Very informative and well spelled out. Some important corrections.
6) You are not limited to 50 seeds or 200 grams of each species. It's just that they don't want you to put more than that in each individual bag. So if, for example, you want to bring in 200 seeds of coffee, then you would use 4 bags containing 50 seeds each. (This rule is so that the inspection agent can clearly and rapidly see through the bag if there is any problem, not to limit the amount of seeds you bring in.)
Well I'll be... You're right. There's no specific limitation that says separate bags cannot contain the same species. Here's the relevant part:
"(ii) There are a maximum of 50 seeds of 1 taxon (taxonomic category such as genus, species, cultivar, etc.) per packet; or a maximum weight not to exceed 10 grams of seed of 1 taxon per packet;
(iii) There are a maximum of 50 seed packets per shipment;"
In my case, I collected 38 disease and pest free coffee seeds and was unable to locate any
Bursera seeds at all. I've had excellent germination rates with coffee as long as I plant in late May or June, but even if I get only one healthy coffee tree out of these seeds, I'll count this experience as a resounding victory.
It doesn't look like anyone can use a small lot permit to import a coconut.
7) Most small seed lot permits being issued now are ONLY for mailing seeds through the mail. Most permit issued now do not allow to bring in seeds in person on a flight. They used to allow this, but have recently changed it. Check your permit carefully to see if you can still bring seeds in person. Also if you are allowed to bring seeds in person on your permit, make sure you are flying into the USA at an airport that has a USDA APHIS PPQ inspection station. Not all airports have them. Also you will have to fly in between 8-4 if you want the seeds released to you. Otherwise they will have to be mailed to you later. Also allow at least an extra hour for the inspection if you have a connecting flight.
Here's the text in my permit regarding this:
"8. Hand carry through personal baggage
without PIS inspection is not authorized under this permit. All shipments utilizing this permit must enter the United States through a USDA PIS via Parcel Post, Air mail,
or must be surrendered at the terminal for movement to the PIS. All Costs are the responsibility of the permit holder." (emphasis mine)
How recently was this change made? My permit was approved in February 2019, so if they changed the rules, it must have been very recently. Hopefully, the rules in my permit are grandfathered.
So if I fly through Charlotte next year (which has no local PIS) would the seed shipment need to be mailed to the Atlanta, GA PIS? Or do you think this would be a case of "sorry, you used the wrong airport"?
Not all inspection stations require additional postage for remailing to you for a package being mailed for another country. For example, the Honolulu office forwards mail after inspection at no charge. I've heard that others, like Miami inspection station don't, so check with your plant inspection station.
It's interesting that different Plant Inspection Stations would have different rules. The lady at the Atlanta, GA PIS said they do forward mail.
In addition to country collected, name of collector, now inspection stations are asking that an invoice be included. If there are lot of species being imported make sure your shipper lists them in latin in alphabetical order, and that none of them are in the black list (prohibited species).
Here's what my permit says:
"(i) A typed or legibly printed
seed list/invoice accompanies each shipment with the name of the collector/shipper, the botanical names (at least to genus, preferably to species level) listed alphabetically, as well as the country of origin, and country shipped from, for each taxon. Each seed packet is clearly labeled with the name of the collector/shipper, the country of origin, and the scientific name at least to the genus, and preferably to the species level. The invoice/seed list may provide a code for each lot, which may be used on the seed packets in lieu of the full list of required information. In this case, each packet must at least include the appropriate code, which is referenced to the entry for that packet on the seed list/invoice."
Fortunately, I was prepared with my seed list, copy of my permit, and my properly labeled ziplock bags, all included as if I were mailing the shipment to the PIS.
12) If you are using Fed Ex or UPS for forwarding you can just include your courier account number in the information inside the box. No postage necessary.
Well, I'm just a hobbyist, not any kind of commercial grower. I don't have an account with any shippers. I have donated surplus plants at the local Master Gardener plant sale, but this sure isn't what I do for a living.
If you are carrying seeds in person on a flight, and your permit allows this, make sure to ask the CBP (customs border patrol) agent to escort you to the airport USDA plant inspection station.
They didn't offer me a choice in this. The CBP officer in the booth called the escort over and she led us directly to the CBP "stuff to declare" inspection area.
This is extremely important. CBP agents are not only misinformed, or uninformed, they also PREFER to just confiscate all your seeds under any pretense as this makes things a lot easier for them.
If you are attempting to use your small seed lot permit for the first time, i strongly recommend that you just make it a very small amount of seeds that you will not cry about if you lose. The whole procedure is more complicated than it needs to be. But after you've done it once or twice you can be more certain there will not be any snags along the way.
Yeah, I'd say that's excellent advice. Happily, I was entirely successful on my first try. As I said, read the rules and conditions in your permit carefully.