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Long Island,New York

Ok...So I've been going to Niagara and Guelph maybe 6-7 times now and always worry about seeds and customs comming back. If you consider 200 seminarians, maybe half from America thats 100 people with seeds going through the border. Surely SOMEONE got bagged by customs with seeds? I've never heard any stories about this...have i worried all these years for nothing? Nobody ever got nailed? What was the story and the consequence? Tell me the stories please....

3/15/2008 5:32:04 PM

Sort of Sunny Sometimes, WA

You just tell them you were there gambling.

3/15/2008 6:08:11 PM

Sort of Sunny Sometimes, WA

Does my nose look any bigger to you?

3/15/2008 6:08:26 PM

Sparta, NC

LOL Erin

3/15/2008 6:40:21 PM

[email protected]

We just told them we were at a Giant Vegetable Grower Convention, they didn't even ask about seeds. I suppose if we were to mention pumpkins, it might have been different. They asked what we were bringing back, ourselves, and a pickup load of your snow! He let us thru.

3/15/2008 7:04:34 PM

Www.extremepumpkinstore.com

we told customs that glenn andrews was smuggling seeds over the border......they let us go straight through...lol

3/15/2008 7:54:57 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

We made it thru very smoothly, maybe GG's accent helped us out a little. I pity the guy in the lane next to us...the custom's agent had approx 5 cases of liquor out on the ground b/4 we left!!!!! Peace, Wayne

3/15/2008 7:59:02 PM

[email protected]

They've never asked me about seeds in the 6 trips I've made. Of course I've never brought the subject up either.

3/15/2008 11:32:30 PM

Greencastle, PA

They asked me if I had seeds. I told them that I did, but that they were from American growers.

3/15/2008 11:34:16 PM

Rhode Island

i just pack um under the fireworks --lol
pap

3/16/2008 4:43:44 AM

Ohio

G, They asked me if I had any seeds and what kind I had, and I told them yes I have seeds, I have a couple 556 Andrews, so the agent looks at me funny, probably thinking I'm talking about a make and model of a gun or something (357 Mag, 300 Weatherby ect..) so he ended up taking my 556 Andrews seeds and began to put salt on them right in front of my Dad and I and then ate them.
So my Dad then asked the agent a simple question, why did you do that for? This must have made the one boarder patrol officer angry so he grabbed my Dad and slammed him up against the booth and began patting him down, he then took his Privitera seeds that he found in his shirt pocket, took them out of the seed envelope and then placing the seed between his first finger and thumb and flicked it back at my Dad hitting him right square in the eye . My Dad gets his patch off his eye this week, he could have very well easily lost a eye.
All I can think of why this might have happened is that the boarder patrol guy was a rookie and was still in training, because I thought that it was a pretty cocky thing for him to do. Once these guys get a badge on there chest they think they can do anything they want.
But other then that things went smooth, we got right through no problem.

3/16/2008 4:44:12 AM

Western NY

they asked me this year, which was the 2nd time i've been asked. they say "are you bringing and seeds back?" i say, nah, we just send them thru the mail. 1st time the guy didn't care, this time he says oh, so you mail the contraband. i just laugh and said yep!

3/16/2008 8:04:05 AM

Long Island

Ok...so so far they have confirmed that seeds are "contraband" and knowing they were "American seeds " they didn't harass?.......they always seem to ask if your bring back plants,fruits, seeds, etc with Bart in my car...maybe I should just dump Bart and get rid of the stress that way?

3/16/2008 8:19:45 AM

Little-TON - Colorado

I told them we came back from a convention and was going to the airport...Nope, Nope and less money.... I used the Ole "Jedi Mind Trick"......Move along....Move along.....

3/16/2008 12:40:15 PM

Kalamazoo, MI ([email protected])

Here is a link to chapter 3 of the APHIS complete Canadian border manual, last updated in Feb. of '08 -
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/import_export/plants/manuals/ports/downloads/canadian_border_pdf/3_plant.pdf

Table 3-89 clearly states that if the border guard is convinced that the seeds are of U.S. origin then he/she should allow them back into the U.S. It also says that if the guard is "reasonably sure" that the seeds are of U.S. origin but "not all conditions are met" (seeds aren't labeled, etc.) then the seeds are treated as if they were from Canada.

Any seeds of Canandian origin need a declaration of labeling AND one of the following: a seed analysis certificate, phytosanitary certificate, or seed export label for each lot. According to the site the guards will prohibit the entry of any Canadian seeds that are not accompanied by this documentation. I don't know how strict they are but I doubt they would refuse a few personal-use pumpkin seeds.

For seeds that are from a country other than the U.S. or Canada, i.e. Jos' seeds from Belgium, you need a declaration of labeling AND one of the following: a Canadian seed analysis certificate, seed export label, or phytosanitary certificate for each lot. Apparently if you choose to use a phytosanitary certificate your seeds will be inspected regardless.

3/16/2008 5:56:26 PM

Kalamazoo, MI ([email protected])

In general the border guards are looking for seeds that will pose a threat to U.S. agriculture. I doubt that we are at the top of their threat list. Simple labels on your seed packs that include your name, address, and the kind of seeds enclosed within the pack should be enough to convince them that the seeds originated in the U.S. and should be allowed back in. If possible keep the seed envelopes sealed, and if you're worried about seeds from other countries just have them mailed to you. Seeds in the mail are supposed to be labeled as such but many people do not do so as hidden seeds are much more likely to reach their destination untouched.

Like Tremor, we didn't get asked about seeds, and we didn't volunteer that we had any. We did get asked if we had a pumpkin in the car though hehe.

3/16/2008 5:56:56 PM