No subject

Tue Apr 16 09:02:04 CEST 2002

hardy  Aroids)" <ARISAEMA-L at NIC.SURFNET.NL> Aroids)" <ARISAEMA-L at NIC.SURFNET.NL>
Sender: "Arisaema Enthusiast Group (AEG) Discussion List (and other=
From: Marge Talt <mtalt at HORT.NET>
Subject: Re: Proposed Seed Distribution Restrictions
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Content-Transf er-Encoding: 8bit

The data on the J.L. Hudson site refers to the proposed draft plan
for Noxious weeds; the public comment period on which ended a couple
weeks ago.  The draft does not actually propose to require permits
for intrastate seed and plants.  It notes that the PPA has already
given this power, should someone in authority decide to act on it.
It is a fact; it is law...however, no regulations requiring this for
anything but listed noxious weeds are currently in force.

What I found disturbing about that draft was the "related issue"
referred to towards the end of the document under their proposed
actions, which indicates that USDA fully intends to implement a
'clean' or 'white' list plus an assessment program for all plants in
future when funds are available.  If we do nothing to tell them  this
is a really bad idea, the wheels of bureaucracy will continue to
grind and one of these days, they'll put an announcement in the
Federal Register and that will be that.

This, IMO, is the item all of us need to be concerned about and need
to write to Tasker, post our comments on the APHIS Safeguarding site
and write to our legislators about.

If we all just sit on our derri=E8res, the insanely restrictive
proposals of the Invasive Species Council will come to pass and we
will all live to rue the day....these actions will affect all of us,
whether US citizens or not.  US laws sorta tend to spill over to the
rest of the world.

I've posted about this on several lists; there has been ongoing
discussion about it on Alpine-L but seems most people don't think it
will affect them or maybe don't think about it and do nothing.  We
internet gardeners are a minority of all plant people in the US, but
I think we're about the only ones who have even heard about what is
being planned, and some of the information going around isn't exactly
accurate.

USDA/APHIS only announce on the Federal Register and a couple of
their web sites; not heavily visited by gardeners and plant
people...I have seen nothing about the proposed plans in local
newspapers; heard nothing about it on radio or TV.  If we don't act;
nobody will except those pushing for restrictions and regulations.
They are organized; they've been working on this for years; they have
many web sites up recommending their actions.

BTW, it seems, from what Joyce Fingerut, Pres. of NARGS, posted on
Alpine-L regarding the seed phyto. regulation that went into force in
January:

"Michael Lidsky agreed to receive petitions/letters from those
who oppose the imposition of the phytosanitary requirement on
imported seeds, he did so with the intent of reconsidering - perhaps
even rewriting - the regulation.  That process of review is still
going on and it is up to us to provide him with articulate, closely
reasoned arguments for allowing seeds to enter the US without a
phytosanitary certificate.  "

At the time she posted this, seems Mr. Lidsky had only received about
40 letters saying the phyto. requirement was not a good plan - as
Joyce said, hardly a groundswell of support for reversing this
regulation.

So, we all need to get busy and send Mr. Lidsky a letter:

Michael Lidsky
USDA-APHIS-PPQ, Unit 141
4700 River Road
Riverdale, MD  20737

There's still hope, apparently.  I was thinking about this earlier
today...our own AEG exchange is actually subject to this phyto.
requirement as the seeds are coming in from Canada...no matter where
they were actually collected.

I have read posts saying that seed distributions from RHS exchange
were returned to RHS when they reached the US for lack of a phyto.
If our AEG seeds happen to come past someone who realizes the
regulation is in force, they could get returned to Craig, too.  At
this present moment, it is illegal to send seed into the US from
anywhere without a phyto. certificate.

If everybody who belongs to AEG and lives in the US got busy and sent
Lidsky a letter that would help...seems from the number of posts
about what kind of seed is wanted, we could gather a substantial
number of letters just from AEG members.

I don't think AEG is set up to get a petition around for members to
sign, but if it is or if any of you belong to any societies that are
set up to do this, I urge you to get one organized and sent in.

Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt at hort.net
Editor:  Gardening in Shade
-----------------------------------------------
Current Article: Online Nurseries 2002 - Garden Vision
http://www.suite101.com/welcome.cfm/shade_gardening
------------------------------------------------
Complete Index of Articles by Category and Date
http://mtalt.hort.net/article-index.html
------------------------------------------------
All Suite101.com garden topics :
http://www.suite101.com/topics.cfm/635
----------
> From: George R. Stilwell, Jr. <GRSJr at WORLDNET.ATT.NET>
>
> For those of you not on Aroid-L, here is some worrysome proposed
> legislation. Those on Aroid-L, please forgive the additional push
> of the delete button that will be required.
>
> J.L. Hudson published an article in the April issue of Espinas y
> Flores (the SDCSS Newsletter) indicating that the USDA is proposing
> required permits and inspections of all seeds and plants being
> transported across state lines (in the US). Hudson has a website
with
> some opinion at:
>
> http://www.jlhudsonseeds.net/USDAComment.htm
>
> The proposal can be accessed at:
>
> http://www.invasivespecies.gov/council/actionb.shtml
>
> Per Hudson the permits will cost a minimum of $100 and violation
would
> carry a penalty from $1000 to $250,000.
>
> I need to read the Proposed Action carefully but I suspect this is
> going to severely restrict our ability to exchange seed if it is
> implemented. Comments may be sent to Alan.V.Tasker at usda.gov .
>
> Ray