Title 7 — AgricultureRelease 119-73
§1582 Procedure relating to importations; disposal of refuse; exceptions
Title 7 › Chapter CHAPTER 37— - SEEDS › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER III— - FOREIGN COMMERCE › § 1582
Summary
The Treasury Department must give samples of imported seed and screenings to the Department of Agriculture and tell the owner or receiver. If the samples show the seed is covered by these rules and does not meet them, or if the label is false or misleading, the seed can be refused entry. The owner or receiver can ask the Agriculture Secretary to review the decision. Seed refused and not exported within 12 months must be destroyed under the joint rules. Treasury may let the owner take the seed back temporarily for cleaning, relabeling, or other fixing if the owner posts a bond promising to return the seed or pay damages and follows government supervision. The owner must pay government costs for supervision, storage, and handling; unpaid costs can create a legal claim against the owner’s future imports. Waste from cleaning done under bond must be destroyed. The rules do not apply when seed is sent through the U.S. without entering U.S. trade, when the Agriculture Secretary exempts seed mainly used for non-seeding (with a required declaration), when U.S.-grown seed is returned from abroad with proof it was not sold overseas, or when seed is imported only for experimental or breeding use under limits and declarations.
Full Legal Text
Title 7, §1582
Agriculture — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)The Secretary of the Treasury shall deliver to the Secretary of Agriculture, subject to joint rules and regulations prescribed under section 1592 of this title, samples of seed and screenings which are being imported into the United States, or offered for import, giving notice thereof to the owner or consignee, and if it appears from the examination of such samples that any seed or screenings offered to be imported into the United States are subject to the provisions of this subchapter and do not comply with the provisions of this subchapter, or if the labeling of such seed is false or misleading in any respect, such seed or screenings shall be refused admission, and the Secretary of the Treasury shall refuse delivery to the owner or consignee, who may appear, however, before the Secretary of Agriculture and show cause why the seed or screenings should be admitted. Seed or screenings refused admission and not exported by the owner or consignee within twelve months from the date of notice of such refusal shall be destroyed in accordance with joint rules and regulations prescribed under section 1592 of this title: Provided, That the Secretary of the Treasury may authorize the delivery of seed or screenings which are being imported or offered for import to the owner or consignee thereof, pending decision as to the admission of such seed or screenings and for cleaning, labeling, or other reconditioning if required to bring such seed or screenings into compliance with the provisions of this chapter, upon the execution by such owner or consignee of a good and sufficient bond conditioned upon redelivery of the seed or screenings upon demand unless redelivery is waived because the seed is reconditioned to bring it into compliance with this chapter or is destroyed under Government supervision under this chapter, and providing for the payment of such liquidated damages in the event of default as may be required pursuant to regulations of the Secretary of the Treasury: And provided further, That all expenses incurred by the United States (including travel, per diem or subsistence, and salaries of officers or employees of the United States) in connection with the supervision of cleaning, labeling, other reconditioning, or destruction, of seed or screenings under this subchapter shall be reimbursed to the United States by the owner or consignee of the seed or screenings, and such reimbursements shall be recredited to the appropriation from which the expenses were paid, the amount of such expenses to be determined in accordance with joint regulations under section 1592 of this title, and all expenses in connection with the storage, cartage, and labor on the seed or screenings which are refused admission or delivery, shall be paid by the owner or consignee, and in default of such payment shall constitute a lien against future importations made by such owner or consignee.
(b)The refuse from any seeds or screenings which are allowed to be cleaned under bond shall be destroyed in accordance with joint rules and regulations prescribed under section 1592 of this title.
(c)The provisions of this subchapter shall not apply—
(1)when seed is shipped in bond through the United States, or
(2)when the Secretary of Agriculture finds that a substantial proportion of the importations of any kind of seed is used for other than seeding purposes, and he provides by rules and regulations that seed of such kind not imported for seeding purposes shall be exempted from the provisions of the chapter: Provided, That importations of such kinds of seed shall be accompanied by a declaration setting forth the use for which imported when and as required under joint rules and regulations prescribed under section 1592 of this title.
