The Preventing Lethal Agricultural and National Threats (PLANT) Act creates new federal criminal penalties for people who illegally import or handle dangerous agricultural pathogens without proper permits from the U.S. Department of Agriculture or other authorized agencies. Anyone convicted of knowingly or recklessly importing a pathogen designated as high-risk—capable of harming U.S. crops, livestock, or agricultural ecosystems—faces up to 10 years in prison and fines. The law includes enhanced penalties of up to 20 years imprisonment for aggravating circumstances, such as when the pathogen's origin is concealed, a foreign government funds the offense, or the resulting economic damage exceeds $1 million. The bill affects anyone involved in importing or handling regulated biological agents, including both domestic and foreign actors, and shifts responsibility to the Secretary of Agriculture to define and publish which pathogens are considered high-risk through regulatory guidance. There is no specified funding mechanism or timeline mentioned in the legislation.
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