Seeds from outside U.S., how do you get them?

[Merediana]

I'm really surprised that there are still a few shops in the US who charge nothing for sending seeds to europe and even send them again when they get lost, they can't possibly make money with that

I've always got those seeds in normal envelopes just wrapped in a nomal letter and they were all great, no broken seeds, no problems with germination or anything but I've so far only ordered pepper and tomato seeds, I don't think that this works with larger seeds.

I've heard of a few cases where seeds got seized by customs but it seems to be rare if send in a neutral envelope.

[JLJ_]

I happened to see this thread this morning just after I'd sent a PM about not wanting seeds sent to me from overseas under the present official policies unless I had a permit, which I currently don't. Reading all the "it doesn't matter" replies, I thought I'd put in a suggestion that people read the thread linked in Douglas_OW's post -- post #4 in this thread, I think.

If officials will attack someone like brokenbar's son, they'll attack anyone.

(I think the post above just linked to brokenbar's first post in the thread, in case anyone doesn't know how to get to the whole thread from there, a link is below.)

http://www.tomatoville.com/showthread.php?p=529538

As in this thread, there are many in the above thread saying that they've had seeds sent to them for years with no problems, but other posts indicating that policies have changed, and that enforcement is not being handled in what would appear to most to be a rational way (enclosing a notice that a free permit is required and can be obtained at this link or by returning this form to . . . ) but by fairly nasty measures even to those who are clearly not large seed importers . . . and also fairly nasty and unreasonable measures against well meaning seed senders.)

Requiring a free permit even for small seed imports isn't an entirely unreasonable measure -- there really can be potentially large problems caused by accidental import of disease entities, which can happen by small quantities of incoming seed, so it makes some sense to keep track of incoming seeds. It's just the overkill measure of enforcement practices that seems to be the problem, but it is as it is and that seems to be how it is at the moment.

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by JLJ_

I happened to see this thread this morning just after I'd sent a PM about not wanting seeds sent to me from overseas under the present official policies unless I had a permit, which I currently don't. Reading all the "it doesn't matter" replies, I thought I'd put in a suggestion that people read the thread linked in Douglas_OW's post -- post #4 in this thread, I think.

If officials will attack someone like brokenbar's son, they'll attack anyone.

(I think the post above just linked to brokenbar's first post in the thread, in case anyone doesn't know how to get to the whole thread from there, a link is below.)

http://www.tomatoville.com/showthread.php?p=529538

As in this thread, there are many in the above thread saying that they've had seeds sent to them for years with no problems, but other posts indicating that policies have changed, and that enforcement is not being handled in what would appear to most to be a rational way (enclosing a notice that a free permit is required and can be obtained at this link or by returning this form to . . . ) but by fairly nasty measures even to those who are clearly not large seed importers . . . and also fairly nasty and unreasonable measures against well meaning seed senders.)

Requiring a free permit even for small seed imports isn't an entirely unreasonable measure -- there really can be potentially large problems caused by accidental import of disease entities, which can happen by small quantities of incoming seed, so it makes some sense to keep track of incoming seeds. It's just the overkill measure of enforcement practices that seems to be the problem, but it is as it is and that seems to be how it is at the moment.

And I just sent an em to the person in Russia who has the seeds you want, and used the address you gave me,and then listed ,in respnse to our PM exchanges all the individuals,that I have no problems with sending or getting seeds from.

Do you now want me to try and contact her ASAP and tell her to NOT send you the seeds?

Carolyn

[JLJ_]

Originally Posted by carolyn137

And I just sent an em to the person in Russia who has the seeds you want, and used the address you gave me,and then listed ,in respnse to our PM exchanges all the individuals,that I have no problems with sending or getting seeds from.

Do you now want me to try and contact her ASAP and tell her to NOT send you the seeds?

Carolyn

As per PMs, I hope you have already done so.

Since brokenbar's thread was posted, I have always wanted to avoid having anyone overseas mailing seeds to me. Which is no problem for me as I have only rare seed exchanges even within the US.

When I saw your email late last night asking if I wanted seeds of that variety I was too tired to be responding to messages and just didn't put together brokenbar's thread and that the seeds you were referring to would be sent from overseas -- which is why I followed up with an email early this morning saying that I didn't want overseas seeds mailed to me and followed up your reply with a prompt repetition of that wish.

It's not that I think there is anything wrong with small international exchanges of seeds, but apparently some officials do, and are taking extreme measures even when they know perfectly well that they are dealing only with small personal exchanges of seed with no harm intended -- and I don't want to cause trouble for anyone else and don't have time to deal with such myself.

With all the seed exchanging you do, I hope you do get one of the free permits, but if not, I, like most of Tomatoville and well beyond, I'm sure, will put "Free Carolyn!" on a placard for Mom's wheelchair, on a sandwich sign for the puppy, and on a newspaper hat for myself and join the demonstrations that will undoubtedly sweep the country to protect 'Carolyn Tomatoseed' who brings so much variety all gardening Americans.