Late last year the USDA announced that it would start enforcing the requirement that all imported seed---including individual packets from gardeners---would require a phytosanitary certificate.
If you recall, this raised quite a storm from seed traders and collectors, not to mention commercial seed houses who deal internationally. Initially they said they’d start enforcing in January. This was later changed to July 22.
USDA and APHIS web sites have conflicting information about what will or won’t require a certificate. And seed traders have been up in the air. Are they inspecting? Are they requiring written and/or verbal phytosanitary certificates? Are individual gardeners being affected?
I decided to run a test. Early last week I emailed correspondents in 11 different countries. I told them what I was doing, and asked them to send me a packet of unimportant seeds, and clearly mark on the envelopes what was inside.
I’ve heard back from 8 of them so far, six of whom provided a date for when they mailed the seeds. So far, less than a week from the first mailing, and including the holiday weekend, I’ve received 4 of the 6 that already were mailed. These came from: Germany, England; Ireland; and Brazil.
If any of these envelopes were inspected it’s being done a strange way. None of them have been opened and resealed.
In other words, I’m beginning to think this was all a tempest in a teapot, and that if any inspection is taking place it’s being done only on commercial shipments with customs declarations.
I’ll keep you up to date on what happens with the rest of the shipments. But for now, my conclusion is, if you want trade with overseas gardeners, don’t hesitate. Your seeds should come right through.
Tempest In A Teapot
many thanks brook i'll certainly bear that in mind
I remember your mesage, to which I did not respond; on the other hand, I sent two seed packets, one two onepenny and one to marclay, 26 and 28 Aug, respectively. I did not mark anything on the envelope - in the knowledge that if the individual postal fellow who held them in his hands could just pass it or he would HAVE to do something if the envelopes said "seeds" and some paper said something be done in such a case. No news from them yet.
Last year I sent dracunculus seeds to several people, and one of them said they did not germinate at all. Coincidence?
I would like to hear if your seeds (the ones you received from abroad recently) germinate - if they have been irradiated, forget it.
I will send you some ferulago seeds and some mung beans tomorrow. they are pretty big and cannot be concealed easily. When you receive them please soak at least the mung beans - if they don't sprout, they must have been irradiated.
Dimitri
There was an item on the news here last night about the mail irradiation. Seems that only critical areas are being irradiated such as mail to political offices and things like that. The rest of the country is not being irradated now and may never be. Although I am sure they are inspecting a lot more now!The seeds Evert sent me seem to be just fine. I only test sprouted one since I was moving but it did sprought!
You got the Strelitzia to sprout? :D Has it grown?
Yes it did sprought but my son dropped the pot when we were moving and it died :-{ I will try again when I get more settled but probably not until spring. I am hoping that by the time it is starting to get too big for the balcony I will have a yard again to plant it in.
It is slow growing at first, so don't worry ;)
>I would like to hear if your seeds (the ones you received from abroad recently) germinate - if they have been irradiated, forget it. <
I had specified "unimportant" seed in my letter, Dimitri, so most of the people sent seed that was long out of date. For instance, somebody sent a packet of onion seed from 1998.
So a germination test wouldn't prove anything, one way or another.
My understanding is that only government sites and other sensitive addresses in the greater Washington DC area are being irridated. Turns out the machinery was too expensive, could harm too many products (not just seeds), and wasn't effective enough anyway.
My seeds gone out today. Ordinary mail, no mark on the envelope.
Ferulago and alcea are 2002, and mung beans from the trade, I use them every week to make bean sprouts.
Let me know when you receive them
Dimitri
Did you get my Hollyhock seeds?
They were fresh from the pod two days before I sent them.
If you did get them, you would have seen that I had Hollyhock seeds printed on the envelope.
As you say, probably a 'Tempest in a Teapot', or possibly even smaller, a 'Storm in a Teacup'.
All the best
Wintermoor
Yeah, Barry, I got them.
Sorry to not acknowledge reciept. What I'm planning on is to wait until I've heard from everybody, then thanks all the participants at once.
I'm also planning a more tangible "thank you" in the form of seeds to everyone who participates.
Ok, nice one Brook.
I'm glad to read that your experiment is working out.
Well done for testing this!!
Wintermoor
Brook, I sent the letter today, let me know when you get it. I put a customs label on it and wrote 'Flower seeds' - 'No value'
:}
Good-oh, Evert. Having the customs label on it should be a real test, because that serves as a flag. All the others, so far, merely had "garden seeds" or some varient written on the envelope.