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[email protected]

I spent 35 minutes on the phone today with an inspector from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency located in Calgary. The regulations set out by the USDA are being enforced to the letter of the law. We will have to comply with the regulations, that simple. I am stopping in to their office to get documents and procedures to comply with the regulation. Apparently it is quite simple. Will give full desciption on requirements tomorrow after I meet with them.

Eddy

2/3/2004 6:30:09 PM

[email protected]

Certificate...sorry about the spelling

2/3/2004 6:31:41 PM

[email protected]

I spoke with them today too. Same response. It doesn't sound difficult. But it could get expensive. The estimated quote I got was $12-$13 Canadian. If this is a "per lot" fee it won't be too bad. But if that is a "per envelope" fee then things will get crazy quick.

I'd be very interested to hear what the fee is.

Steve

2/3/2004 8:31:40 PM

Indiana

How hard would it be to forge the certificates? oops did i say that outloud.
Steve

2/3/2004 9:55:34 PM

Deer Park WA

Defiler! Usurper! Anti Bush Rule Breakers! Pesky Pumpkins anyway! They probably got bad intelligence on the PMD's (Pumpkins Of Mass Distruction)...

2/3/2004 10:50:04 PM

Norton, MA

Can't wait to hear what Eddy has to say after talking with them.

2/4/2004 6:17:40 AM

[email protected]

LOL Gad's! When I spoke with the USDA they readily admit that these new rules were never intended to affect us the way they have. We hand wash & sort each seed! Personally I won't even mail one with a black spot even though it rarely would matter. These new rules were meant to limit the movement of invasive species like the Asian Long Horned Beetle & the Emerald Ash Borer. ALH got here in shipping crates from China. Look what happened when we accidentally imported Dutch Elm Disease & Chestnut Blight from Europe! Millions of dead trees & untold expense in the $Billion$.

The inconvenience to us is a very small price to pay when we put this in the proper perspective.

But science & politics never meet. In time, we will learn to live with this. Legally I hope.

Steve

2/4/2004 8:35:57 AM

[email protected]

Well fellow pumpkin growers, here is the scoop.
I had a very good meeting with the Canadian Food Inspection agency. the Pytosanitary Certificate is required for all seed, period. tomatoes, grain crops, flowers, on and on.
The Certificate is give out only at the Agency office. The seeds to be sent across the border need to be visually, and, if required checked for microscopic diseases.
Each Certificate is issued on a per visit and per envelope basis. But if I choose to send 50 bubble packs across the line, then I need to take all of the bubble packs in at the same time, they are inspected and sealed in an envelope big enough to fit them all.Each envelope is inspected seperately. They do not mix up seeds. The cost is the same. the drawback to this is all the bubbles will have to the same address in the States. There they can be individually mailed to whatever destination. The cost of each Certificate is $5.00 and the inspection fee is $7.35
or a total of $12.35 per envelope crossing the border. Also there is no limit to the amount of seeds at each visit, and they do not have to be from the same grower. I am going to send out a package of 10 bubbles on Tuesday of next week as I will book an inspection time for Tuesday morning. The inspection will be done while I am present and I will leave with the seeds and the Certificate. this will be a test run.
Also if you are caught going across the border with seeds without a Certificate and you are not a citizen of the US, the customs offers have a zero tolerance mandate and can seize your vehicle and charge you with smuggling.(their words and not mine)kind of harsh, I would say, unless it's a 723 or an 846(lol)

2/4/2004 6:45:14 PM

[email protected]

So I hope this helps and if you have any questions, I'll try to answer them. Please post them here!
Also I was given an application form which is only 1 page. If you would like a copy of it I will have my daughter scan it and load it(beyond my technology), so I can send it to you. Email me and I will send it to you.
This will be easy for me but the growers that don't have an Inspection office close to them may be a problem. Once the test run is successful, I wouldn't have a problem getting the certificate for you and have it sent State side . Also Drew offered his sevices before also. We can do this and do it legally.

Eddy

2/4/2004 6:45:29 PM

Norton, MA

Couple questions Eddy.
1. Does this apply to only Canada-the US or both directions?
2. Can you still mail freely from your own country to your own country? US for me Canada for you.
Thanks, Alex.

2/4/2004 7:01:57 PM

Indiana

I wonder if they would come to the niagra event and certify all of our seeds>
Steve

2/4/2004 7:22:51 PM

[email protected]

This applies to all seeds bound for the US from anywhere, including Europe, Australia etc.
no certificate required for within Canadian boarders.
Us to Canada is exempt due to Canadian restrictions being set at a minimum weight of 1 Kilogram or 2.2 pounds

2/4/2004 7:40:32 PM

Cameron,ontario Team Lunatic

Great work Eddy, your time and effort is appreciated.

Phil

2/4/2004 8:41:28 PM

van isle b.c. canada

thanx for the work eddy. did they mention if they would be putting a weight limit on them in the future like it is the other way? ( us to can ) thanx again craig

2/4/2004 8:52:49 PM

[email protected]

The weight restrictions has to come from the USDA. I will persue the question more next time I'm there.
Also I was asked about whole fruit for weigh offs. I will persue this also and report later.

2/4/2004 9:17:49 PM

South Hill, Virginia

You could send you seeds in one envelope to me and direct all your U.S. requests to SeedOutlet.com. I'm already distributing a bunch of Canadian and European seeds and I'm set up to handle many more.

2/6/2004 8:16:56 AM

[email protected]

Oh No! Say it isn't so! Could this be an irate seed confiscation victim?

http://channels.attbusiness.net/index.cfm?fuseAction=viewNewsArticle&nav_id=33&category_name=International&article_id=237456fcb19c01acb8afb1089bf3e906

2/9/2004 8:47:13 AM

[email protected]

Seeds went out on Tuesday. Seeds in a clear package were not opened. Seeds in a coin envelope were. Took 15 minutes total. Total of 85 seeds.
Very friendly to deal with. Will update when I hear they have arrived or if they are returned.
Also, they will email me on crossing with whole fruit, ie: for a weigh off. They didn't have an answer, only speculation.

Eddy

2/11/2004 10:00:50 PM