Importing Plant Material: What You Need to Know

If you are bringing plant material into SeaTac, Eric Johnson works at the USDA inspection service and is an excellent person to contact. The USDA inspection service in Seattle can be reached at 206-764-6547. A permit is normally not required for plant material that can't be propogated or for processed plant material (although there are exceptions!) Upon arrival at SeaTac the plant material is declared and then it goes to the agricultural inspection station near the airport. It normally takes no longer than 24 hours to inspect the material.

It is very useful to contact the inspection station before you bring material into the United States to determine if any special permits will be required. You will need to know the following information about your plant material when you contact them:

• species
• form the material will be in when it enters the country (e.g. leaves, twigs, etc.)
• packaging
• purpose it will be used for
• fate of the material after investigation.

The USDA permit unit can provide additional information, but the individual inspectors seem to provide more specific answers to questions.

USDA APHIS-PPQ
Permit Unit
Biological Assessment and Taxonomic Support
4700 River Road, Unit 136
Riverdale, Maryland 20737
ph. 301-734-8896, main office
ph. 301-734-5208, Karen Brady, research permits

Permits are not required for processed plant material (i.e. ground samples)

Application required for permit to import plants or plant products for experimental purposes PPQ FORM 588

USDA Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) main web site

Shipping

For large equipment items talk to Chris Palmer at Lynden Air Freight (ph. 206-447-4300).

last update 2 Mar 1999 by Thomas O'Keefe <okeefe@u.washington.edu>