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52 SEEDWORLD.COM JUNE 2015 etc. that must be met to import each type of seed into their country. Phytosanitary certificates are really the major thing you need to move seed around the world says Steve Cull director of seed operations at Ball Horticultural Company. The phytosanitary requirements can vary significantly from country to country and seed to seed. And looking them up requires entering their botanical names. Some countries are really sensitive to certain seeds Perry says. Other coun- tries may require no certificate while some may require testing or field inspec- tions. Every country is different. To export corn Zea mays to Brazil for example the shipment must be free of Prostephanus truncatus a type of grain borer and lab tests must be conducted to ensure the seed is free of Cercospora sorghi a fungal plant pathogen and Mycosphaerella zeae-maydis a type of leaf blight. It must also be produced in a country known to be free of Striga a par- asitic plant that attacks plant roots. There are half a dozen more requirements just to get corn seed into Brazil. Canada has different requirements for different states or U.S. territories for the importation of corn. For most the country requires fumigations or steam treatments for European corn borer. But it also imposes additional declarations that the seed was produced in an area free of European corn borer that the seed was passed through a 1.25 centim- eter screen to exclude large corn cob or stem fragments and that the seed was treated in a manner approved by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to control European corn borer. Some countries will require similar phytosanitary certificates as well as an import permit. Meanwhile other coun- tries will impose an outright ban on the importation of a particular type of seed without an import permit. China for example prohibits importation of corn without a permit. Sometimes its a matter of having federal authorities or ASTA staff working with the country to determine what they need to allow seed across their borders. Exceptions are sometimes made for research purposes or if a new demand for the seed arises. If something is prohibited you can apply for an import permit which supersedes known import requirements explains Perry. Genetically modified seed poses its own hurdles. In general a country either allows the importation of GMOs or doesnt. The same sorts of testing and inspections would apply to GMO and non-GMO seeds alike. Constant Change Knowing the requirements listed in the PExD isnt always enough. Perry stresses that while the database is constantly updated it lists only the known requirements from each country. A country could for example have a law going into effect in the fall that requires a particular inspection or test that isnt listed in the database yet. Or the country might not have com- municated a new requirement yet. Dunkle has even seen cases of new phytosanitary require- ments being adopted while a shipment was in transit causing it to be rejected upon arrival. A countrys phytosanitary regulations constantly change and are constantly updated Dunkle says. A lot of time we have to ask APHIS to intervene and allow that seed to go through under the grandfathered requirements. Dunkle says its also important to be ahead of the game. Some of the requirements a country could have might not be possible to meet with seed thats already harvested. If they base a phytosanitary certificate on a field inspection and your seed is already harvested you cant do that Dunkle explains. To ensure youre not tripped up by unforeseen requirements its important to work through your local USDA representatives. Not only will they be able to make sure all requirements are met but they can do or set up necessary inspections and provide resources for seed testing and additional declarations. We want a good relationship with these people Cull says. If we need an additional declaration to get our product into another country they can get those declarations. Dunkle adds that making connections on the receiving end can be vital for exporting. If companies are contemplating get- ting into the business of exporting seed they should study the phytosanitary requirements and find allies in those countries to help them out like seed associations in those countries he says. Those contacts can also help navigate any other taxes or fees that might be levied from other governmental agencies. A company should register with APHIS Phytosanitary Certificate Issuance and Tracking System PCIT a web-based tool that allows exporters to apply for phytosanitary certifi- cates online schedule inspections and print their certificates. Registered users communicate through the system with county state and federal officials who help with the details and require- ments to move seed across borders. Exporters should also be aware that any import permits issued are for one specific shipment or for a set amount of time. Any future business will require applying for new permits. Re-exports Add a New Dynamic Re-exportation adds a wrinkle to the situation. The key is to pay attention to where the seed is originating and where it will end up. Getting seed from Chile to the United States might be fairly straightforward. In fact getting seed into Ric Dunkle is senior director of seed health and trade for the American Seed Trade Association. Michael Perry serves as a USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service senior export specialist. Steve Cull serves as director of seed operations at Ball Horticultural Company.