§7712a — Title 7 Agriculture | U.S. Code

Summary

The Secretary of Agriculture must try as much as possible to reduce the backlog of export permit applications for U.S. farm products. While doing this, the Secretary must not cut staff who handle health, safety, or pest-control work for U.S. exports or staff who stop and check pests and diseases in imported goods. Each year the Secretary must send a report to the House Committee on Agriculture and the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry showing: the total number of applications finished; how many backlog applications were finished; the percentage of the backlog finished; and how many backlog applications remain.

Title 7, §7712a

Agriculture — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)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)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.

Editorial Notes

Codification Section 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.

§7712a Reduction in Backlog of Agricultural Export Petitions

Summary

Title 7, §7712a

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Citations & Metadata