OBTAINING and USING the SMALL LOTS of SEED PERMIT
Since January, 2002, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Plant Protection and Quarantine (APHIS-PPQ), of the USDA, has required a phytosanitary certificate for all imported seed, including the small packets of seed from foreign seed exchanges and private seed houses. Four years of effort produced a new Permit, for Small Lots of Seed, that allows the importation of these small packets of seeds without a phyto.
U.S. importers who plan to purchase seed from any groups or individuals based outside the United States should obtain this new permit. It is free, good for three years and multiple uses, and the application is available online. Best of all, it does not require that the exporter provide an expensive, time-consuming phyto.
1. OBTAINING THE SMALL LOTS OF SEED PERMIT
Go to http://www.aphis.usda.gov/permits/ppq_epermits.shtml
You can apply online once you have received a Level 2 eAuthentication,
a two-step process that involves a trip to a local USDA Service Center to show a photo ID. However, once you have an eAuthentication, you can conduct all business with APHIS online.
You can initiate the eAuthentication process by clicking on "eAuthentication" (in the body of the first paragraph), then following the prompts toward creating a Level 2 Account.
or....
You can also apply for a SLS permit by downloading a permit application form (pdf) to complete and mail/fax to APHIS.
Click on PPQ 587. Fill out the form using the following responses:
Section 2:
Country of Origin - Write "Various Approved Countries"
Scientific Names - Write "Eligible Taxa"
To see what is not eligible for entry:
http://www.nargs.org/RestrictedSeed/
Plant Parts - Write "Seeds"
U.S. Port of Arrival - choose from the following:
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/import_export/plants/plant_imports/plant_inspection_stations_contd.shtml
The port need not be the one closest to your home.
For the time being, it is suggested that you not use the Los Angeles or Miami inspection stations.
Section 3:
Intended use: Check "Small Lots of Seed"
Section 4:
Means of importation: Check "Mail or Express carrier"
When you receive your permit, you will also receive several green&yellow mailing labels, with the printed address of the plant inspection station at the Port of Arrival that you chose.
Just a reminder: your permit will need to be renewed every three years.
However, if you use ePermits, you will also have to do at least a simple log-in online every three months to keep your authentication valid.
2. USING THE SMALL LOTS OF SEED PERMIT
U.S. Importers
When placing an order, send to the overseas exporter:
- Copy of permit (all three pages), one permit for each 50, or fewer,
packets requested
- Green&yellow mailing label, one label for each 50, or fewer,
packets requested
- Typed (or very clearly printed) alphabetical List of requested taxa
- Typed (or very clearly printed) label with your name/address
(attached to List)
Tips to Importers:
- Do not request seed of plants where the species is not clearly identified,
if the genus contains any species that are restricted
(e.g.: Agave sp. or Rubus sp.).
- Do not request seed from a vaguely defined region; "Caucasus"
or "Pamir Mountains" are not sufficiently precise to qualify as
country-of-origin.
- When you receive your permit, send a copy to the inspection station
that you will be using, for them to keep on file; it can make the
inspection process go more smoothly.
- When inquiring at the inspection station about your seed shipments,
always give your Permit Number, printed on your permit and on the
green&yellow label. It is the only way that they can locate your
particular shipment, since your name/address will be inside the package.
- If you find that you are having trouble receiving your shipments through
the inspection station that you currently use, you can request new
green&yellow labels printed with another station. It does not have to be
the station nearest your home. For the time being, it is suggested that
you not use the Los Angeles or Miami inspection stations.
- Attach your home address label to the alphabetical list of seeds ordered
(which will likely become the exporter's Invoice/List), so that inspectors
can readily find it.
Canadian/Overseas Exporters:
Each envelope/shipment entering the U.S. must have:
- Seeds: maximum of 50 seeds or 10g per packet (whichever is more)
maximum of 50 packets per shipment
Each packet labeled with: genus, plus species where possible;
country where seed collected (if different from exporter)
- Copy of permit (all three pages)
- Typed (or very clearly printed) alphabetical Invoice/List of
exported taxa (genus, species), with Name and Address of exporter
- Typed (or very clearly printed) label with importer's name/address
(attached to Invoice/List)
- Packaging strong enough to survive shipping, postal machine handling
- Green/yellow label pasted on outside of envelope, as the only
mailing address label on package.
Return address should be in upper left corner.
- Postal services, rather than commercial carriers (such asFedEx, DHL,
UPS, etc.), should always be used to avoid additional charges to forward
shipment from Plant Inspection Station to importer.
Tips to Exporters:
- The Permit Number on the permit (upper right) and the number on the
green&yellow mailing label (lower right) must match.
- Please read, and adhere to, the Conditions listed on pages 2 and 3
of the Permit.
- Instead of having to label each packet of locally-collected seed with
the country-of-origin, you may write on the Invoice:
Except where noted, all seeds originate in [your home country].
Then label the country-of-origin only on seeds that originate from
outside your country (whether garden- or wild-collected).
- Attach importer's home address label to Invoice list, so inspectors
can readily find it. After inspection, they will paste this label on the
package for delivery to importer.
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