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

[JosephineRose]

So thanks to my few short weeks of membership I've been made of aware of international seed varieties such as those offered by the fabulous Secret Seed Cartel and those available at the Koanga Institute… which will not ship outside of New Zealand.

I have no doubt the US has strict agriculture import laws…. I travel internationally for business to know all about the Beagles at customs, etc.

But then I hear about people taking international trips and coming back with new seed varieties from Ukraine and France, etc. So how does that work?

And how are people able to trade with folks in New Zealand, for example? There are so many varieties at Koanga I would be interested in, and it seems impossible to get them.

Thanks in advance. This place has literally opened the WORLD of tomatoes to me.

[Scooty]

certificates / permits if you're doing it as a legit business. [Or in any reasonable quality meant for selling]

Beyond that it's just sneaking a few fruit or seeds past. Tomato, melon, cucumber, carrot seeds don't quite send up the same sniffer dog red flags as narcotics. If you're not bring back 1/2+ lb of seed or a entire slab of Serrano ham from Barcelona, it also doesn't actually look like you're purposely trying to avoid customs. Under an x-ray.... 1/2 pound tomato seeds looks as suspicious as 1/2 pound of drugs. 10 tomato seeds in a coin pouch looks like a bookmark. I'd point out this is the same situation with mail. Some people in NZ still get seeds from the outside via snail mail.

If you're associated with a federal/state entity, especially botanical gardens, museums (collections staff), etc... they will usually handle the paperwork for you. Customs is also more forgiving if you're a legit academic/scientist bring back samples. Uni will handle paperwork.

When it comes to tomatoes, even for those of us that travel, there's really very little need to bring back seeds. Most of the good ones have already been brought in at some point, and there are hence, sources stateside. The only ones left are some of the rarer lost to time heirlooms (which are often poor producers), or wild versions that a lot of breeders need to replenish genetic stock or for a specific resistance trait. And even these get in thanks to folks like Goodman and Carolyn, like with Sara' Galapagos.

There's are thousands and thousands of varieties available stateside to try. It's often tomato experts like Carolyn that grow these varieties from overseas. It saves the rest of us a lot of work since they pretty much do all the leg work. We get to find out if they are any good both in taste and production after being subjected to what is often a pretty big habitat change.

[TC_Manhattan]

I have purchased seeds from Hungary (peppers), France, and UK (as well as seed garlic from England), and they were mailed via regular post and didn't get pinched by customs.

I think I have some Roselle seeds from Jamaica or Thailand as well.

Some of these were bought through EBay. Nothing special as to restrictions, unless I simple got lucky. It's amazing what you can find listed on EBay. Many of the foreign seeds come in commercial packaging just like Burpees.

[Douglas_OW]

Here's a recent discussion on this very topic:

http://www.tomatoville.com/showpost....38&postcount=1

There are many good Suppliers listed in the Seed and Plant Sources forum. If none of those several thousand offered varieties are exactly what you are after, you can post a request in the Wanted Varieties forum. One of our international members might be able to hook you up.

Jim

[Scooty]

Originally Posted by Douglas_OW

Here's a recent discussion on this very topic:

http://www.tomatoville.com/showpost....38&postcount=1

There are many good Suppliers listed in the Seed and Plant Sources forum. If none of those several thousand offered varieties are exactly what you are after, you can post a request in the Wanted Varieties forum. One of our international members might be able to hook you up.

Jim

I never had to deal with that stuff. Others always handled the paperwork for me.

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_hea...ppqform587.pdf

If I recall correct, you have to do this each time you want to get something from the outside. You need to declare the scientific name of the plant, plant part etc... Cause for all the USDA knows, you're bringing in the next candidate about to be reviewed for noxious weed status. : Pretty sure it isn't like a driver's license that you just get once, and just use it for whatever. Maybe since you only need to file for tomatoes (assuming it's only tomatoes), you don't need to do it multiple times?

I think you need to give the issued permit to the person mailing the plant part to you, so that customs sees it as part of the documentation at point of entry. Or bring it with you when you enter border. I suppose if you're after a really really rare plant, paperwork is a small price to pay.

[ilex]

I'm a SSE member in Spain. Small quantities of small seeds in regular envelope make it almost always.

NZ and Australia are much more strict.

[carolyn137]

I send and receive seeds from many counties with no problems at all. The exceptions are the Netherlands which has a strict policy to keep out especially tomato diseases b'c of so many companies there that do breed tomatoes.

