[pbs] Fw: PIS mail services
Richard
xerics at cox.net
Fri Oct 13 18:00:19 EDT 2006
Many of you may be interested in this reply to a query of USDA. This really
complicates imports to the point of "why bother"
----- Original Message -----
From: <Jose.R.Ceballos at usda.gov>
To: <xerics at cox.net>
Cc: <Bud.Petitdemange at usda.gov>
Sent: Friday, October 13, 2006 2:24 PM
Subject: PIS mail services
> Dear Mr. Richard Wagner, Vista, CA
>
> Thank you for bringing your concerns to our attention regarding the USDA
> Plant Inspection Station (PIS) procedures for forwarding inspected and
> released imported plant for planting packages to their final destination.
>
> In many of our Plant Inspection Stations, the various mail services used
> to honor the international postage and allow these packages to be
> forwarded to the consignee's address at no extra charges; however, they no
> longer do so. Therefore, it is now standard procedure for our Plant
> Inspection Stations arrange for the importer to take responsibility for
> the cost of arrangements and shipping from the PIS to the consignee e.g.
> providing the PIS personnel a shipping account number for a express
> carrier of your preference.
>
> If you have received packages from a PIS without paying the additional
> postage, it is more than likely USDA is absorbing the cost of shipping in
> an effort to clear the inspection areas of already inspected packages so
> new imports can be processed. These instances would be the exception
> rather than the rule.
>
>
> Should you have any questions, please call or e-mail me.
>
>
> Jose Ceballos
> Agriculturist
> National Plant Germplasm Inspection Station
> Plant Safeguarding and Pest Identification
> USDA - APHIS - PPQ - PHP
> Riverdale - Beltsville, MD
>
> Tels. 301/504 - 8141 Ext. 1
> Fax 301/504 - 8539
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> From: <xerics at cox.net> [xerics at cox.net]
> Sent: 10/05/2006 03:02 PM
> To: Bud Petitdemange
> Subject: imports
>
> Hi,
>
>
>
> Joyce Fingerut suggested that I make you aware of this issue and perhaps
> you have some comments.
>
> This is a copy of an email that I sent to various plant discussion groups.
>
>
>
> This is a warning to those of you who import seeds and plants from time to
> time using the mail system.
>
>
>
> In the past, the green and yellow label was used to direct a shipment to
> the inspection station. The inspectors insured that there were no disease
> organisms and that a phytosanitary certificate was included. They then
> put the items back into the mail stream for forwarding to the importer.
>
>
>
> I have never had much of a problem with this except for the past few
> years. Lately, the inspectors seem somewhat confused, and call to ask me
> what to do with the items after inspection. I tell them to put them back
> into the mail and they have.
>
>
>
> Since the implementation of the "small lots of seed" program, I have had
> two orders. The first, from Europe, went through fine. That was last
> Summer. The second, which was sent last month was held up. There was no
> problem with the seed, but the inspectors said that they were unable to
> put it into the mail system without additional postage. I argued but they
> were adamant. Finally, they weighed the package and I went to my local
> post office and purchased the required amount of postage which I sent to
> them in a first class envelope.
>
>
>
> The envelope had only a one cent stamp in it when it was opened by the
> inspection station. Yes, they claim it was sealed!
>
>
>
> I wasn't going to do that again, so I opened a FedEx account and had them
> use my account number to get the seeds to me.
>
>
>
> These inspection stations may be autonomous, and I have heard that it is
> only the LAX inspection station in Hawthorne that refuses to forward the
> packages.
>
>
>
> This is just for your information so that if you do have a problem it will
> not be a surprise.
>
>
>
> Richard Wagner
>
> Vista CA
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Document was scanned by USDA-APHIS Antivirus
>
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