Do Not Buy Seeds From Overseas Sellers (the Feds might pay you a visit)

Turns out you can potentially have the feds knocking at your door if you buy seeds from outside the US. Yes really. I had no idea, and I don't think most people do.

Since I mentioned buying garden seeds on ebay a few times, and also recommended an ebay seller in the Ukraine to one poster here, I thought I had best correct the record. Don't do it! A poster on another gardening forum informed me that the feds can and DO show up at people's homes (especially when seeds arrive from the Ukraine). They track all transactions and keep a record of it. Some Canadian sellers are supposedly okay but some aren't.

Unfortunately I have a shipment from the UK in transit now, but it is just one tiny package of flower seeds so hopefully I will be too far down on the gov's priority list especially this time of year since countless people do it all the time. Since Ebay is a U.S. based company one would *think* the gov would ask them to post notices or limit seed sales by geographic region if it was that big of a deal.

Quote:

Together, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) enforce our country’s agricultural import regulations. You, too, have an important role to play in keeping the U.S. food supply safe, affordable, and abundant. You Are the “Importer of Record” Whether it’s a souvenir sent by a friend who’s vacationing abroad, food sent from family members living overseas, or seeds purchased for your garden through the Internet, the contents of that package could pose a risk to U.S. agriculture or the environment. As the package’s intended recipient, you are considered the official importer of record and are legally responsible for it—even if you didn’t know it was coming. The package may be seized and destroyed at the port of entry by DHS Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers; you may also face steep fines under applicable USDA regulations. Don’t assume it’s legal. Just because something is available for purchase online, do not assume it is legal to import into the United States. Foreign shippers may not be aware of U.S. regulations or may not care about your liability as the importer. http://ift.tt/2DifpoQ

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Do Not Buy Seeds From Overseas Sellers (the Feds might pay you a visit)