Cannabis sativa seed

Country
United States of America (US)
Group
Grains / Seeds
End use
Sowing
NPPO Details
Plant Protection and Quarantine, Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Relevant Web Addresses
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/home/
Criteria Criteria Required?
Import Permit Refer below
Phytosanitary Certificate Yes
Additional Declaration/Endorsement No
Protocol Market No
Consignments are to be free from pests, soil, weed seeds and extraneous material.


Narcotics Control Section requirements
The exporter must meet Australian requirements for the export of Cannabis seed by being issued an export licence and permit by the Narcotics Control Section (ncs@health.gov.au). These documents must be presented to the Authorised Officer at the time of inspection.
 
Note: 
  • As per the US Agricultural Marketing Service’s Act, the term “hemp” is
    defined as Cannabis sativa plant and plant products and all derivatives, with a delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) concentration of not more than 0.3% on a dry
    weight basis. Such plants and plant products, including seeds, of C. sativa are
    not regulated by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and may be imported into the US without an import permit.
  • Plant and plant products, including seed, of C. sativa with a THC content greater than 0.3% are regulated by the DEA and an import permit is required.
Packaging and shipping requirements

A typed or legibly printed list/invoice must accompany each shipment and must contain the name of the collector/shipper, the botanical names (genus and species) listed alphabetically, as well as the country of origin and the country of export for each taxon.

Consignments being shipped by mail or courier must be labelled as below:
  • Correctly and plainly addressed and mailed to the Plant Protection and Quarantine Program at one of the Approved Ports of Entry to receive plants for planting for import;
  • Accompanied by a separate sheet of paper within the package, plainly and correctly bearing the name, address, and telephone number of the intended recipient
  • Plainly and correctly on the outer container, have the following information:
    • General nature and quantity of the contents;
    • Country and locality where grown;
    • Name and address of shipper, owner, or person shipping or forwarding the plants for planting; and
    • Number of the written permit authorizing the importation, if one (written permit) is required under 7 CFR § 319.37-5.
Consignments being shipped by mail must bear a green and yellow shipping label (PPQ Form 508).

Consignments being shipped by other means (e.g. full containers) must be labelled on the outer container with the below:
  • General nature and quantity of the contents;
  • Country and locality where grown;
  • Name and address of shipper, owner, or person shipping or forwarding the plants for planting;
  • Name and address of consignee;
  • Identifying shipper's mark and number; and
  • Number of written permit authorizing the importation, if applicable.

Shipments that are deemed to prevent adequate on-arrival inspection or treatment (i.e. wrapped, coated, dipped or sprayed, or otherwise packaged in impermeable material) may be refused entry.

Small lots of seed permit conditions

If stated on the import permit (small lots of seed permit), small lots of seed may be imported without an accompanying phytosanitary certificate, provided that the following conditions outlined in the USDA Plants for Planting Manual in the Small lots of Seeds Permit section are met in addition to the packaging and shipping requirements outlined above.


If small lots of seeds are exported without an accompanying phytosanitary certificate as per the import permit conditions, no Authorised Officer inspection and issuance of an export permit is required for the consignment.


USDA Plants for Planting Manual and NPPO advice dated 10 March 2020, Plants for Planting Manual sighted 28 July 2022 and correspondence with Deaprtment of Health 25 March 2024.

11/04/2024 - Updated general requirements to show correct email address for Narcotics Control Section
29/07/2022 - Amended packaging and shipping requirements in the general requirements section.
Initial Uploaded: 24/06/2020
Reviewed Uploaded: 18/07/2026