Here's an e-mail that came today. I'd corresponded (is that really the correct term for an e-mail back-and-forth?) with Dr. Tschanz last year, and it was thoughtful of him to keep me in the loop. Somewhat amusing, in light of the discussions we've been having on this form. He is doing a good job of "getting the word out" - at the North American Rock Garden Society's Eastern Winter Study Weekend in PA last January he participated in a concurrent session on this topic. Which apparently became so heated that Dr. Tschantz felt it necessary to announce that his suit was made of Kevlar. Judy in sunny, breezy, cool New Jersey where the flowering dogwood and lilacs are in flower. Iris bucharica is going over, and alas, I did not get pictures before yesterday's rain. Planting Tulipa sylvestris in a large circular terra cotta drain tile ring apparently worked to confine its rambling ways - it has 3 flowers. And T. hageri splendens is coloring up. ___________________________________________________________________ The rule change proposed by Plant Protection and Quarantine, APHIS, USDA, to allow the importation of small lots of seed without phytosanitary certificates under a plant import permit with special conditions has been published in the Federal Register on April 29 and is open for comments until June 28, 2004. This proposed rule docket can be accessed through the attachment below or through the following link http://aphis.usda.gov/ppd/rad/… Directions for providing comments to this proposed rule are detailed in the docket body. If you have problem accessing Docket No. 02-119-1; Importation of Small Lots of Seed Without Phytosanitary Certificates, please let me know, either at the above email address or by phone at 301-734-5306. We would greatly appreciate your comments. Thanks you for your continued interest in this issue. Arnie Arnold T. Tschanz Senior Staff Officer Regulatory Coordination USDA APHIS PPQ ----- Forwarded by Arnold T Tschanz/MD/APHIS/USDA on 05/04/2004 01:48 PM ----- PPQ Stakeholder Registry Sent by: Linda Toran 04/30/2004 08:25 AM To: arnold.t.tschanz@aphis.usda.gov cc: Subject: Importation of Small Lots of Seeds Without Phytosanitary Certificates Proposed Rule