b'Regulating a New Era of Seed SellingWith the impact of unsolicited seeds hitting mailboxes, regulators look to upkeep the policy around online seed sales.Alex MartinMID-2020,the country was a-buzz with news ofNot in compliance with all other legal, regulatory,In Sept. 2020, seeds popping up in mailboxes across the Unitedand licensing requirements there were:States. These seeds came unsolicited, in strangeASTA noted in their release its expected that otherMore than packages with Chinese written on them. Sometimese-commerce companies will follow in Amazons foot- 20,000they were stamped as jewelry, but often, they juststeps. With Amazon taking the first step, the second appeared without any markings.step was enacted by the USDA APHIS.reports of Weve received more than 9,000 emails from pri- unsolicited vate citizens across the country who report receivingUSDA Follows Suit seed shipments.unsolicited seeds, said Osama El-Lissy, deputy admin- On Feb. 18, the USDA released a clarification to the istrator for the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animalrules for buying and selling seeds and plants onlineAPHIS received and Plant Health Inpection Services (USDA APHIS)from other countries.more than Plant Protection and Quarantine. We have collectedThis webpage identifies the buyer and seller 925 seed packages as of Aug. 11. responsibilities, required documents, and prohibited10,000These unsolicited seeds were alarming, andseeds list. Responsibility of the seller includes: packages for although APHISs investigation didnt find anything too Obtaining an original phytosanitary certificatetesting. concerningjust two reports of noxious weed seedsfrom the country of originand one report of leaf beetle larva, according to APHIS Packing the seeds in approved packing material More thanit spurred another discussion topic altogether: Ensuring the seeds are free from soil 4,000should there be a reform of regulations around theLabelling and invoicing the seeds according to alldifferent types buying and selling of seed online? applicable requirements of seeds were Amazon was one of the first online sellers to takeIncluding a copy of the permit (provided by theidentified.action in response to the influx of unsolicited seed.buyer/importer) in the packagePlants and seeds for planting purchased online Amazon Buckling Down from other countries can pose a significant risk to95% On Sept. 16, 2020, the American Seed TradeU.S. agriculture and natural resources because theyof the Association (ASTA) reported that Amazon announcedcan carry harmful insects and pathogens, El-Lissypackages came the removal of listings for live plants and seeds thatsaid. Weve been working closely with e-commercefrom China.are offered and fulfilled by non-U.S. residents.companies and other federal partners to stop the Amazons new policy lists examples of prohibitedflow of illegal plant and seed shipments from entering listings as being plants, plant products or seeds that are:the country. This new site is a big step forward in ourDesignated by the USDA as noxious or similarlyefforts to facilitate the safe trade of plants and seedsclassified by applicable state or local governmentthrough the e-commerce pathway.authorities APHIS noted in the release, while no country wasWHERE Subject to federal, state or local governmentfound with malicious intent to harm U.S. agriculture withON THE WEBquarantines (such as the USDAs citrus cankerthese shipments, and instead were a part of a brushing quarantine or the Washington State grape virusscam, these new regulations will continue to protectTo read more of the quarantine) U.S. agriculture from potential phytosanitary concerns.background behind the unsolicited seeds fromTaken, possessed, transported or sold in violationIn the meantime, to begin enforcing these new reg- China, check out a Q&A of the Lacey Act ulations, APHIS is working with e-commerce compa- we did with ASTAs Ric Dangerous or fatal when touched or consumednies to remove the online sellers that are participatingDunkle, senior director of (such as the pong pong seed) in the illegal import of propagative materials, includingseed health: seedworld. I mported from outside of the U.S. or sold by aseeds, and ensuring those sellers are complying withcom/mystery-seeds-non-U.S. resident USDA import regulations.SW bring-phyto-concerns8/ SEEDWORLD.COMINTERNATIONAL EDITION 2021'