USDA changes import rules for small seed lots

USDA changes import rules for small seed lots    The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service will allow imports of small seed lots under a new permit process, starting May 15.
   “This change is necessary because several entities that import small lots of seed — individual importers, scientists, horticultural societies, arboreta, and small businesses — have had difficulty obtaining necessary certificates and have been adversely affected by the phytosanitary certificate requirement,” the agency said.
   The agency said the risk of introducing plant diseases should be minimized because importers will be less tempted to smuggle small seed shipments. The more cumbersome the rules, the more likely illegal shipments will be made, the agency added.
   Many varieties of seed are traded between the United States and other countries. The biggest seed categories include grasses, forages, pulses, vegetables, field crops and miscellaneous varieties of plants, such as flowers, trees and shrubs.