(d)The provisions of this subchapter prohibiting the importation of seed shall not apply—
(1)when seed grown in the United States is returned from a foreign country without having been admitted into the commerce of any foreign country: Provided, That there is satisfactory proof as provided for in the joint rules and regulations prescribed under section 1592 of this title, that the seed was grown in the United States and was not admitted into the commerce of a foreign country and was not commingled with other seed, or
(2)when seed is imported for sowing for experimental or breeding purposes and not for sale: Provided, That declarations are filed, and importations are limited in quantity, as provided for in the rules and regulations prescribed under section 1592 of this title, to assure that the importations are for experimental or breeding purposes.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Amendment of SectionFor termination of amendment by section 501(c) of Pub. L. 100–449, see Effective and Termination Dates of 1988 Amendment note below.
Editorial Notes
Amendments
1994—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 103–465, § 441(2)(A), struck out “staining,” before “cleaning, labeling,” in two places. Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 103–465, § 441(2)(B), struck out subsec. (e) which read as follows: “The provisions of this subchapter requiring certain seeds to be stained shall not apply— “(1) to alfalfa or clover seed originating in Canada or Mexico, or “(2) when seeds otherwise required to be stained will not be sold within the United States and will be used for seed production only by or for the importer or consignee and the importer of record or consignee files a statement in accordance with the
Rules and Regulations
prescribed under section 1592 of this title certifying that such seeds will be used only for seed production by or for the importer or consignee.” 1993—Subsec. (e)(1). Pub. L. 103–182 inserted “or Mexico” after “Canada”. 1988—Pub. L. 100–449 temporarily amended subsec. (e) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (e) read as follows: “The provisions of this subchapter requiring certain seeds to be stained shall not apply when such seed will not be sold within the United States and will be used for seed production only by or for the importer or consignee: Provided, That the importer of record or consignee files a statement in accordance with the
Rules and Regulations
prescribed under section 1592 of this title certifying that such seed will be used only for seed production by or for the importer or consignee.” See Effective and Termination Dates of 1988 Amendment note below. 1983—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 97–439, § 5(b)(2), struck out provision that Secretary may apply statistical sampling and inspection techniques to samples and screenings to determine whether pure-live seed requirement of any kind of seed was being met, in event of which he was to advise importer of each lot of seed not examined for pure-live seed percentage. Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 97–439, § 5(b)(3)(A), struck out “that is adulterated or unfit for seeding purposes” after “importation of seed” in provisions preceding par. (1). Subsec. (d)(3). Pub. L. 97–439, § 5(b)(3)(B), struck out cl. (3) which described the situation when seed not meeting the pure-live seed requirements of section 1584 of this title would not be sold within the United States and would be used for seed production only by or for the importer or consignee, providing that the importer of record or consignee filed a statement in accordance with the
Rules and Regulations
prescribed under section 1592 of this title certifying that such seed would be used only for seed production by or for the importer or consignee. 1966—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 89–686, § 15, authorized Secretary of Agriculture to apply statistical sampling and inspection techniques to samples and screenings to determine whether the pure-live seed requirement of any kind of seed is being met and to advise importer of each lot of seed not examined for pure-live seed percentage. Subsec. (d)(3). Pub. L. 89–686, § 16, added par. (3). Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 89–686, § 17, added subsec. (e). 1958—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 85–851, § 13, inserted “owner or” before “consignee” wherever appearing, except in the two provisos, changed first proviso to bring its wording in line with practices generally followed with other commodities illegally placed into consumption, and provided in second proviso for reimbursement of all costs to the Federal Government incident to supervision required under this chapter. Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 85–581, § 14, added subsec. (d).
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
of 1994 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 103–465 effective on the date of entry into force of the WTO Agreement with respect to the United States (Jan. 1, 1995), except as otherwise provided, see section 451 of Pub. L. 103–465, set out as an
Effective Date
note under section 3601 of Title 19, Customs Duties. Effective and Termination Dates of 1988 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 100–449 effective on the date the United States-Canada Free-Trade Agreement enters into force (Jan. 1, 1989), and to cease to have effect on the date the Agreement ceases to be in force, see section 501(a), (c), of Pub. L. 100–449, set out in a note under section 2112 of Title 19, Customs Duties.
Effective Date
See section 1610 of this title.
Transfer of Functions
For
Transfer of Functions
of the Secretary of Agriculture relating to agricultural import and entry inspection activities under this subchapter to the Secretary of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see section 231, 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of November 25, 2002, as modified, set out as a note under section 542 of Title 6.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
7 U.S.C. § 1582
Title 7 — Agriculture
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73