>Dear Lee, I sent you note on this subject to Joyce Fingerhut of the N. Amer. Rock Garden Soc. and her is her reply, strictly FYI. Best Jim W. Many thanks ... for forwarding the reply that Lee Poulsen received from Bud Petitdemange. Yes, changes are afoot. Dr. Arnold Tschanz, of the office of Regulatory Coordination had been given the task of dealing with our complaints regarding the phyto requirement on imported seed. We have been in contact about this issue since November of 2001. Last word was that the regulation will be changed to allow seed to enter the US under a permitting system, without requiring a phytosanitary certificate from the country of origin. It is possible that limits will be placed on the amount of seed (by weight or by number) that can be imported (per order, perhaps?) in this way. I do not have the details about how the permitting system will work but, roughly, the importer (including us plant geeks) will apply for a permit from the USDA (can be done online) before sending the order (or seedex request) outside the country (overseas or Canada). We (importers) will receive a permit and a green label, which both must be sent to the overseas seed house or seedex (say, f'rinstance, Halda or AGS). The exporter will include the permit with the return order and affix the green label to the outside of the envelope. Based on these green labels, the contents will be randomly (and probably only occasionally, is my feeling) inspected. This permitting system, however it finally works, will place the burden on the US buyer rather than the exporter and remove any extra costs to either the buyer or seller (permits are free). The new regulation is currently in the hands of the regulation-writer. When it goes up in the Federal Register, as an Advance Notice of Public Rule-Making (ANPR), we will be notified so that we can send comments during a two-month period. These comments will then be incorporated into a revised (if necessary) regulation, which will again be open for two months of public comment. Any further changes will be made and the final regulation will be made public and enforced. So, we will have two shots at molding the new reg to our seed needs, all the while keeping in mind that the APHIS regulations are in place for the protection of the country's very vulnerable agriculture and nursery industries. Think of sudden oak death and the Asian longhorn beetle. I hope we will all stay in touch, so that the word can go out as soon as the new reg is up for comment. Joyce -- Dr. James W. Waddick 8871 NW Brostrom Rd. Kansas City Missouri 64152-2711 USA Ph. 816-746-1949 E-fax 419-781-8594 Zone 5 Record low -23F Summer 100F +