[gardeners] Swap seeds internationally before Sept. 21
Margaret Lauterbach (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Tue, 28 Aug 2001 11:56:09 -0600
The USDA published a policy change July 23 that I just learned about. As of
Sept. 21, they will begin routinely and consistantly enforcing an old law
requiring phytosanitary certificates for nursery stock, plants, roots,
bulbs, seeds, and other plant products from other countries except for some
greenhouse-grown plants from Canada. Commercial nurseries have been
subject to this policy in the past, but now the requirements are to be
extended to home and hobby growers' importations. Phytosanitary
certificates are issued by agricultural inspectors at the country of
origin, and pricing is up to those countries who have ag inspectors. Fee
for Canada certificate is over $11 US , Mexico certificate about $25 US. See
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=2001_register&docid=01-18299-filed
. This site has been difficult to get into, and they have slightly changed
the original announcement within the past two days, but I think the general
tenor of the threat to biodiversity remains. Margaret L