Author Topic: How do you bring back scions on a plane?  (Read 19860 times)

PltdWorld

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Re: How do you bring back scions on a plane?
« Reply #50 on: June 25, 2013, 10:23:11 PM »
Sorry to re-open this thread, but I'm a couple days away from leaving Brazil with hundreds of seeds and now have questions about the Small Lots of Seed permit...

I know many of you have used it, so hoping for some help.  Here goes:

* can i take seeds with me in baggage (entering via Dallas / DFW) ?
* or do seeds have to be mailed to one of the inspection stations listed on permit?
* am i limited to number of seeds per taxon? (i read 50 packets, 1 taxon per packet, up to 50 seeds per packet) - can all 50 packets be the same taxon? (they aren't, but I do have more than 50 seeds of a few)
* if answer above is that I must mail to inspection station, can I do that from Customs, or will they confiscate my seeds on entry?

Thanks in advance.

fruitlovers

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Re: How do you bring back scions on a plane?
« Reply #51 on: June 25, 2013, 11:16:58 PM »
Sorry to re-open this thread, but I'm a couple days away from leaving Brazil with hundreds of seeds and now have questions about the Small Lots of Seed permit...

I know many of you have used it, so hoping for some help.  Here goes:

* can i take seeds with me in baggage (entering via Dallas / DFW) ?
* or do seeds have to be mailed to one of the inspection stations listed on permit?
* am i limited to number of seeds per taxon? (i read 50 packets, 1 taxon per packet, up to 50 seeds per packet) - can all 50 packets be the same taxon? (they aren't, but I do have more than 50 seeds of a few)
* if answer above is that I must mail to inspection station, can I do that from Customs, or will they confiscate my seeds on entry?

Thanks in advance.

You can hand carry the seeds back with you. All seeds need to be completely free of pulp and soil and must not be sprouted. The seeds need to be inspected in first place you enter USA. You are flying Brazil direct to Dallas? (I don't think that is possible. My guess is you are really entering through Miami?) Keep in mind that unless you are entering the USA between the hours of 8-5 M-F USDA will not be open to inspect your seeds. If you enter outside those hours you will have to surrender the seeds and arrange for them to mail them to you. Also the inspection takes time, so give yourself plenty of time for your next connecting flight so you don't miss it. When you arrive your luggage is inspected by Customs Patrol. Once you declare your seeds you will be taken to special line. Ask to be sent to USDA because the guys at Customs don't know anything about ag items or ag permits. It's good to have your seeds and permit together so you can easily find them and show them. Make sure to have all 3 pages of your permit printed out. You can have more than 50 seeds of any species, just make sure not to have more than 50 in any one plastic bag. So for example, you are coming back with 180 seeds of jaboticaba, then you need to have 3 bags of 50 jaboticabas and one bag of 30. This is to speed up their visual inspection through the bag without having to dump everything out. Make sure to have scientific name on each bag. You should also have a list of all the types of seeds you are bringing in  and the quantities on one piece of paper. This permit is only for seeds, so you will not be allowed to bring any plant parts, cuttings, scions, air layers, etc. Good luck, let us know how it goes.
Oscar

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Re: How do you bring back scions on a plane?
« Reply #52 on: June 26, 2013, 12:20:02 AM »
I'm sorry, but please let me say this: You guys are all (respectfully) cracking me up, specially with that taping the scion to the crack of the butt... it doesn't get much better than that.  ;D
'Virtue' should be taught, learned and propagated, in order to save others and oneself.

