March 10th deadline to comment on USDA import regulations

I've been following this for a while - it will have very serious ramifications for people in the US, and is expected to be a model for other countries. Essentially, it will create a "clean list" (or "white list") of species that can enter the US, and everything that is not permitted will require "risk assessment" before being allowed. Very, very bad...

Note that the deadline to comment is March 10th.

I couldn't get the link in the other post on this to work, so here are links to pages I've created, and mirrors:

Extracts of the proposal, with commentary:

http://www.geocities.com/nowhitelist/Docket_Extract.htm

or: http://www.jlhudsonseeds.net/USDADocketNo03-069-1.htm

Full text of the proposal, with parts highlighted in red:

http://www.geocities.com/nowhitelist/Docket_No._03-069-1.htm

or: http://www.jlhudsonseeds.net/DocketNo03-069-1.htm

And my own comments to the USDA:

http://www.geocities.com/nowhitelist/Comments.htm

or: http://www.jlhudsonseeds.net/Comments.htm

I hope folks who are interested in keeping their freedom to trade seeds with the US will comment.

Thanks!

I notice that there is only one public comment listed.

http://docket.epa.gov/edkfed/do/EDKStaffCollectionDetailViewByID?collectionId=APHIS-2005-0020

Here is the e-mail address for a private e-mail comment: regulations@aphis.usda.gov

Here is the reference information:

Title: Nursery Stock Regulations; Extension of Comment Period
Agency Docket Number: 03-069-2
Docket ID: APHIS-2005-0020

Very bad "blanket" legislation.

-Ron-