Preventing Lethal Agricultural and National Threats (PLANT) Act
Sponsored By: Representative Nunn, Zachary [R-IA-3]
Introduced
Summary
Criminalizes reckless importation of high-risk agricultural pathogens. This bill would create a new federal offense in Title 18 for anyone who knowingly or recklessly imports a biological agent, toxin, or organism that the U.S. Department of Agriculture or another agency designates by regulation as a high-risk agricultural pathogen.
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- Farmers and rural communities: Targets imports that could harm crops, livestock, or agricultural ecosystems and aims to deter threats to food and farm markets.
- Importers, researchers, and labs: Requires a permit or authorization from USDA or the appropriate agency; importing without authorization can lead to fines or up to 10 years in prison.
- Foreign actors and bad actors: Concealing origin, acting for a foreign government, or causing over $1 million in economic damage raises the maximum penalty to 20 years.
- Agencies and enforcement: The Secretary of Agriculture and other agencies must define which pathogens are "high-risk" and set the permitting rules that determine how the offense is applied.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
New crime for dangerous farm pathogen imports
If enacted, this bill would create a federal crime for importing certain dangerous biological agents, toxins, or organisms without a permit. It would apply when someone acts knowingly or recklessly; recklessly means ignoring a big, unjustifiable risk of harm to crops or animals. USDA, or another agency, would run permits and define which materials are “high‑risk” in rules. Violations could bring fines and up to 10 years in prison. If the offender hid the origin, acted for a foreign government, or caused over $1,000,000 in damage, the maximum could be 20 years.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Nunn, Zachary [R-IA-3]
IA • R
Cosponsors
Riley (NY)
NY • D
Sponsored 6/13/2025
Rep. McClain Delaney, April [D-MD-6]
MD • D
Sponsored 8/12/2025
Rep. Van Orden, Derrick [R-WI-3]
WI • R
Sponsored 5/11/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov