---
kind: "section"
citation: "7 U.S.C. § 8901"
title: "7"
title_heading: "Agriculture"
number: "8901"
heading: "Definitions"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/7/8901"
units:
  - "Chapter 114 — Agricultural Security"
---

# §8901. Definitions


In this chapter:

- (1) **Agent—** The term “agent” means a nuclear, biological, chemical, or radiological substance that causes [agricultural disease](#4) or the adulteration of products regulated by the [Secretary](/usc/7/499a.md?p=b-2) of Agriculture under any provision of law.
- (2) **Agricultural biosecurity—** The term “agricultural biosecurity” means protection from an [agent](#1) that poses a threat to—
  - (A) [plant](#10) or [animal](#7) health;
  - (B) public health as it relates to the adulteration of products regulated by the [Secretary](/usc/7/499a.md?p=b-2) of Agriculture under any provision of law that is caused by exposure to an [agent](#1); or
  - (C) the environment as it relates to agriculture facilities, farmland, and air and water within the immediate vicinity of an area associated with an [agricultural disease](#4) or outbreak.
- (3) **Agricultural countermeasure—** The term “agricultural countermeasure”—
  - (A) means a product, practice, or technology that is intended to enhance or maintain the [agricultural biosecurity](#2) of the United States; and
  - (B) does not include a product, practice, or technology used solely in response to a human medical incident or public health emergency not related to agriculture.
- (4) **Agricultural disease—** The term “agricultural disease” has the meaning given the term by the [Secretary](/usc/7/499a.md?p=b-2).
- (5) **Agricultural disease emergency—** The term “agricultural disease emergency” means an incident of [agricultural disease](#4) that requires prompt action to prevent significant damage to people, [plants](#10), or [animals](#7).
- (6) **Agroterrorist act—** The term “agroterrorist act” means an act that—
  - (A) causes or attempts to cause—
    - (i) damage to agriculture; or
    - (ii) injury to a [person](/usc/7/499a.md?p=b-1) associated with agriculture; and
  - (B) is committed or appears to be committed with the intent to—
    - (i) intimidate or coerce a civilian population; or
    - (ii) disrupt the agricultural industry in order to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion.
- (7) **Animal—** The term “animal” has the meaning given the term in [section 8302 of this title](/usc/7/8302.md).
- (8) **Department—** The term “Department” means the Department of Agriculture.
- (9) **Development—** The term “development” means—
  - (A) research leading to the identification of products or technologies intended for use as [agricultural countermeasures](#3) to protect [animal](#7) health;
  - (B) the formulation, production, and subsequent modification of those products or technologies;
  - (C) the conduct of in vitro and in vivo studies;
  - (D) the conduct of field, efficacy, and safety studies;
  - (E) the preparation of an application for marketing approval for submission to an applicable agency; or
  - (F) other actions taken by an applicable agency in a case in which an [agricultural countermeasure](#3) is procured or used prior to issuance of a license or other form of Federal Government approval.
- (10) **Plant—** The term “plant” has the meaning given the term in [section 7702 of this title](/usc/7/7702.md).
- (11) **Qualified agricultural countermeasure—** The term “qualified agricultural countermeasure” means an [agricultural countermeasure](#3) that the [Secretary](/usc/7/499a.md?p=b-2), in consultation with the [Secretary](/usc/7/499a.md?p=b-2) of Homeland [Security](/usc/7/24.md?p=b), determines to be a priority in order to address an [agricultural biosecurity](#2) threat.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 110–234, title XIV, § 14102, May 22, 2008, 122 Stat. 1453; Pub. L. 110–246, § 4(a), title XIV, § 14102, June 18, 2008, 122 Stat. 1664, 2215.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Codification

Pub. L. 110–234 and Pub. L. 110–246 enacted identical sections. Pub. L. 110–234 was repealed by section 4(a) of Pub. L. 110–246.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Enactment of this section and repeal of Pub. L. 110–234 by Pub. L. 110–246 effective May 22, 2008, the date of enactment of Pub. L. 110–234, see section 4 of Pub. L. 110–246, set out as a note under section 8701 of this title.

### Short Title

Pub. L. 110–234, title XIV, § 14101, May 22, 2008, 122 Stat. 1453, and Pub. L. 110–246, § 4(a), title XIV, § 14101, June 18, 2008, 122 Stat. 1664, 2215, provided that: “This subtitle [subtitle B (§§ 14101–14122) of title XIV of Pub. L. 110–246, enacting this chapter] may be cited as the ‘Agricultural Security Improvement Act of 2008’.”

[Pub. L. 110–234 and Pub. L. 110–246 enacted identical provisions. Pub. L. 110–234 was repealed by section 4(a) of Pub. L. 110–246, set out as a note under section 8701 of this title.]

### Definition of “Secretary”

“Secretary” as meaning the Secretary of Agriculture, see section 8701 of this title.