---
kind: "section"
citation: "39 U.S.C. § 3213"
title: "39"
title_heading: "Postal Service"
number: "3213"
heading: "Seeds and reports from Department of Agriculture"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/39/3213"
units:
  - "Part IV — Mail Matter"
  - "Chapter 32 — Penalty and Franked Mail"
---

# §3213. Seeds and reports from Department of Agriculture


Seeds and agricultural reports emanating from the Department of Agriculture may be mailed—

- (1) as [penalty mail](/usc/39/3201.md?p=1) by the Secretary of Agriculture; and
- (2) during the 90-day period immediately following the expiration of their terms of office, as [franked mail](/usc/39/3201.md?p=4) by [Members of Congress](/usc/39/3201.md?p=5).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 91–375, Aug. 12, 1970, 84 Stat. 754; Pub. L. 97–69, § 5(b), Oct. 26, 1981, 95 Stat. 1043.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1981—Par. (2). Pub. L. 97–69 substituted “during the 90-day period immediately” for “until the thirtieth day of June”.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Section effective July 1, 1971, pursuant to Resolution No. 71–9 of the Board of Governors. See section 15(a) of Pub. L. 91–375, set out as a note preceding section 101 of this title.