PltdWorld

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Re: How do you bring back scions on a plane?
« Reply #53 on: June 26, 2013, 06:01:49 AM »
You can hand carry the seeds back with you. All seeds need to be completely free of pulp and soil and must not be sprouted. The seeds need to be inspected in first place you enter USA. You are flying Brazil direct to Dallas? (I don't think that is possible. My guess is you are really entering through Miami?) Keep in mind that unless you are entering the USA between the hours of 8-5 M-F USDA will not be open to inspect your seeds. If you enter outside those hours you will have to surrender the seeds and arrange for them to mail them to you. Also the inspection takes time, so give yourself plenty of time for your next connecting flight so you don't miss it. When you arrive your luggage is inspected by Customs Patrol. Once you declare your seeds you will be taken to special line. Ask to be sent to USDA because the guys at Customs don't know anything about ag items or ag permits. It's good to have your seeds and permit together so you can easily find them and show them. Make sure to have all 3 pages of your permit printed out. You can have more than 50 seeds of any species, just make sure not to have more than 50 in any one plastic bag. So for example, you are coming back with 180 seeds of jaboticaba, then you need to have 3 bags of 50 jaboticabas and one bag of 30. This is to speed up their visual inspection through the bag without having to dump everything out. Make sure to have scientific name on each bag. You should also have a list of all the types of seeds you are bringing in  and the quantities on one piece of paper. This permit is only for seeds, so you will not be allowed to bring any plant parts, cuttings, scions, air layers, etc. Good luck, let us know how it goes.

Oscar, Thanks as always for the response and sharing your knowledge!

We are arriving via DFW this trip (in the past it has always been Atlanta or Miami) and coming direct from Rio (we used to have to stop on the ground in Sao Paolo before the long leg of the trip).

I believe Miami has an APHIS inspection station on property, but I dont think DFW does (they have a USDA inspection area, but not an official APHIS station). Miami is listed on my permit and Dallas is not (Houston is).

I have an email out to USDA (not holding my breath on a timely response) but was hoping some members here could shed light on whether or not the seeds could be brought in to a port that does not have an APHIS inspection station - or one that is not listed on the permit?

Oscar, all of the other info is very helpful - there is a lot of misinformation out there!

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Re: How do you bring back scions on a plane?
« Reply #54 on: June 26, 2013, 08:30:19 AM »
I have brought in packets of seeds on two occasions without any problems. At that time I arrived, both times, it was early in the morning and there were no AG inspectors in the inspection area so the Customs agent checked my baggage, opened the package that contained the packets, took a long reading of the small lot permit, and then said I was good to go.

I did write in my declaration that I was bringing in seeds so that caused the agent to check my bags. I would not risk it by not declaring the seeds.

Jaime

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Re: How do you bring back scions on a plane?
« Reply #55 on: June 26, 2013, 10:21:13 AM »
I have brought in packets of seeds on two occasions without any problems. At that time I arrived, both times, it was early in the morning and there were no AG inspectors in the inspection area so the Customs agent checked my baggage, opened the package that contained the packets, took a long reading of the small lot permit, and then said I was good to go.

I did write in my declaration that I was bringing in seeds so that caused the agent to check my bags. I would not risk it by not declaring the seeds.

Jaime

Thanks Jaime... What airport did you arrive through?

My wife has already threatened me with the doghouse (which is not as nice as the chicken coop) if I cause our family any (more) undue stress as a result of my seed collecting.

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Re: How do you bring back scions on a plane?
« Reply #56 on: June 26, 2013, 11:10:33 AM »
It's always hit or miss depending on what Customs or Ag inspector you get.  Dallas is NOT on the list of approved ports of entry as you noted, so your chances of a straight thru clearance are less.  I brought some seeds from Thailand thru DFW and everything was seized and sent to an inspection station in Arizona.  The woman from Ag that inspected my seeds noted that they were all very clean, but her supervisor said "no go" and the seeds went bye-bye.  Unless you have something that is so short-lived or fragile that it will not withstand mailing, I would suggest you choose that option.  (This has the added benefit of ensuring that you avoid the doghouse!)  Good luck!

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Re: How do you bring back scions on a plane?
« Reply #57 on: June 26, 2013, 12:15:56 PM »
I came in through Miami. But, as Fruitguy suggested, it will really depend on who the agent is. I have never had to dealwith an AG agent, only with Customs agents, so they may be more inclined to let you go through if you have the small lot permit, while an agent may know to verify your species against a list, and check for cleanliness of seeds, etc.

