[Code of Federal Regulations] [Title 7, Volume 5] [Revised as of January 1, 2003] From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access [CITE: 7CFR361.5] [Page 489-495] TITLE 7--AGRICULTURE CHAPTER III--ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE PART 361--IMPORTATION OF SEED AND SCREENINGS UNDER THE FEDERAL SEED ACT--Table of Contents Sec. 361.5 Sampling of seeds. (a) Sample sizes. As provided in Sec. 361.4(b), samples of seed will be taken from each lot of seed being imported for seeding (planting) purposes to determine whether any seeds of noxious weeds listed in Sec. 361.6(a) are present. The samples shall be drawn in the manner described in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section. Unused portions of samples of rare or expensive seeds will be returned by APHIS upon request of the importer. (1) A minimum sample of not less than 1 quart shall be drawn from each lot of agricultural seed; a minimum sample of not less than 1 pint shall be drawn from each lot of vegetable seed, except that a sample of \1/4\ pint will be sufficient for a vegetable seed importation of 5 pounds or less. The minimum sample shall be divided repeatedly until a working sample of proper weight has been obtained. If a mechanical divider cannot be used or is not available, the sample shall be thoroughly mixed, then placed in a pile; the pile shall be divided repeatedly into halves until a working sample of the proper weight remains. The weights of the working samples for noxious weed examination for each lot of seed are shown in column 1 of table 1 of this section. If the lot of seed is a mixture, the following methods shall be used to determine the weight of the working sample: (i) If the lot of seed is a mixture consisting of one predominant kind of seed or a group of kinds of similar size, the weight of the working sample shall be the weight shown in column 1 of table 1 of this section for the kind or group of kinds that comprises more than 50 percent of the sample. (ii) If the lot of seed is a mixture consisting of two or more kinds or groups of kinds of different sizes, none of which comprises over 50 percent of the sample, the weight of the working sample shall be the weighted average (to the nearest half gram) of the weight shown in column 1 of table 1 of this section for each of the kinds that comprise the sample, as determined by the following method: (A) Multiply the percentage of each component of the mixture (rounded off to the nearest whole number) by the sample sizes shown in column 1 of table 1 of this section; (B) Add all these products; (C) Total the percentages of all components of the mixtures; and (D) Divide the sum in paragraph (a)(1)(ii)(B) of this section by the total in paragraph (a)(1)(ii)(C) of this section. (2) It is not ordinarily practical to sample and test small lots of seed offered for entry. The maximum sizes of lots of each kind of seed not ordinarily sampled are shown in column 2 of table 1 of this section. (3) The maximum sizes of lots of each kind of seed allowed entry without sampling for sowing for experimental or breeding purposes as provided in Sec. 361.4(a)(4) are shown in column 3 of table 1 of this section. [[Page 490]] Table 1 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Maximum weight of seed lot Working weight Maximum weight of permitted entry for noxious weed seed lot not for experimental Name of seed examination ordinarily or breeding (grams) sampled (pounds) purposes without sampling (pounds) (1) (2) (3) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- VEGETABLE SEED: Artichoke.......................................... 500 25 50 Asparagus.......................................... 500 25 50 Asparagusbean...................................... 500 25 50 Bean............................................... 25 200 Garden......................................... 500 100 500 Lima........................................... 500 25 200 Runner......................................... 500 25 200 Beet............................................... 300 25 50 Broadbean.......................................... 500 25 200 Broccoli........................................... 50 5 10 Brussels sprouts................................... 50 5 10 Burdock, great..................................... 150 10 50 Cabbage............................................ 50 5 10 Cabbage, Chinese................................... 50 5 10 Cabbage, tronchuda................................. 100 5 10 Cantaloupe (see Melon)............................. Cardoon............................................ 500 25 50 Carrot............................................. 50 5 10 Cauliflower........................................ 50 5 10 Celeriac........................................... 25 5 10 Celery............................................. 25 5 10 Chard, Swiss....................................... 300 25 50 Chicory............................................ 50 5 10 Chives............................................. 50 5 10 Citron............................................. 500 25 50 Collards........................................... 50 5 10 Corn, sweet........................................ 500 25 200 Cornsalad.......................................... 50 5 10 Cowpea............................................. 