Certain acts prohibited — Us Code Code § 1586

Us Code Code § 1586 — Certain acts prohibited. Reproduced from the official United States Code, with a citation summary, verification link, and related provisions.

§ 1586. Certain acts prohibited

It shall be unlawful for any person—

(a) To sell or offer for sale—

(1) any seed for seeding purposes if imported under this subchapter for other than seeding purposes;

(2) any screenings of any seeds for seeding purposes if imported under this subchapter for other than seeding purposes; or

(3) any seed which is prohibited entry under the provisions of this chapter.


(b) To make any false or misleading representation with respect to any seed subject to this subchapter being imported into the United States or offered for import: Provided, That this subsection shall not be deemed violated by any person if the false or misleading representation is the name of a variety indistinguishable in appearance from the seed being imported or offered for import and the records and other pertinent facts reveal that such person relied in good faith upon representations with respect to the name of the indistinguishable variety made by the shipper of the seed.

(Aug. 9, 1939, ch. 615, title III, §304, formerly §306, 53 Stat. 1285; Pub. L. 85–581, §15, Aug. 1, 1958, 72 Stat. 479; renumbered §304, Pub. L. 97–439, §5(b)(4), Jan. 8, 1983, 96 Stat. 2288; Pub. L. 103–465, title IV, §441(4), Dec. 8, 1994, 108 Stat. 4973.)


Editorial Notes

Amendments

1994—Subsec. (a)(4) to (7). Pub. L. 103–465, §441(4)(A), struck out pars. (4) to (7) which read as follows:

"(4) any seed which has been stained to resemble seed stained in accordance with the provisions of this chapter and the rules and regulations made and promulgated thereunder;

"(5) any seed stained under the provisions of this chapter and the rules and regulations made and promulgated thereunder, when mixed with seed of the same kind produced in the United States;

"(6) any seed stained with different colors;

"(7) any seed stained under the provisions of this chapter, the labeling of which states that such seed is adapted."

Subsecs. (b), (c). Pub. L. 103–465, §441(4)(B), (C), redesignated subsec. (c) as (b) and struck out former subsec. (b) which read as follows: "To change the proportion of seeds stained under the provisions of this chapter and the rules and regulations made and promulgated thereunder or to alter, modify, conceal, or remove in any manner or by any means the color of such stained seeds."

1958—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 85–581 added subsec. (c).


Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1994 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 103–465 effective on the date of entry into force of the WTO Agreement with respect to the United States (Jan. 1, 1995), except as otherwise provided, see section 451 of Pub. L. 103–465, set out as an Effective Date note under section 3601 of Title 19, Customs Duties.

Effective Date

See section 1610 of this title.

SUBCHAPTER IV—GENERAL PROVISIONS

About This Section

7 U.S.C. § 1586 is part of Title 7 of the United States Code. The United States Code is the official codification of federal statutes maintained by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the U.S. House of Representatives. Congress amends the Code through new public laws, which are eventually incorporated into the relevant title.

This section may be cited in legal writing as 7 U.S.C. § 1586. For the most current official text, including any recent amendments, use the official source links below. Do not rely on this page as the sole authority for legal citation or litigation.

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Sources

Source: official Us Code text · Last verified 2026-08-27

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