Seeds sent and the US

[ottawagardener]

I have never had problems explicitly sending seed to the US from Canada before but on the off chance, I have sent everyone their seeds except Hiven from NS because I plan on sending some bulbs in the spring. So if you don't receive something from me by the end of the month, let me know and I'll resend.

Telsing.

[Rebsie]

I've been anxious about sending seeds to the US ... it wouldn't matter if they were easily replaceable but I'm usually sending very rare things that I only have limited amounts of.

But what I've sent so far seems to be arriving OK, so maybe I should worry less in future.

[ottawagardener]

Yes, I was worried on your behalf considering the content but I'm glad to hear that they arriving safe!

[PatrickW]

The rules for sending things to the US are vague and keep changing. About two years ago they started intercepting seeds like this:

www.thisgardenisillegal.com/2007/01/invasion-of-tomato-seeds-snatchers.html

And the reason was they introduced the 'Small Lots of Seed Permit', which among others the Seed Ambassadors used to import all of their seeds from Europe into the US:

www.aphis.usda.gov/import_export/plants/plant_imports/smalllots_seed.shtml

www.seedambassadors.org/wp/?p=28

www.seedambassadors.org/wp/?p=14

There was also an article in a SSE publication about this new permit, and they offered to help members fill out the forms if needed. The key thing is only US residents can apply for this permit.

About 6-12 months ago it seems they stopped caring and silently started letting seeds in again without a small lots of seed permit. No one seems to care about this permit anymore.

Don't count on it staying this way forever!

[canadamike]

I always manage to put some physical barrier so it is not obvious... I thingk I should start a craft business, I ship a lot of beads and dry craft material. I have made a huge mailing to Alan along with homemade food. The box made it.

[ottawagardener]

Oh did it say beads? I meant beans... slip of the wrist.

I prefer to ship 'seeds' but we'll see how it goes.

[plantsnobin]

Has anyone crossed from to/from Canada to US with plants in the car? I haven't been to Canada, so don't know how closely they check such things. I do know that my brother in law and a coworker had to make a delivery really close to the border, thought it would be a shame not to go on over to Canada, just to say they had been. 15 minute trip just about got them into a lot of trouble. Dumbasses didn't think you would need a passport just to get back into US. Anyway, I can see where it would be worthwhile to make a road trip once we are all growing some of the more unusual stuff.

[americangardener]

Dec 31, 2008 14:23:50 GMT -5 PatrickW said:

The rules for sending things to the US are vague and keep changing.

About 6-12 months ago it seems they stopped caring and silently started letting seeds in again without a small lots of seed permit. No one seems to care about this permit anymore.

Don't count on it staying this way forever!

Patrick.. those are old pages. Seems alot is different since then. I can find no where in the code of federal regulations anything about a small lots permit. I know that Aphis link you put in mentioned it. But, that too is old info.. and the links they have on there supposedly going to regulations do nothing. I get a blank page.

So, i did go back to the code of federal regulations. What a nitemare that is trying to make any sense of it all.. one paragaph will say one thing.. then at the very end it will say unless Sec. 361.5 applies. Good luck to any postal employee who can make heads or tails from all that mumbo jumbo.

If anyone does want to put seeds as the contents on one of those customs slips.. i'd suggest you also write "for experimentation" on there too. Different rules apply for seeds imported for breeding and experimentation. (I'd even write [7CFR361.4(a)(4)] on the package.)

Even that section has changed since i last read it. But the most current revision was Jan 08. And here's the relevant parts:

Sec. 361.3 Declarations and labeling.

(a) All lots of agricultural seed, vegetable seed, and screenings
imported into the United States must be accompanied by a declaration from the importer of the seed or screenings. The declaration must state the kind, variety, and origin of each lot of seed or screenings and the use for which the seed or screenings are being imported.

Sec. 361.4 Inspection at the port of first arrival.
(a) All agricultural seed, vegetable seed, and screenings imported into the United States shall be made available for examination by an APHIS inspector at the port of first arrival and shall remain at the port of first arrival until released by an APHIS inspector. Lots of agricultural seed, vegetable seed, or screenings may enter the United States without meeting the sampling requirements

[/u] of paragraph (b) of this section if the lot is:
(4) Seed that is being imported for sowing for experimental or breeding purposes, is not for sale, is limited in quantity to the amount indicated in column 3 of table 1 of Sec. 361.5, and is accompanied by a declaration stating the purpose for which it is being imported (seed imported for increase purposes only will not be considered as being imported for experimental or breeding purposes)

Sec. 361.5 Sampling of seeds.

(2) It is not ordinarily practical to sample and test small lots of
seed offered for entry. The maximum sizes of lots of each kind of seed not ordinarily sampled are shown in column 2 of table 1 of this section.
(3) The maximum sizes of lots of each kind of seed allowed entry
without sampling for sowing for experimental or breeding purposes as provided in Sec. 361.4(a)(4) are shown in column 3 of table 1 of this section.

Table 1
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Maximum weight of seed lot permitted entry for experimental or breeding purposes without sampling (pounds)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
VEGETABLE SEED:
Artichoke............... 50
Asparagus............... 50
Bean.................... 200
Garden.............. 500
Lima................ 200
Runner.............. 200
Beet.................... 50
Broccoli................ 10
[/quote]

I took out the rest of the table.. but you can see where most vegetable seeds are either 10 or 50 lbs for the lighter weight ones and now it's 200 lbs for heavy ones like beans and peas. It used to be 400.. so that's one change that's noticeable.

It's important to note there is a distinction between vegetable seeds and agricultural seed as well. Anything most of us would be concerned with would be classed as vegetable.

Course it all seems to be just too much of a waste of time and energy to follow these nonsensical rules to me. Perhaps it is easier to just write beads on the form.

Dave

[canadamike]

Rules are one thing, border kinglets deciding to prove they are in charge of the kingdom is another one, and nowhere is it written they have to possess a high IQ.

Selling stuff in the US, the richest country in the world, is a dream for any small company elsewhere, seeds or else. There is a reason so many seed cos STILL refuse to send seeds to the US. I wrote to many, because they even confused Canada and the States, and many times I had to guaranty I would be responsible if seeds were stopped at the border..

I strongly recommend the shipment of beads in a form of packaging that hides the content, even if sending seeds is legal. That is why I offered to be the transit point for Sphinxeyes. Although it should be legal to cross the border with seeds on yourself, anything can happen. I know, it happened to me... chipping from the visited country is by far the best strategy...

Better safe than sorry..

[Alan]

To my problem I have never had any issue shipping seeds out of the U.S. to another country or recieving seeds sent here to the U.S. everything I have sent has arrived and everything I have been sent has arrived. Including some ridiculously huge packages from Canada Mike, one of which contained whole squash fruits and another that contained like 500 strawberry plants. What the postal service and or regulatory agencies don't know won't hurt them, we all have to remember that we are essentially working in an underground economy and black seed market. They don't like it, but as long as we keep a low profile they really can't do much about it.