Hi Richard, I took what you wrote to heart. Your precautions for your nursery sound wise. You wrote "let the regulatory system function." My intention in writing to pbs about import permits was to encourage people to play the game by the rules, to get a permit. I am so sorry if what I wrote implied I was suggesting anyone bypass the regulatory system. Of the 3 orders I have imported, all 3 got to me without any apparent miss-handling. The most recent was mailed from South Africa on Feb 4 and arrived at my door Feb 18, having been forwarded from the Plant Inspection Station in San Diego. The imported seeds are subject to inspection for prohibited species. And I certainly do not want my neighbors to import an Oxalis pes- caprae that sets seeds, for example. But maybe the biggest danger is from the smallest organisms, microbes. You mention taking care to dispose of the "debris collected in the seed cleaning process". But I guess that microbes on pods or chaff may have already inoculated the seeds. I wonder if perhaps I should request the seeds be treated prior to export, when that is available. Would you recommend treatment of seeds upon receipt with a dry fungicide powder? Or would a brief bleach soak and rinse just prior to sowing be sufficient? Or is that unnecessary? - Gastil