§231 Transfer of Certain Agricultural Inspection Functions of the Department of Agriculture

Summary

Moves the Department of Agriculture’s work that inspects agricultural imports and entries to the Secretary. It covers seven laws, including the Virus‑Serum‑Toxin Act, the Honeybee Act, Title III of the Federal Seed Act, the Plant Protection Act, the Animal Health Protection Act, the Lacey Act Amendments of 1981, and section 11 of the Endangered Species Act. Quarantine activities under those laws are not moved. The Secretary must carry out the transferred work under the rules, policies, and procedures set by the Secretary of Agriculture. The two Secretaries must coordinate when the Agriculture Secretary makes those rules. Before the transition period ends (the transition period is defined in section 541 of this title), the two Secretaries must make an agreement to carry out the transfer. The agreement must cover supervision of training and the transfer of funds. It may also let the Secretary do other Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service tasks or let the Agriculture Secretary use Department of Homeland Security staff. The Agriculture Secretary will transfer fee money collected under sections 136 and 136a of title 21 to the Secretary as agreed, but the amount moved cannot be more than the share of costs the Secretary pays. By the end of the transition period, the Agriculture Secretary must transfer no more than 3,200 full‑time equivalent positions.