Topic: Posting seeds overseas?

[Al37]

Hi all,
Can anyone tell me what the laws are regarding posting seeds abroad. I would like to post some veg and flower seeds to a Friend in France but would be interested to know how I stand with customs etc.
Thanks
Al

[lewic]

Not sure where the law stands but its usually easier to ask forgiveness than permission!

[artichoke]

I'm not sure about the law either, but I was staying in France with an American friends who asked her mother to send lots and lots of beans of the sort she couldn't get in France (eg lima beans) and when the parcel arrived the customs people had knifed great holes in every bag in case of drugs, and my job was to sort out all the mixed up beans into matching piles. Don't know how you could guard against this.

[emmy1978]

My nana has a house in France and brings me French seeds and raspberry canes and all sorts from her neighbours and takes them seeds and stuff from me. I'm sure if there was a problem she wouldn't do it but maybe she's just never thought about it!  :o
I guess if you package them in clear bags (the type with the push together tops and label the bag with a white sticky and include a list of whats in the parcel Customs would have no need to destroy it looking for drugs-I would just package it up and send it-I'm sure Customs will have a website with advice for this sort of thing. The only place I know you can't send any seeds is Australia.  ;D

[asbean]

It's OK country to country in the EU.  I have taken a carload of apple trees and returned with basil and hydrangea plants to and from Italy, and even took a rose bush on a flight.

[Kea]

My nana has a house in France and brings me French seeds and raspberry canes and all sorts from her neighbours and takes them seeds and stuff from me. I'm sure if there was a problem she wouldn't do it but maybe she's just never thought about it!  :o
I guess if you package them in clear bags (the type with the push together tops and label the bag with a white sticky and include a list of whats in the parcel Customs would have no need to destroy it looking for drugs-I would just package it up and send it-I'm sure Customs will have a website with advice for this sort of thing. The only place I know you can't send any seeds is Australia.  ;D

Or New Zealand...that also includes taking seeds out...or even whole plants! I once saw someone try to board my flight to UK with a tree fern tucked under their arm they didn't make it through the passport check. NZ Customs has special sniffer dogs and they don't miss much. Though my Mother once sent me a 500g bag of white powder...... :o
Baking powder she'd been over to stay and was annoyed by the small tins you get here.

[small]

When we exported a WW2 lorry to New Zealand, we had to ensure there was no trace of soil on the wheels in case of transmitting disease or stray weed seeds......

[artichoke]

I was stopped in Australia because staying over in Bangkok I had got a tiny garland for my step daughter in Tasmania, and had not liked to throw away a lime and a bit of ginger root. I spent some time in the queue examining my heavy sandals for possible Thai mud, but was actually pulled out for the ginger and lime and jasmine!

They told me that they had my passport number and I would be blacklisted and fined ?2000A$ if it happened again.

On the next flight to Tasmania they gave us apples to eat. At Hobart, I was tripped up by a sniffer dog and detained for further search in case I had fruit on me. Of course I had none any more, but smelled of apples. Why me?

It was exhaustively explained to me how I had endangered their crops, and I do understand bio-security. But I don't want to return to Australia. Scary. And they sprayed us on the plane.

[grannyjanny]

I have a friend who  lives in Portugal  & I send her seeds, just pop them in the post.

[Al37]

Thanks everyone, Think I will just go ahead and post them. :)

[grawrc]

It's OK country to country in the EU. 

Except it's not always - e.g.seed  potatoes
but people do it all the time.

Not sure how much difference it makes really on that scale although a virus only needs one opportunity. :o :o

[Kea]

I was stopped in Australia because staying over in Bangkok I had got a tiny garland for my step daughter in Tasmania, and had not liked to throw away a lime and a bit of ginger root. I spent some time in the queue examining my heavy sandals for possible Thai mud, but was actually pulled out for the ginger and lime and jasmine!

They told me that they had my passport number and I would be blacklisted and fined ?2000A$ if it happened again.

On the next flight to Tasmania they gave us apples to eat. At Hobart, I was tripped up by a sniffer dog and detained for further search in case I had fruit on me. Of course I had none any more, but smelled of apples. Why me?

It was exhaustively explained to me how I had endangered their crops, and I do understand bio-security. But I don't want to return to Australia. Scary. And they sprayed us on the plane.

Don't go to NZ then, they spray you on the plane and they will fine you they won't let you off. Though i did find it very frustrating when my son's brand new never been worn out doors  walking boots were deemed dirty and steam cleaned!

[redimp]

I was stopped in Australia because staying over in Bangkok I had got a tiny garland for my step daughter in Tasmania, and had not liked to throw away a lime and a bit of ginger root. I spent some time in the queue examining my heavy sandals for possible Thai mud, but was actually pulled out for the ginger and lime and jasmine!

They told me that they had my passport number and I would be blacklisted and fined ?2000A$ if it happened again.

On the next flight to Tasmania they gave us apples to eat. At Hobart, I was tripped up by a sniffer dog and detained for further search in case I had fruit on me. Of course I had none any more, but smelled of apples. Why me?

It was exhaustively explained to me how I had endangered their crops, and I do understand bio-security. But I don't want to return to Australia. Scary. And they sprayed us on the plane.

Don't go to NZ then, they spray you on the plane and they will fine you they won't let you off. Though i did find it very frustrating when my son's brand new never been worn out doors  walking boots were deemed dirty and steam cleaned!

They are probably worried that he would import the New Zealand Flat Worm ::)

[Jeannine]

You are fine with France either way, Ausatralia is a no no for most things, I have sent them and they have been grabbed, and again I have sent them and they got through,there are ways round it but not legal. It is the same with things going to the UK, technically you cannot import many seeds from the US or Canada, tomatoes, beans and corn for eg, but most folks who swap know that in the regular mail they get through if marked garden seeds but if they come through with a detailed list on them and they go through Parcelforce they will get stopped.

I had a parcel stopped last year , customs phoned me and in the conversation revealed that Parcelforce stuff was being checked but normal small packet mail is not for now...they emphasised " not for now"

The crazy thing is Holland allows toms from the US with no problem and then Holland can send them on to the UK.

I think it will get tougher.

Having said that I  only  had 1 parcel stopped in the 9 years I was in the UK, it will be interesting to find out what happens coming the other way now I am back home in Canada.

XX Jeannine

[tricia]

The only place I know you can't send any seeds is Australia

Oh dear! I've both sent and received seeds without any problem - I guess I got lucky  ;).

Tricia

[plainleaf2]

to send seeds to    the  USA you need to fill out the postal custom form and the small quantity seed importation permit form. Also you need include the species name on customs form.
before sending seeds you need to look at banned list species that can not be imported to  the USA.

[Jeannine]

Right Plaineaf, but in reality no-one actually does that, we just stick them ina an envelope. XX Jeannine

[plainleaf2]

Jeannine when 3  seeds cost over $80 usa /50 GBP/85 CAD you do.

[tonybloke]

Except it's not always - e.g.seed  potatoes

yes, but 'seed potatoes' are NOT SEED ;)  so your point is?

[plainleaf2]

tony i meant real vegetable seeds costing that much not seeds potatoes. the seeds in question where giant pumpkin seeds.