Jaime

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Re: How do you bring back scions on a plane?
« Reply #58 on: June 26, 2013, 02:28:01 PM »
Ok, Thanks all... Unless I get email confirmation from USDA that I am okay bringing through DFW, I will be sending them in the mail.

Seeds are clean, packaged per instructions, labeled with common and latin names.

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Re: How do you bring back scions on a plane?
« Reply #59 on: June 26, 2013, 05:33:28 PM »
It's always hit or miss depending on what Customs or Ag inspector you get.  Dallas is NOT on the list of approved ports of entry as you noted, so your chances of a straight thru clearance are less.  I brought some seeds from Thailand thru DFW and everything was seized and sent to an inspection station in Arizona.  The woman from Ag that inspected my seeds noted that they were all very clean, but her supervisor said "no go" and the seeds went bye-bye.  Unless you have something that is so short-lived or fragile that it will not withstand mailing, I would suggest you choose that option.  (This has the added benefit of ensuring that you avoid the doghouse!)  Good luck!

Warren, mailing out of Brazil is not an option. In Brazil they will inspect packages before they are mailed out. I know, i tried it. And officially it's not legal to mail seeds out of Brazil.
Oscar

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Re: How do you bring back scions on a plane?
« Reply #60 on: June 26, 2013, 05:36:40 PM »
I have brought in packets of seeds on two occasions without any problems. At that time I arrived, both times, it was early in the morning and there were no AG inspectors in the inspection area so the Customs agent checked my baggage, opened the package that contained the packets, took a long reading of the small lot permit, and then said I was good to go.

I did write in my declaration that I was bringing in seeds so that caused the agent to check my bags. I would not risk it by not declaring the seeds.

Jaime

Jaime, what you say is true if you are just bringing very few seed packets and you happen to get a knowledgeable customs patrol agent. I assume PTd is bringing in lots of seeds, and  like i said previously usually the customs agents don't know much about ag rules. But as Warren pointed out a lot depends on luck of the draw: what agent you happen to get. Some just love to give you trouble and others will let you sail through.
Oscar

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Re: How do you bring back scions on a plane?
« Reply #61 on: June 26, 2013, 05:40:20 PM »
You can hand carry the seeds back with you. All seeds need to be completely free of pulp and soil and must not be sprouted. The seeds need to be inspected in first place you enter USA. You are flying Brazil direct to Dallas? (I don't think that is possible. My guess is you are really entering through Miami?) Keep in mind that unless you are entering the USA between the hours of 8-5 M-F USDA will not be open to inspect your seeds. If you enter outside those hours you will have to surrender the seeds and arrange for them to mail them to you. Also the inspection takes time, so give yourself plenty of time for your next connecting flight so you don't miss it. When you arrive your luggage is inspected by Customs Patrol. Once you declare your seeds you will be taken to special line. Ask to be sent to USDA because the guys at Customs don't know anything about ag items or ag permits. It's good to have your seeds and permit together so you can easily find them and show them. Make sure to have all 3 pages of your permit printed out. You can have more than 50 seeds of any species, just make sure not to have more than 50 in any one plastic bag. So for example, you are coming back with 180 seeds of jaboticaba, then you need to have 3 bags of 50 jaboticabas and one bag of 30. This is to speed up their visual inspection through the bag without having to dump everything out. Make sure to have scientific name on each bag. You should also have a list of all the types of seeds you are bringing in  and the quantities on one piece of paper. This permit is only for seeds, so you will not be allowed to bring any plant parts, cuttings, scions, air layers, etc. Good luck, let us know how it goes.

Oscar, Thanks as always for the response and sharing your knowledge!

We are arriving via DFW this trip (in the past it has always been Atlanta or Miami) and coming direct from Rio (we used to have to stop on the ground in Sao Paolo before the long leg of the trip).

I believe Miami has an APHIS inspection station on property, but I dont think DFW does (they have a USDA inspection area, but not an official APHIS station). Miami is listed on my permit and Dallas is not (Houston is).

