Sig
Eats genetically engineered tomatoes
Ah! Not so fast. Seeds are governed by CITES, particularly Appendix I species. The seeds from Appendix I species of Nepenthes and Sarracenia require export and import permits. CITES definitely covers seeds; however, there are exceptions within CITES. Where not covered by CITES, you still need the proper permits to import seeds into the USA: '"Subpart–Nursery Stock, Plants, Roots, Bulbs, Seeds, and Other Plant Products" (7 CFR §319.37) prohibit or restrict the importation of living plants, plant parts, and seeds for propagation.' The USDA requires that one obtains a Small Lots of Seed Permit prior to the importation of any seed whether it is in CITES or not.
Nevertheless, CITES is not actually US Law; it is an international convention and treaty. The US implementation of the CITES Convention is the Endangered Species Act, which is actually more stringent than the CITES. The ESA treats seeds and pollen the same as if they were live plants (ESA A.17.3). The exception noted by Taliesin-DS is interpreted by the ESA as only those seeds that are from plants in cultivation (ESA G.17.71(a)). Seeds from CITES Appendix II wild populations are interpreted by the ESA as requiring a CITES permit.
Depending upon the species and the circumstances, between one to three permits are required to import seeds into the USA.
-Hermes.
---------- Post added at 08:38 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:30 PM ----------
It depends entirely upon what country you are exporting to. If it is an Appendix I species, you need CITES export permit to export seeds outside the country. If it is an Appendix II species, you may need an export permit but only if the receiving country requires it--not all countries implement CITES in the same way. Even though CITES does not require export permits for CPs listed as Appendix II species, national governments are free to impose more stringent regulations than are recommended by CITES. If the country has phytosanitary regulations, you will need to consult the laws of the country to where you are exporting.
In this case, the only Nepenthes on Appendix I is khasiana and rajah. All others have the #4 footnote, which excludes seeds as a restriction. (http://www.cites.org/eng/app/appendices.shtml#hash4)
As for the endangered species act, it only deals with native species! Imagine that! Nepenthes species are non-native and are excluded. So looking at all the fine print, it's not only legal to get it into the country, you can also send it across state lines! I thought with nep seeds you'd have to deal with CITES and US law, but apparently not. All you have to worry about is the seeds themselves, and that's not nearly as big a problem.
http://ecos.fws.gov/tess_public/SpeciesReport.do?groups=Q&listingType=L&mapstatus=1
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