500 25 200 Cress, garden...................................... 50 5 10 Cress, upland...................................... 35 5 10 Cress, water....................................... 25 5 10 Cucumber........................................... 500 25 50 Dandelion.......................................... 35 5 10 Dill............................................... 50 5 10 Eggplant........................................... 50 5 10 Endive............................................. 50 5 10 Gherkin, West India................................ 160 25 50 Kale............................................... 50 5 10 Kale, Chinese...................................... 50 5 10 Kale, Siberian..................................... 80 5 10 Kohlrabi........................................... 50 5 10 Leek............................................... 50 5 10 Lettuce............................................ 50 5 10 Melon.............................................. 500 25 50 Mustard, India..................................... 50 25 100 Mustard, spinach................................... 50 5 10 Okra............................................... 500 25 50 Onion.............................................. 50 5 10 Onion, Welsh....................................... 50 5 10 Pak-choi........................................... 50 5 10 Parsley............................................ 50 5 10 Parsnip............................................ 50 5 10 Pea................................................ 500 25 200 Pepper............................................. 150 5 10 Pumpkin............................................ 500 25 50 Radish............................................. 300 25 50 Rhubarb............................................ 300 5 10 Rutabaga........................................... 50 5 10 Sage............................................... 150 25 50 Salsify............................................ 300 25 50 Savory, summer..................................... 35 5 10 Sorrel............................................. 35 5 10 [[Page 491]] Soybean............................................ 500 25 200 Spinach............................................ 150 25 50 Spinach, New Zealand............................... 500 25 50 Squash............................................. 500 25 50 Tomato............................................. 50 5 10 Tomato, husk....................................... 35 5 10 Turnip............................................. 50 5 10 Watermelon......................................... 500 25 50 AGRICULTURAL SEED: Agrotricum......................................... 500 100 500 Alfalfa............................................ 50 25 100 Alfilaria.......................................... 50 25 100 Alyceclover........................................ 50 25 100 Bahiagrass......................................... 50 25 100 Barrelclover....................................... 100 25 100 Barley............................................. 500 100 500 Bean, adzuki....................................... 500 100 500 Bean, field........................................ 500 100 500 Bean, mung......................................... 500 100 500 Bean (see Velvetbean).............................. Beet, field........................................ 500 100 500 Beet, sugar........................................ 500 100 1,000 Beggarweed......................................... 50 25 100 Bentgrass, colonial................................ 2.5 25 100 Bentgrass, creeping................................ 2.5 25 100 Bentgrass, velvet.................................. 2.5 25 100 Bermudagrass....................................... 10 25 100 Bermudagrass, giant................................ 10 25 100 Bluegrass, annual.................................. 10 25 100 Bluegrass, bulbous................................. 40 25 100 Bluegrass, Canada.................................. 5 25 100 Bluegrass, glaucantha.............................. 10 25 100 Bluegrass, Kentucky................................ 10 25 100 Bluegrass, Nevada.................................. 10 25 100 Bluegrass, rough................................... 5 25 100 Bluegrass, Texas................................... 10 25 100 Bluegrass, wood.................................... 5 25 100 Bluejoint.......................................... 5 25 100 Bluestem, big...................................... 70 25 100 Bluestem, little................................... 50 25 100 Bluestem, sand..................................... 100 25 100 Bluestem, yellow................................... 10 25 100 Bottlebrush-squirreltail........................... 90 25 100 Brome, field....................................... 50 25 100 Brome, meadow...................................... 130 25 100 Brome, mountain.................................... 200 25 100 Brome, smooth...................................... 70 25 100 Broomcorn.......................................... 400 100 500 Buckwheat.......................................... 500 100 500 Buffalograss: (Burs)......................................... 200 25 100 (Caryopses).................................... 30 25 100 Buffelgrass: (Fascicles).................................... 66 25 100 (Caryopses).................................... 