Anyone have this happen??
I was pretty disappointed today when i got my lil bubble envie from Canada and it was empty, except for a sheet of paper explaining that 'it was illegal', blah blah blah.... **sniff** i just wanted the MG seeds.
I wonder if it is just random checks, as i've gotten seeds from Spain before .... and the gal in CA got the seeds i sent.....
just total bummer!
Seed confiscation at Customs??
same thing happened to me saturday. the seeds came from the netherlands, and wre confiscated at customs in chicago. i got the piece of paper also. i think they just wanted the seeds for themselves
jordan... mine too in chicago... some one is going to have beautiful gardens next season.
Maybe someone should call them & ask WHAT they do with the seeds once they're confiscated? Just a thought! :)
Mike
tcs, yes they are, and it won't be us
my letter said they were destroyed
crap -- just reread the letter. mine too.
at the bottom, it's hand written
All plant material requires a phytosanitary certificate from country of origin. Seed packets were opened.
Why do they do this? It is seeds not poison or bombs or the such.
my letter said the same thing,and also said no small lots of seed permit accompianed the shipment
I just got off the phone with customs and the dept. of agriculture to see if there was a listing of seeds that were acceptable. There is not. I was informed it changed daily. In a nut shell the advice was "don't send any plant material".
That said, I guess I could send my dutch friend for christmas some chocolate covered canna cherries or a nice little wooden box decorated with mg and datura beads?
X
X I love that idea.
To be squeaky clean, I understand you can get a Small Lot Seed Permit. This will last for 3 years, and allow packages of up to 50 seeds (of each plant type) to be posted to you.
You can get a permit from here: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/import_export/plants/plant_imports/smalllots_seed.shtml
You don't need to fill in all seed species, just the 'eligible taxa'. Likewise, 'Europe' is probably good enough for Europe.
Email the permit to the sender so they can include it in the package.
No phyto is required under this scheme.
That is really interesting, I order seeds from ebay US sellers all the time and they have always arrived here in Canada without an issue, probably 15 large lots this past spring/summer alone. But I have just sent a number of trades / swap packages to the US, I will post again to let you know how it all goes.
the seeds i sent to the netherlands arrived there.
I just got my seed envy back from the Netherlands I cant read what it says so I dont know why it came back.
Ladyblues
Every country has it's own rules and regulations. Most comply with CITES regulations for endangered plants. The other regulations are usually there to 'protect' the agricultural businesses.
The Australian laws are some of the most rigid I believe. The US ones are pretty tight as well although as I understand it the Small Lot Seed Permit is easy to get, and does for the amateur.
Europe has a common set of regulations. Seeds coming into Europe are generally OK without any permit, as long as it isn't commercial quantities (I guess).
Hj1 beat me to it .. just got off the phone with APHIS .. the small lots of seed permit is the way to go.
X
X- DH and I loved the Christmas package way of sending seeds! LOL
Here is the manual that lists regulated plants .. it's a huge pdf file so be patient!
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/import_export/plants/manuals/ports/downloads/nursery_stock.pdf
X
The aphis certificate works like a charm, but it is a pain for the overseas seller. On the otherhand, you get your seeds :)
Suzy
Why is it a pain for the other person?
Just more pain in the rear end paperwork.
They have a set of instructions you include with your order or money or whatever you send to them. And a label or two. The instructions are poorly worded and an 8th grader could say, "Fill in the blanks, slap the label on the outside, and mail", but instead it is a full page typed set of instructions that says the exact same thing as I wrote in one sentence.
Just silliness.
Suzy
Hmm .. here is how babel fish translates "Fill in the blanks, slap the label on the outside, and mail" into dutch:
Slack the label on the outside, and the mail fills in the spaties
Lol!
X
What do you have to do sending seeds? I noticed the Ipomoea is all prohibited EXCEPT seeds so it looks like we can still send morning glories (except Ipomoea aquatica).
X & hj,
wow, thanks for all of what you've done.
I looked for a phone number on that sheet they enclosed with the empty envie and there wasn't one.
and never got a chance to research it [got busy with housewife/mom stuff]
at least i know in the future.
but *double sniff* i was really looking forward to those MG seeds.
Terese
oh and Suzy -- yes it does seem like silliness.
i can understand plants or fruits & veggies but seeds??
oh well, live and learn.
This message was edited Nov 19, 2007 1:52 PM
It's not SENDING seeds, it's receiving them in the US that is the problem. You can send seeds as far as I know, even to Aus and New Zealand, the 2 most picky countries that I know of, as long as you put "_______ (name of plant) seeds for hobbyist use" on the outside of the envelope.
Importing seeds is what I am talking about.
Suzy
Ok, thanks.
tcs, what MG seeds got confiscated? Probably someone here on DG might have that kind. Maybe even me!
customs said they confiscated-(6-seeds, with hand written label of IRIS
approx.-20 seeds, with hand wtitten label of IPOMOTA SHIBOUIM
Could it have been Ipomoea purpurea "Shibouri"?
Seeds get confiscated for a few reasons. If they're on the prohibited list, you can bet they'll be taken! Those things are dangerous to the land, like kudzu, when wild. The gov't doesn't want to see repeats of what happened with kudzu and other plants. Also, there are a lot of microorganisms that can live (some dormant) on or in a seed, and don't 'sprout' til the seed is planted. Those can be as bad or worse.
Remember what happened to the Martians in War of the Worlds?
Yeah. Now picture it all as plants. That's the problem.
It's still a pain for us, though. We have to do hobbyist paperwork or go through import/export companies and pay a serious premium for our seeds.
-Sev, who got some Chinese and Thai seeds recently through official means, but when in-laws went to Thailand on business couldn't have them bring anything back because of the regulations.
could be, i really don't know
I have thought of disguising seeds to help people avoid temptation provided they were legal of course. X`s idea of chocolate covered canna seeds might work. I even thought of putting the packs of seeds fixed so they don`t "shake" in a new pack of socks from the store enclosed with a greeting card "Stay warm this winter" Love, Aunt Karen :)
This message was edited Nov 19, 2007 4:13 PM
LOL!!!
>>tcs, what MG seeds got confiscated?
Light Blue Flash
My Fuji mix
Kniola's Black Knight
gardener -- that is hilarious.
The only one I don't have is light blue flash. I have the darker blue called Ensign Blue.
yes, Beth -- that is the one I have... and i didnt use all the seeds from the envelope i purchased... though i have yet to figure out how to collect the seeds on that one.
that one really creeps ... i had many seedlings, but the bunnies ate all but 4 or 5 of'em.
Terese
I also had some trouble sending seeds to Canada for the growout. I needed a little green piece of paper and that took care of the problem. In my case they sent the seeds back to me with a note. I took them to the post office and got them fixed up correctly and they made it to their destination that time.
On a different subject, I already know better than to order canna seeds from Australia now because one pack made it through and three others did not so I gave up. I quit trying to buy them because the note I received said they were illegal and the seller asked the buyer to check the laws and assumed no responsibility if they got confiscated. I found out alright at the cost of 20 something dollars. Oh,well...
Karen
I haven't had anything confiscated and destroyed but it seems like a crap shoot--you just never know. I have recieved seeds from Canada with no problems and even ordered from England last year and got my plain brown wrapper with no identifiable company name on it, full of seeds in return. I'm thinking I'd be pressing my luck to try it again:lol: May look into the Small Lot Seed Permit. Thanks for the information.