§ 7751 — Cooperation

(a) The Secretary may cooperate with other Federal agencies or entities, States or political subdivisions of States, national governments, local governments of other nations, domestic or international organizations, domestic or international associations, and other persons to carry out this chapter. (b) The individual or entity cooperating with the Secretary under subsection (a) shall be responsible for— (1) the authority necessary to conduct the operations or take measures on all land and properties within the foreign country or State, other than those owned or controlled by the United States; and (2) other facilities and means as the Secretary determines necessary. (c) The Secretary may transfer to a State, Federal agency, or other person biological control methods using biological control organisms against plant pests or noxious weeds. (d) The Secretary may cooperate with State authorities or other persons in the administration of programs for the improvement of plants, plant products, and biological control organisms. (e) The Secretary shall ensure that phytosanitary issues involving imports and exports are addressed based on sound science and consistent with applicable international agreements. To accomplish these goals, the Secretary may— (1) conduct direct negotiations with plant health officials or other appropriate officials of other countries; (2) provide technical assistance, training, and guidance to any country requesting such assistance in the development of agricultural health protection systems and import/export systems; and (3) maintain plant health and quarantine expertise in other countries— (A) to facilitate the establishment of phytosanitary systems and the resolution of phytosanitary issues; (B) to assist those countries with agricultural health protection activities; and (C) to provide general liaison on agricultural health issues with the plant health or other appropriate officials of the country. (1) A State may provide to a unit of local government in the State described in paragraph (2) any cost-sharing assistance or financing mechanism provided to the State under a cooperative agreement entered into under this Act between the Secretary and the State relating to the eradication, prevention, control, or suppression of plant pests. (2) To be eligible for assistance or financing under paragraph (1), a unit of local government shall be— (A) engaged in any activity relating to the eradication, prevention, control, or suppression of the plant pest infestation covered under the cooperative agreement between the Secretary and the State; and (B) capable of documenting each plant pest infestation eradication, prevention, control, or suppression activity generally carried out by— (i) the Department of Agriculture; or (ii) the State department of agriculture that has jurisdiction over the unit of local government.