---
kind: "section"
citation: "7 U.S.C. § 7716"
title: "7"
title_heading: "Agriculture"
number: "7716"
heading: "Recovery of compensation for unauthorized activities"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/7/7716"
units:
  - "Chapter 104 — Plant Protection"
  - "Subchapter I — Plant Protection"
---

# §7716. Recovery of compensation for unauthorized activities

- (a) **Recovery action—** The owner of any [plant](/usc/7/7702.md?p=13), [plant](/usc/7/7702.md?p=13) [biological control organism](/usc/7/7702.md?p=2), [plant product](/usc/7/7702.md?p=15), [plant pest](/usc/7/7702.md?p=14), [noxious weed](/usc/7/7702.md?p=10), [article](/usc/7/7702.md?p=1), or [means of conveyance](/usc/7/7702.md?p=8) destroyed or otherwise disposed of by the [Secretary](/usc/7/7702.md?p=16) under section [7714](/usc/7/7714.md) or [7715](/usc/7/7715.md) of this title may bring an action against the [United States](/usc/7/7702.md?p=20) to recover just compensation for the destruction or disposal of the [plant](/usc/7/7702.md?p=13), [plant](/usc/7/7702.md?p=13) [biological control organism](/usc/7/7702.md?p=2), [plant product](/usc/7/7702.md?p=15), [plant pest](/usc/7/7702.md?p=14), [noxious weed](/usc/7/7702.md?p=10), [article](/usc/7/7702.md?p=1), or [means of conveyance](/usc/7/7702.md?p=8) (not including compensation for loss due to delays incident to determining eligibility for [importation](/usc/7/7702.md?p=5), [entry](/usc/7/7702.md?p=3), [exportation](/usc/7/7702.md?p=4), [movement](/usc/7/7702.md?p=9) in [interstate commerce](/usc/7/7702.md?p=7), or release into the environment), but only if the owner establishes that the destruction or disposal was not authorized under [this chapter](/usc/7/7702.md?p=19).
- (b) **Time for action; location—** An action under this section shall be brought not later than 1 year after the destruction or disposal of the [plant](/usc/7/7702.md?p=13), [plant](/usc/7/7702.md?p=13) [biological control organism](/usc/7/7702.md?p=2), [plant product](/usc/7/7702.md?p=15), [plant pest](/usc/7/7702.md?p=14), [noxious weed](/usc/7/7702.md?p=10), [article](/usc/7/7702.md?p=1), or [means of conveyance](/usc/7/7702.md?p=8) involved. The action may be brought in any [United States](/usc/7/7702.md?p=20) district court where the owner is found, resides, transacts business, is licensed to do business, or is incorporated.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 106–224, title IV, § 416, June 20, 2000, 114 Stat. 447.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

This chapter, referred to in subsec. (a), was in the original “this title”, meaning title IV of Pub. L. 106–224, June 20, 2000, 114 Stat. 438, known as the Plant Protection Act, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of title IV to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 7701 of this title and Tables.