Title 7 — AgricultureRelease 119-73
§2274 Firearm authority of employees engaged in animal quarantine enforcement
Title 7 › Chapter CHAPTER 55— - DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE › § 2274
Summary
USDA employees chosen by both the Secretary of Agriculture and the Attorney General may carry and use a firearm for self-protection while doing official work to enforce or carry out laws and duties to control, eliminate, or prevent contagious livestock or poultry diseases from entering or spreading in the United States. They must follow rules set by the Secretary and the Attorney General and act under the Secretary’s direction.
Full Legal Text
Title 7, §2274
Agriculture — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Any employee of the United States Department of Agriculture designated by the Secretary of Agriculture and the Attorney General of the United States may carry a firearm and use a firearm when necessary for self-protection, in accordance with rules and regulations issued by the Secretary of Agriculture and the Attorney General of the United States, while such employee is engaged in the performance of the employee’s official duties to (1) carry out any law or regulation related to the control, eradication, or prevention of the introduction or dissemination of communicable disease of livestock or poultry into the United States or (2) perform any duty related to such disease control, eradication, or prevention, subject to the direction of the Secretary.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
7 U.S.C. § 2274
Title 7 — Agriculture
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73