7 U.S.C. § 7712a

Current through P.L. 118-64 (published on www.congress.gov on 05/24/2024), except for [P. L. 118-63]

Section 7712a - Reduction in backlog of agricultural export petitions

(a) Reduction efforts

To the maximum extent practicable, the Secretary of Agriculture shall endeavor to reduce the backlog in the number of applications for permits for the export of United States agricultural commodities. In achieving such reduction, the Secretary shall not dilute or diminish existing personnel resources that are currently managing sanitary and phytosanitary issues for-

(1) United States agricultural commodities for which exportation is sought; and

(2) interdiction and control of pests and diseases, including for the evaluation of pest and disease concerns of foreign agricultural commodities for which importation is sought.

(b) Report

The Secretary of Agriculture shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate an annual report specifying, for the year covered by the report-

(1) the total number of applications processed to completion;

(2) the number of backlog applications processed to completion;

(3) the percentage of backlog applications processed to completion; and

(4) the number of backlog applications remaining.

7 U.S.C. § 7712a

Pub. L. 108-465, title II, §202, Dec. 21, 2004, 118 Stat. 3884.

EDITORIAL NOTES

CODIFICATIONSection was enacted as part of the Specialty Crops Competitiveness Act of 2004, and not as part of the Plant Protection Act which comprises this chapter.

Secretary: The term "Secretary" means the Secretary of Agriculture.
United States: The term "United States" means all of the States.
plant: The term "plant" means any plant (including any plant part) for or capable of propagation, including a tree, a tissue culture, a plantlet culture, pollen, a shrub, a vine, a cutting, a graft, a scion, a bud, a bulb, a root, and a seed.
export: The terms "export" and "exportation" mean to move from, or the act of movement from, the United States to any place outside the United States.
exportation: The terms "export" and "exportation" mean to move from, or the act of movement from, the United States to any place outside the United States.
importation: The terms "import" and "importation" mean to move into, or the act of movement into, the territorial limits of the United States.