Consignments are to be free from pests, soil, weed seeds and extraneous material.

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