the implementation of corrective actions to enhance a response plan over time; and
            3. (cc)strategic information to guide investment in any appropriate research to mitigate the risk of a disease or pest of concern; and
        4. (iv)be updated periodically, including in response to—
          1. (I)an exercise evaluation; or
          2. (II)new risk information becoming available regarding a disease or pest of concern.
    3. (3)Coordination of plansPursuant to section 6922(d)(6) of this title, as added by section 12202, the Secretary shall, as appropriate, assist in coordinating with other appropriate Federal, State, regional, or local officials in the exercising of the plans developed under paragraph (2).
  3. (c)National Plant Diagnostic Network
    1. (1)In generalThe Secretary shall establish in the Department of Agriculture a National Plant Diagnostic Network to monitor and surveil through diagnostics threats to plant health from diseases or pests of concern in the United States.
    2. (2)RequirementsThe National Plant Diagnostic Network established under paragraph (1) shall—
      1. (A)provide for increased awareness, surveillance, early identification, rapid communication, warning, and diagnosis of a threat to plant health from a disease or pest of concern to protect natural and agricultural plant resources;
      2. (B)coordinate and collaborate with agencies of the Department of Agriculture and State agencies and authorities involved in plant health;
      3. (C)establish diagnostic laboratory standards;
      4. (D)establish regional hubs throughout the United States that provide expertise, leadership, and support to diagnostic labs relating to the agricultural crops and plants in the covered regions of those hubs; and
      5. (E)establish a national repository for records of endemic or emergent diseases and pests of concern.
    3. (3)Head of network
      1. (A)In generalThe Director of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture shall serve as the head of the National Plant Diagnostic Network.
      2. (B)DutiesThe head of the National Plant Diagnostic Network shall—
        1. (i)coordinate and collaborate with land-grant colleges and universities (as defined in section 3103 of this title) in carrying out the requirements under paragraph (2), including through cooperative agreements described in paragraph (4);
        2. (ii)partner with the Administrator of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service for assistance with plant health regulation and inspection; and
        3. (iii)coordinate with other Federal agencies, as appropriate, in carrying out activities relating to the National Plant Diagnostic Network, including the sharing of biosurveillance information.
    4. (4)Collaboration with land-grant colleges and universitiesThe Secretary shall seek to establish cooperative agreements with land-grant colleges and universities (as defined in section 3103 of this title) that have the appropriate level of skill, experience, and competence with plant diseases or pests of concern.
    5. (5)Authorization of appropriationsIn addition to the amount authorized to carry out this subtitle under section 12205,1 See References in Text note below. there is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection $15,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023.
  4. (d)National Plant Disease Recovery System
    1. (1)Recovery SystemThe Secretary shall establish in the Department of Agriculture a National Plant Disease Recovery System to engage in strategic long-range planning to recover from high-consequence plant transboundary diseases.
    2. (2)RequirementsThe National Plant Disease Recovery System established under paragraph (1) shall—
      1. (A)coordinate with disease or pest of concern concept of operations response plans;
      2. (B)make long-range plans for the initiation of future research projects relating to high-consequence plant transboundary diseases;
      3. (C)establish research plans for long-term recovery;
      4. (D)plan for the identification and use of specific genotypes, cultivars, breeding lines, and other disease-resistant materials necessary for crop stabilization or improvement; and
      5. (E)establish a watch list of high-consequence plant transboundary diseases for the purpose of making long-range plans under subparagraph (B).