20 25 100 Burclover, California: (In bur)....................................... 500 100 500 (Out of bur)................................... 70 25 100 Burclover, spotted: (In bur)....................................... 500 100 500 (Out of bur)................................... 50 25 100 Burnet, little..................................... 250 25 100 Buttonclover....................................... 70 25 100 Canarygrass........................................ 200 25 100 Canarygrass, reed.................................. 20 25 100 [[Page 492]] Carpetgrass........................................ 10 25 100 Castorbean......................................... 500 100 500 Chess, soft........................................ 50 25 100 Chickpea........................................... 500 100 500 Clover, alsike..................................... 20 25 100 Clover, arrowleaf.................................. 40 25 100 Clover, berseem.................................... 50 25 100 Clover, cluster.................................... 10 25 100 Clover, crimson.................................... 100 25 100 Clover, Kenya...................................... 20 25 100 Clover, Ladino..................................... 20 25 100 Clover, Lappa...................................... 20 25 100 Clover, large hop.................................. 10 25 100 Clover, Persian.................................... 20 25 100 Clover, red........................................ 50 25 100 Clover, rose....................................... 70 25 100 Clover, small hop (suckling)....................... 20 25 100 Clover, strawberry................................. 50 25 100 Clover, sub (subterranean)......................... 250 25 100 Clover, white...................................... 20 25 100 Corn, field........................................ 500 100 1,000 Corn, pop.......................................... 500 100 1,000 Cotton............................................. 500 100 500 Cowpea............................................. 500 100 500 Crambe............................................. 250 25 100 Crested dogtail.................................... 20 25 100 Crotalaria, lance.................................. 70 25 100 Crotalaria, showy.................................. 250 25 100 Crotalaria, slenderleaf............................ 100 25 100 Crotalaria, striped................................ 100 25 100 Crotalaria, Sunn................................... 500 25 100 Crownvetch......................................... 100 25 100 Dallisgrass........................................ 40 25 100 Dichondra.......................................... 50 25 100 Dropseed, sand..................................... 2.5 25 100 Emmer.............................................. 500 100 500 Fescue, Chewings................................... 30 25 100 Fescue, hair....................................... 10 25 100 Fescue, hard....................................... 20 25 100 Fescue, meadow..................................... 50 25 100 Fescue, red........................................ 30 25 100 Fescue, sheep...................................... 20 25 100 Fescue, tall....................................... 50 25 100 Flax............................................... 150 25 100 Galletagrass: (Other than caryopses)......................... 100 25 100 (Caryopses).................................... 50 25 100 Grama, blue........................................ 20 25 100 Grama, side-oats: (Other than caryopses)......................... 60 25 100 (Caryopses).................................... 20 25 100 Guar............................................... 500 25 100 Guineagrass........................................ 20 25 100 Hardinggrass....................................... 30 25 100 Hemp............................................... 500 100 500 Indiangrass, yellow................................ 70 25 100 Indigo, hairy...................................... 70 25 100 Japanese lawngrass................................. 20 25 100 Johnsongrass....................................... 100 25 100 Kenaf.............................................. 500 100 500 Kochia, forage..................................... 20 25 100 Kudzu.............................................. 250 25 100 Lentil............................................. 500 25 100 Lespedeza, Korean.................................. 50 25 100 Lespedeza, sericea or Chinese...................... 30 25 100 [[Page 493]] Lespedeza, Siberian................................ 30 25 100 Lespedeza, striate................................. 50 25 100 Lovegrass, sand.................................... 10 25 100 Lovegrass, weeping................................. 10 25 100 Lupine, blue....................................... 500 100 500 Lupine, white...................................... 500 100 500 Lupine, yellow..................................... 500 100 500 Manilagrass........................................ 20 25 100 Meadow foxtail..................................... 30 25 100 Medick, black...................................... 50 25 100 Milkvetch.......................................... 90 25 100 Millet, browntop................................... 80 25 100 Millet, foxtail.................................... 50 25 100 Millet, Japanese................................... 