This seed import program is still a mess. The instructions say that it is illegal to put the final destination address on the outside of the parcel. My last attempt went the "legal" way. I got a call from the LAX station two weeks ago and responded with my FedX number and a contact phone number. I never got the seeds and I never heard from them again. I give up! Government 1, People 0. I thought of getting Congress involved in these issues but we are a tiny minority with zero clout. Now, if I were Monsanto, or ADM, I could really threaten the environment by spreading GM seed strains with complete impunity. Richard Wagner Vista, CA ----- Original Message ----- From: "Lee Poulsen" <wpoulsen@pacbell.net> To: "PBS Society" <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org> Sent: Wednesday, March 07, 2007 9:33 PM Subject: [pbs] Importing seeds - best experience so far > Over the years I've gotten seeds from overseas from various > countries. In the "old days" they were addressed to me and came > directly to me every time, no problems. After a phyto suddenly became > required, only a very very very few sources could or would go through > the steps to do it properly. Most places and people, even reputable > longtime sources of seeds ignored the new requirements at that time, > and I never had any package confiscated. Ever since the new small > lots of seeds permits came into effect (no longer requiring a phyto), > I've basically had two different kinds of experiences so far. > > Either the sender pasted the required import permit label on the > outside of the envelope or package AND wrote my address on the > outside (which the label instructions specifically state should NOT > be done), in which case the packages came directly to me and were > never stopped or inspected, > Or the sender pasted the label on the outside of the package and did > NOT write my address on the outside of the package, in which case the > packages (in my case) all were delivered directly to the APHIS/PPQ > inspection station near the LAX airport. In every case I've gotten a > phone call from them telling me the seeds were cleared for release > and I could come pick them up between 8 am and 4:30pm Monday through > Friday only and not between noon and 1:00 pm either after driving > directly across most of Los Angeles and then trying to drive back, > during work and hoping not to hit traffic somewhere. Or I could give > them a FedEx charge number or I could send them actual postage stamps > for the correct domestic postage to get it mailed across town. No > cash and no credit cards could be accepted. I usually had a friend > who lives nearby go and pick them up and I could pick them up from my > friend later in the evening after the traffic had dissipated. I > believe that the reason the label specifies that the final > destination address NOT be placed on the outside of the package was > precisely because of what usually happens which is what I described > that happened to me. Which means incoming packages never get > intercepted to be inspected. > > However, today I received a package of seeds from Australia that had > the label pasted on the outside AND my address written on the outside > as well. This time, however, it went to the inspection station, they > inspected it and then taped it up and sent it directly on to me > without any phone call and without any additional postage. This is > the first time this has happened to me in more than ten years of > importing seeds from outside the U.S. The sender had drawn a box > around my address, drew some arrows pointing to it, and had written > above the top of the rectangle surrounding my address: "Permit Holder > & Final Address". I believe that every nation that has joined the > International Postal Union (pretty much almost every country in the > world <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/…>) is > required to follow a standard set of rules, one of which is that the > postage charged for an international package or letter covers > delivery of that item to the final destination written on the outside > of the item. I believe this has been a point of disagreement with the > USPS and APHIS/PPQ and is why the local inspection office had to ask > me for additional postage or a FedEx charge number to deliver > packages to me when the sender did NOT write my address on the > outside of the package. This would be great if they continue this > practice. > > Furthermore, the sender had included a cover sheet inside the package > that stated that the seeds were fleshy and could possibly germinate > during delivery despite having been kept dry and dark the entire > time. A few of the seeds HAD germinated en route, but nothing was > confiscated and the sheet had been opened and read. So that is good too. > > So if this way of doing it continues, I think all of the concerns of > each of the parties will be satisfied. > > --Lee Poulsen > Pasadena, California, USA, USDA Zone 10a > > > > _______________________________________________ > pbs mailing list > pbs@lists.ibiblio.org > http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php