§361.5. Sampling of seeds. — Inbound Citations

(d) Except as provided in § 361.7(b), and in addition to the permit requirements of § 319.37-5 of this chapter, coated or pelleted seed, or seed that is embedded in a substrate that obscures visibility may enter the United States only if each lot of seed is accompanied by an officially drawn and sealed sample of seed drawn from the lot before the seed was coated or pelleted. The sample must be drawn in a manner consistent with that described in § 361.5 of this part.

(4) Seed that is being imported for sowing for experimental or breeding purposes, is not for sale, is limited in quantity to the amount indicated in column 3 of table 1 of § 361.5, and is accompanied by a declaration stating the purpose for which it is being imported (seed imported for increase purposes only will not be considered as being imported for experimental or breeding purposes); or

(b) The tolerance applicable to the prohibition of the noxious weed seeds listed in paragraph (a)(2) of this section shall be two seeds in the minimum amount required to be examined as shown in column 1 of table 1 of § 361.5. If fewer than two seeds are found in an initial examination, the shipment from which the sample was drawn may be entered. If two seeds are found in an initial examination, a second sample must be examined. If two or fewer seeds are found in the second examination, the shipment from which the samples were drawn may be entered. If three or more seeds are found in the second examination, the shipment from which the samples were drawn may not be entered. If three or more seeds are found in an initial examination, the shipment from which the sample was drawn may not be entered.

(a) In addition to meeting the declaration and labeling requirements of § 361.2 and all other applicable provisions of this part, all Canadian-origin agricultural seed and Canadian-origin vegetable seed imported into the United States from Canada for seeding (planting) purposes or cleaning must be accompanied by a certificate of analysis issued by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency or by a private seed laboratory accredited by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Samples of seed shall be drawn using sampling methods comparable to those detailed in § 361.5 of this part. The seed analyst who examines the seed at the laboratory must be accredited to analyze the kind of seed covered by the certificate.

(1) If the seed is being imported for seeding (planting) purposes, the certificate of analysis must verify that the seed meets the noxious weed seed tolerances of § 361.6. Such seed will not be subject to the sampling requirements of § 361.3(b).

(2) If the seed is being imported for cleaning, the certificate of analysis must name the kinds of noxious weed seeds that are to be removed from the lot of seed. Seed being imported for cleaning must be consigned to a facility operated in accordance with § 361.8(a).

(b) Each sample of vegetable seed and each sample of agricultural seed must be at least equal in weight to the sample size prescribed for noxious weed seed examination in table 1 of § 361.5.

(b) Except as provided in §§ 361.5(a)(2) and 361.7, samples will be taken from all agricultural seed and vegetable seed imported into the United States for seeding (planting) purposes prior to being released into the commerce of the United States.

(1) Samples of seed will be taken from each lot of seed in accordance with § 361.5 to determine whether any seeds of noxious weeds listed in § 361.6(a) are present. If seeds of noxious weeds are present at a level higher than the tolerances set forth in § 361.6(b), the lot of seed will be deemed to be adulterated and will be rejected for entry into the United States for seeding (planting) purposes. Once deemed adulterated, the lot of seed must be:

(i) Exported from the United States;

(ii) Destroyed under the monitoring of an APHIS inspector;

(iii) Cleaned under APHIS monitoring at a seed-cleaning facility that is operated in accordance with § 361.8(a); or

(iv) If the lot of seed is adulterated with the seeds of a noxious weed listed in § 361.6(a)(2), the seed may be allowed entry into the United States for feeding or manufacturing purposes, provided the importer withdraws the original declaration and files a new declaration stating that the seed is being imported for feeding or manufacturing purposes and that no part of the seed will be used for seeding (planting) purposes.

(2) Seed deemed adulterated may not be mixed with any other seed unless the Administrator determines that two or more lots of seed deemed adulterated are of substantially the same quality and origin. In such cases, the Administrator may allow the adulterated lots of seed to be mixed for cleaning as provided in paragraph (b)(1)(iii) of this section.

(3) If the labeling of a lot of seed is false or misleading in any respect, the seed will be rejected for entry into the United States. A falsely labeled lot of seed must be:

(i) Exported from the United States;

(ii) Destroyed under the monitoring of an APHIS inspector; or

(iii) The seed may be allowed entry into the United States if the labeling is corrected under the monitoring of an APHIS inspector to accurately reflect the character of the lot of seed.