USDA (part rant)Hi Gang, I would like to know more about what the potential
ConroeJoe@aol.com (Sat, 01 May 2004 09:48:52 PDT)
Hi Gang,
I would like to know more about what the potential problems are for the new
regulations. As near as I can tell, USDA will require an import permit, rather
than a phytosanitary permit. But, I could be getting the information
scrambled.
When you read about the import permit, and the info they as for, it all seems
hopelessly confusing (see below my closing). However, I have such a permit
and it was an easy thing to get, and was free.
For "approximate quantity and kinds" I put down "small seed amounts (less
than 200) of flowering plants, including palms, bulbs, succulents, shrubs and
ornamentals. USDA accepted this. They sort of filled it in again and put,
except for noxious weeds and specifically excluded species. Then they provided a
pamphlet of things that you cannot import under any circumstances.
For "U.S. port of Entry," I put down, Houston, NY City, Miami, and other
appropriate international airports and ports. That was fine with the USDA.
For other categories I put similarly broad statements, and for "expected date
of arrival" I put "variable, seasonal, depending upon availability."
Is it a pain in the butt for USDA to be issuing regulations and being silly?
Yes! Was it easy enough to get a very broad permit, valid for 5 years, for
free?
I think the USDA is nuts, and bent on trying to regulate whatever it can, so
that it can increase in scope and power (like most federal agencies). I've
seen some earlier regulations from the 80s that were hopelessly without (in my
opinion) scientific merit. USDA continues to impose some disease quarantines
that the American Phytopathological Society deems silly, detrimental, and
useless for the containment of certain diseases. So, do not count me in as a
supporter of USDA-APHIS.
Of course, I have friends and colleagues working in USDA-APHIS, and all are
reasonable people, and not monsters. They are just doing their jobs, and the
really silly decisions are made by top-level people who must have backgrounds
in "how to increase paperwork and annoy citizens, while at the same time
creating a mess."
But, in my experience dealing with USDA-APHIS, it seems that there is nothing
you can do about it except play their game. The new regulations seem
designed to allow in small amounts of seed for hobbyists, and small growers, while
still allowing big brother to keep track of who is importing.
Sorry, to rant so much. If I have the new USDA regulations pegged
incorrectly, please give me the scoop--I'm hoping the permits are free and filled out
"easily enough" as before.
Joe
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The completed permit application must contain the
following information: (1) Name, address, and telephone number of the
importer; (2) approximate quantity and kinds (botanical designations)
of articles intended to be imported; (3) country or locality where
grown; (4) intended U.S. port of entry; (5) means of transportation,
e.g., mail, airmail, express, air express, freight, airfreight, or
baggage; and (6) expected date of arrival. The PPQ program of APHIS
will review the application and will then decide whether to issue a
permit and the applicable conditions for importation. Permits would be
issued at the discretion of APHIS only to residents of the United
States, whether an individual or an organization.
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