I have an email out to USDA (not holding my breath on a timely response) but was hoping some members here could shed light on whether or not the seeds could be brought in to a port that does not have an APHIS inspection station - or one that is not listed on the permit?

Oscar, all of the other info is very helpful - there is a lot of misinformation out there!

If there is no APHIS station in airport you enter then i think you will have to surrender seeds, they will forward them to closest APHIS station. Make sure to keep a copy of the receipt of the seeds they will give you. You will have to phone APHIA when you get home and arrange for them to mail the seeds to you and pay for the shipping. This might be best as it will cut down on chances of missing connecting flights and also less stress with the family.
Oscar

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Re: How do you bring back scions on a plane?
« Reply #62 on: June 26, 2013, 06:56:39 PM »
Thanks again, Oscar!  You just saved me from making a big mistake (mailing from Brazil).  I figured the green/yellow label would lead to confiscation by Brazilian authorities.  I will take in with me, then surrender to CBP in Dallas and hope for the best.

The only seeds I'm worried about surviving are the mangosteen.  How long can I expect them to last?

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Re: How do you bring back scions on a plane?
« Reply #63 on: June 26, 2013, 08:21:53 PM »
If you put the mangosteen in moist medium, or with a damp piece of cotton or cloth in the plastic bag, then they can last 2-4 weeks without a problem. They will start to germinate. It's good to poke a few small holes in the bag so they can "breathe".
Oscar

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Re: How do you bring back scions on a plane?
« Reply #64 on: June 29, 2013, 07:49:27 PM »
I had to hand over all seeds to CBP in Dallas.  They took everything, boxed it up for me and said they would ship to Houston.  I had 29 lots of seeds separated by taxon, with a manifest, my permit and the yellow/green label.  They were cordial and helpful, really - other than some slight confusion on their part (one agent said I did everything right, and the other basically said I did most everything wrong). 

Unfortunately, I didn't see your post in time or ask the right question before arrival and I interpreted the permit to read that nothing but seeds could be included in each lot.  I'm thinking most of the seeds will be fine, but Anacardium and Garcinia aren't gonna make it...


fruitlovers

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Re: How do you bring back scions on a plane?
« Reply #65 on: June 29, 2013, 09:29:48 PM »
Anacardium? I guess you mean cashew, it will survive a very long time even in dried form. Let us know how it works out. Make sure to call APHIS office right away to arrange for and pay for the shipping.
Oscar

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Re: How do you bring back scions on a plane?
« Reply #66 on: June 30, 2013, 11:57:05 PM »
Duct tape them to your butt crack and hope for no strip searches!  Can't speak for the freshness of the scions after that though!!

Actually wondered the same thing the other day after we were emailing.  I know there is certain fruits you can bring on the plane but don't believe it covers plant material??

Security would probably find it because they have scanners that take pictures through your clothes.



Perhaps wrapping the scion in a condom and insert it into a body cavity.  (I am kidding)
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Re: How do you bring back scions on a plane?
« Reply #67 on: July 08, 2013, 11:40:50 PM »
Anacardium? I guess you mean cashew, it will survive a very long time even in dried form. Let us know how it works out. Make sure to call APHIS office right away to arrange for and pay for the shipping.

Seeds have been lost... lol.  I have a FedEx tracking number that says they were delivered to PPQ inspection office on 7/1, but that office has no record of them arriving.  I'll keep you all posted, but this was an unexpected turn.

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Re: How do you bring back scions on a plane?
« Reply #68 on: July 08, 2013, 11:54:11 PM »
Anacardium? I guess you mean cashew, it will survive a very long time even in dried form. Let us know how it works out. Make sure to call APHIS office right away to arrange for and pay for the shipping.

Seeds have been lost... lol.  I have a FedEx tracking number that says they were delivered to PPQ inspection office on 7/1, but that office has no record of them arriving.  I'll keep you all posted, but this was an unexpected turn.

Might have been delayed due to holiday and weekend. Good luck with it!
Oscar