Other exceptions are Australia and NZ since there's a major problem there with what's called Potato Spindle Viroid,which infects and kills both potatoes and tomatoes. And is now known to be present in the the US.

For the above a phytosanitary certificate is needed which costs too much for an individual but not for companies that ship in seeds,etc.

I do think all of this was discussed in the link that was given above by Douglas OW so please click on that link for I'm sure it will help.

Lastly, I would look at the various companies here that are listed in the pland and Seed Forum since many of them offer seeds from many companies,not just Terry of Secret Cartel/

And if you know what you want then you MUST go toTania's superb data base, also listed there to locate what you want since she has pages for about 5,000 varieties,traits of each one, reports back from others,pictures for most,companies that offer them,including herself,she sends everywhere, is in Canada and has an outstanding reputation.

If you don't haveTania's web address or can't find it in the Forum here I just referred to I can come back and give it to you but then would have to tell you what I think is the best way to navigate the site,depending on what you want.

Carolyn

[Moshou]

Originally Posted by ilex

Small quantities of small seeds in regular envelope make it almost always.

Ilex is right, all my envelopes directed to US have found the goal. And I am quite active

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by Moshou

Ilex is right, all my envelopes directed to US have found the goal. And I am quite active

Not only are you quite active V, but I am one who you send seeds to and have for many years and they always get to me.

Carolyn

[Scooty]

I'm guessing whoever is getting their mailed seeds kiboshed at the border is either sending too much at once like a 1/2 pounds worth.... or has a big fat Ebay sticker on their computer printed postage.

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by Scooty

I'm guessing whoever is getting their mailed seeds kiboshed at the border is either sending too much at once like a 1/2 pounds worth.... or has a big fat Ebay sticker on their computer printed postage.

Are you talking seeds sent out from the US or seeds sent from elsewhere sent to the US?

At one time many years ago, that's many,US customs in concert with Homeland Security were much more strict for incoming seeds and at that time I did know of several that had their seeds confiscated,,BUT the reason was that they wanted to be sure no seeds had noxoius weed seeds,their words,getting in and yes,perhaps the biggest example of that was seeds for tumbleweeds that many who immigrated here brought with them when they came,but that so called restriction is no longer in use forthehomegardener.

Companies shipping seeds here from elsewhere still have to have a phytosanitary Certificate accompany the seeds.

Someone above quoted pretty much what the SSE YEarbooks have to say about imported seeds, and gave the website,at gov something ,to get a small seed license,but to be honest about it,they had to do that and to date I don't know of anyone who used it,they just ignored it.

Carolyn

[Scooty]

I meant more coming in. Outbound, it's the other country's customs you have to worry more about.

I'm not sure how common inbound seeds are still getting seized, but USDA has added federally designated noxious weeds if I recall within the past 5 years. And more species keep going under review. So I would have presumed seizure rate hasn't change dramatically.

Of course, this kind of ignores that fact that states can have their own list of designated noxious weeds in addition to the federal level, and even though state designated noxious weeds differ from state to state, intrastate transport and control of seed and plant parts are fairly nonexistent (unless you're a registered business).

[Andrey_BY]

Sometimes I get more problems with our local customs reading American official black list for seeds restricted to send out to USA and thus return bubble mailers (anything looking fat) to me than US incoming organizations like post or customs... But in most cases there is no problems with sending small seed amounts inside regular envelopes with double postcards from Belarus or Russia to USA or Canada or Western Europe.

[Lindalana]

Post cards with taped inside small amount of seeds do well. Bubble envies are not reliable IMO

[Wi-sunflower]

I have seen plenty of posts over the years of people outside of the USA complaining that a lot of companies won't send to foreign countries. I still do but kind of cringe when I get those orders. Here's why --

I can only put about 8 of my seed packs taped to a card in a flat paper envelope that just looks like a thick card. That can go without a customs form for about $3.95 +- to most of Europe. But if there is more ordered and I have to pack in a bubble envelope (same 6x10 size) with the customs form, now it's no longer considered an "envelope" but a "package". I recently had a 1 and1/2 OZ bubble pack to Poland cost $13.95 postage.

I thought the clerk had goofed up a bit as she was not one I get regularly. But on the USPS web site, that is what came up too. So I'm not even charging 1/2 what it costs me on postage. And my price for the seeds was barely more than the postage (about $20).

Carol