---
kind: "section"
citation: "7 U.S.C. § 7756"
title: "7"
title_heading: "Agriculture"
number: "7756"
heading: "Preemption"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/7/7756"
units:
  - "Chapter 104 — Plant Protection"
  - "Subchapter III — Miscellaneous Provisions"
---

# §7756. Preemption

- (a) **Regulation of foreign commerce—** No [State](/usc/7/7702.md?p=17) or political subdivision of a [State](/usc/7/7702.md?p=17) may regulate in foreign commerce any [article](/usc/7/7702.md?p=1), [means of conveyance](/usc/7/7702.md?p=8), [plant](/usc/7/7702.md?p=13), [biological control organism](/usc/7/7702.md?p=2), [plant pest](/usc/7/7702.md?p=14), [noxious weed](/usc/7/7702.md?p=10), or [plant product](/usc/7/7702.md?p=15) in order—
  - (1) to control a [plant pest](/usc/7/7702.md?p=14) or [noxious weed](/usc/7/7702.md?p=10);
  - (2) to eradicate a [plant pest](/usc/7/7702.md?p=14) or [noxious weed](/usc/7/7702.md?p=10); or
  - (3) prevent the introduction or dissemination of a [biological control organism](/usc/7/7702.md?p=2), [plant pest](/usc/7/7702.md?p=14), or [noxious weed](/usc/7/7702.md?p=10).
- (b) **Regulation of interstate commerce—**
  - (1) **In general—** Except as provided in [paragraph (2)](#b-2), no [State](/usc/7/7702.md?p=17) or political subdivision of a [State](/usc/7/7702.md?p=17) may regulate the [movement](/usc/7/7702.md?p=9) in [interstate commerce](/usc/7/7702.md?p=7) of any [article](/usc/7/7702.md?p=1), [means of conveyance](/usc/7/7702.md?p=8), [plant](/usc/7/7702.md?p=13), [biological control organism](/usc/7/7702.md?p=2), [plant pest](/usc/7/7702.md?p=14), [noxious weed](/usc/7/7702.md?p=10), or [plant product](/usc/7/7702.md?p=15) in order to control a [plant pest](/usc/7/7702.md?p=14) or [noxious weed](/usc/7/7702.md?p=10), eradicate a [plant pest](/usc/7/7702.md?p=14) or [noxious weed](/usc/7/7702.md?p=10), or prevent the introduction or dissemination of a [biological control organism](/usc/7/7702.md?p=2), [plant pest](/usc/7/7702.md?p=14), or [noxious weed](/usc/7/7702.md?p=10), if the [Secretary](/usc/7/7702.md?p=16) has issued a regulation or order to prevent the dissemination of the [biological control organism](/usc/7/7702.md?p=2), [plant pest](/usc/7/7702.md?p=14), or [noxious weed](/usc/7/7702.md?p=10) within the [United States](/usc/7/7702.md?p=20).
  - (2) **Exceptions—**
    - (A) **Regulations consistent with Federal regulations—** A [State](/usc/7/7702.md?p=17) or a political subdivision of a [State](/usc/7/7702.md?p=17) may impose prohibitions or restrictions upon the [movement](/usc/7/7702.md?p=9) in [interstate commerce](/usc/7/7702.md?p=7) of [articles](/usc/7/7702.md?p=1), [means of conveyance](/usc/7/7702.md?p=8), [plants](/usc/7/7702.md?p=13), [biological control organisms](/usc/7/7702.md?p=2), [plant pests](/usc/7/7702.md?p=14), [noxious weeds](/usc/7/7702.md?p=10), or [plant products](/usc/7/7702.md?p=15) that are consistent with and do not exceed the regulations or orders issued by the [Secretary](/usc/7/7702.md?p=16).
    - (B) **Special need—** A [State](/usc/7/7702.md?p=17) or political subdivision of a [State](/usc/7/7702.md?p=17) may impose prohibitions or restrictions upon the [movement](/usc/7/7702.md?p=9) in [interstate commerce](/usc/7/7702.md?p=7) of [articles](/usc/7/7702.md?p=1), [means of conveyance](/usc/7/7702.md?p=8), [plants](/usc/7/7702.md?p=13), [plant products](/usc/7/7702.md?p=15), [biological control organisms](/usc/7/7702.md?p=2), [plant pests](/usc/7/7702.md?p=14), or [noxious weeds](/usc/7/7702.md?p=10) that are in addition to the prohibitions or restrictions imposed by the [Secretary](/usc/7/7702.md?p=16), if the [State](/usc/7/7702.md?p=17) or political subdivision of a [State](/usc/7/7702.md?p=17) demonstrates to the [Secretary](/usc/7/7702.md?p=16) and the [Secretary](/usc/7/7702.md?p=16) finds that there is a special need for additional prohibitions or restrictions based on sound scientific data or a thorough risk assessment.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 106–224, title IV, § 436, June 20, 2000, 114 Stat. 453.)

## Notes

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Transfer of Functions

For transfer of functions of the Secretary of Agriculture relating to agricultural import and entry inspection activities under this chapter to the Secretary of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see sections 231, 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of November 25, 2002, as modified, set out as a note under section 542 of Title 6.