The Plant Quarantine Act, originally enacted in 1912 (7 U.S.C. 151 et seq.), gave the
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) based in Riverdale Park, Maryland, Riverdale, Maryland responsible for protecting animal health, animal welfare, and plant h ...
(APHIS) authority to regulate the importation and interstate movement of nursery stock and other plants that may carry pests and diseases that are harmful to agriculture. This Act has been superseded by the consolidated APHIS statute, the
Plant Protection Act of 2000 (7 U.S.C. 7701 et seq.). This authority is particularly important to the agency’s ability to prevent or limit the spread of harmful invasive species within or to a state or region of the United States.
Provisions of Act
The Plant Quarantine Act was codified as fifteen sections formulating regulations and rules for the importation of
nursery stock including
annual plants
An annual plant is a plant that completes its life cycle, from germination to the production of seeds, within one growing season, and then dies. Globally, 6% of all plant species and 15% of herbaceous plants (excluding trees and shrubs) are an ...
and
biennial plants
A biennial plant is a flowering plant that, generally in a temperate climate, takes two years to complete its biological life cycle.
Background
In its first year, the biennial plant undergoes primary growth, during which its vegetative structures ...
.
Amendments to 1912 Act
U.S. Congressional amendments to the Plant Quarantine Act.
References
*{{CRS, article = Report for Congress: Agriculture: A Glossary of Terms, Programs, and Laws, 2005 Edition, url = http://ncseonline.org/nle/crsreports/05jun/97-905.pdf, author= Jasper Womach
1912 in American law
62nd United States Congress
United States Department of Agriculture
United States federal agriculture legislation