Information for

Commercial and 

Non-Commercial

Importers of Nursery

Stock, Plants, Roots,

Bulbs, Seeds, and

Other Propagative

Plant Products

In recent years, the amounts of nursery stock, plants,

and other propagative plant material, like bulbs and

seeds, imported into the United States has grown

dramatically. The expanded trade in these commodities has placed a greater demand on the U.S.

Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) inspection 

services. It has also presented new challenges in 

better understanding the pests and potential pest

risks associated with the importation of these 

commodities from a wider variety of sources.

Consequently, the need for verifiable information 

provided in a phytosanitary certificate, or similar 

documents deemed acceptable by USDA, has

become vital with respect to each shipment of 

nursery stock, plants, and other propagative plant

material.

USDA will therefore begin consistently and 

routinely enforcing an existing requirement that a

phytosanitary certificate of inspection, or similar 

documentation approved by USDA, accompany these

restricted articles, other than certain greenhousegrown and stickered plants or specially certified

seeds from Canada, that are offered for importation

into the United States under our foreign quarantine

regulations for nursery stock, plants, roots, bulbs,

seeds, and other plant products (7 CFR 319.37).

This action, which will begin on January 22,

2002, is necessary to more effectively mitigate the

risk of introducing foreign plant pests that could damage agricultural production and natural resources of

the United States. The policy will become effective for

seeds arriving from Canada through the mail on July

22, 2002.

Importers should check with their broker, vendor,

or greenhouse to determine if the facility is part of the

greenhouse or seed certification program in Canada

that produces exempted greenhouse–grown plants or

certified seeds. Information about the certification

program in Canada can also be found at the following

Web site: www.inspection.gc.ca/english/plaveg/

protect/dir/d-96-12e.shtml. Seed shipments arriving

from Canada may be accompanied by either a phytosanitary certificate issued by the Canadian Food

Inspection Agency (CFIA), or a seed analysis certificate (SAC) issued by an authorized laboratory.

All other nursery stock, plants, roots, bulbs,

seeds, and other plant products must be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate issued by the plant

health officials where the product originated in order

to be considered for entry into the United States.

What are Phytosanitary Certificates?

A phytosanitary certificate documents the origin

of the shipment and confirms inspection in the country of origin by a member of that country’s national

plant protection organization. This helps ensure that

the shipment of commodities is free of injurious plant

pests and diseases. The certifying country usually

charges a fee for providing these certificates.

Phytosanitary certificates are governed under the

International Plant Protection Convention, a multilateral treaty acknowledged by the World Trade

Organization as the source for international standards for phytosanitary measures affecting trade.

Phytosanitary certificates are recognized as an internationally accepted form of pest risk mitigation.

Summary

This action does not entail new regulatory

requirements. Rather, its goal is to enforce, beginning

on January 22, 2002, an existing phytosanitary certificate requirement on a mandatory, consistent basis.

Importers and members of the general public will not

be allowed to import restricted nursery stock, plants,

or other propagative plant material into the United

States without an accompanying phytosanitary certificate—unless the items are certain

greenhouse–grown and stickered plants or specially

certified seeds from Canada. Phytosanitary certificates must be obtained from an official agency of the

country where the goods originate.

For questions on this regulation, contact the

USDA state plant health director nearest you. A list of

USDA offices can be found in the phone book or on

the Internet at www.aphis.usda.gov. Click on “plant

health,” and then on “directories and general information.”

Factsheet

Plant Protection and Quarantine January 2002

APHIS
United States Department of Agriculture • Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service • Safeguarding American Agriculture

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination

in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national

origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to

all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative

means for communication of program information (Braille, large

print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at

(202) 720–2600 (voice and TDD).

To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of

Civil Rights, Room 326–W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence

Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250–9410 or call (202) 720–5964

(voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and

employer.