Kudzu and the Law, or at least part of it

Pueraria montana (Lour.) Merr. var. lobata (Willd.) Maesen & S. Almeida  

Kudzu was added to the definition of a Federal Noxious weed (FNW) by congressional action in 1997.  When the revised and consolidated weed authority was passed in the Plant Protection Act of 2000, it replace the old weed law (The Federal Noxious Weed Act of 1974 (7 U.S.C. 2801 et seq.), except the first section and section 15 of that Act now renumbered as (7 U.S.C. 2801 note and 7 U.S.C. 2814).  Kudzu had never met the normal characteristics for a FNW, “new to or not widely distributed, and under official control”.  Thus it has never been added back to the FNW list using our normal evaluation process.  Kudzu is known in at least 30 states, and covers millions of acres, particularly in the deep South.

For more information on APHIS weed authorities and regulations see:http://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/plant_pest_info/weeds/nwregs.shtml