90 25 100 Millet, pearl...................................... 150 25 100 Millet, proso...................................... 150 25 100 Molassesgrass...................................... 5 25 100 Mustard, black..................................... 20 25 100 Mustard, India..................................... 50 25 100 Mustard, white..................................... 150 25 100 Napiergrass........................................ 50 25 100 Needlegrass, green................................. 70 25 100 Oat................................................ 500 100 500 Oatgrass, tall..................................... 60 25 100 Orchardgrass....................................... 30 25 100 Panicgrass, blue................................... 20 25 100 Panicgrass, green.................................. 20 25 100 Pea, field......................................... 500 100 500 Peanut............................................. 500 100 500 Poa trivialis (see bluegrass, rough) Rape, annual....................................... 70 25 100 Rape, bird......................................... 70 25 100 Rape, turnip....................................... 50 25 100 Rape, winter....................................... 100 25 100 Redtop............................................. 2.5 25 100 Rescuegrass........................................ 200 25 100 Rhodesgrass........................................ 10 25 100 Rice............................................... 500 100 500 Ricegrass, Indian.................................. 70 25 100 Roughpea........................................... 500 100 500 Rye................................................ 500 100 500 Rye, mountain...................................... 280 25 100 Ryegrass, annual................................... 50 25 100 Ryegrass, intermediate............................. 80 25 100 Ryegrass, perennial................................ 50 25 100 Ryegrass, Wimmera.................................. 50 25 100 Safflower.......................................... 500 100 500 Sagewort, Louisiana................................ 5 25 100 Sainfoin........................................... 500 100 500 Saltbush, fourwing................................. 150 25 100 Seasame............................................ 70 25 100 Sesbania........................................... 250 25 100 Smilo.............................................. 20 25 100 Sorghum............................................ 500 100 1,000 Sorghum almum...................................... 150 25 100 Sorghum-sudangrass hybrid.......................... 500 100 1,000 Sorgrass........................................... 150 25 100 Sourclover......................................... 50 25 100 Soybean............................................ 500 100 500 Spelt.............................................. 500 100 500 Sudangrass......................................... 250 25 100 Sunflower.......................................... 500 100 500 Sweetclover, white................................. 50 25 100 Sweetclover, yellow................................ 50 25 100 Sweet vernalgrass.................................. 20 25 100 [[Page 494]] Sweetvetch, northern............................... 190 25 100 Switchgrass........................................ 40 25 100 Timothy............................................ 10 25 100 Timothy, turf...................................... 10 25 100 Tobacco............................................ 5 1 1 Trefoil, big....................................... 20 25 100 Trefoil, birdsfoot................................. 30 25 100 Triticale.......................................... 500 100 500 Vaseygrass......................................... 30 25 100 Veldtgrass......................................... 40 25 100 Velvetbean......................................... 500 100 500 Velvetgrass........................................ 10 25 100 Vetch, common...................................... 500 100 500 Vetch, hairy....................................... 500 100 500 Vetch, Hungarian................................... 500 100 500 Vetch, Monantha.................................... 500 100 500 Vetch, narrowleaf.................................. 500 100 500 Vetch, purple...................................... 500 100 500 Vetch, woolypod.................................... 500 100 500 Wheat, common...................................... 500 100 500 Wheat, club........................................ 500 100 500 Wheat, durum....................................... 500 100 500 Wheat, Polish...................................... 500 100 500 Wheat, poulard..................................... 500 100 500 WheatxAgrotricum................................... 500 100 500 Wheatgrass, beardless.............................. 80 25 100 Wheatgrass, fairway crested........................ 40 25 100 Wheatgrass, standard crested....................... 50 25 100 Wheatgrass, intermediate........................... 150 25 100 Wheatgrass, pubescent.............................. 150 25 100 Wheatgrass, Siberian............................... 50 25 100 Wheatgrass, slender................................ 70 25 100 Wheatgrass, streambank............................. 50 25 100 Wheatgrass, tall................................... 150 25 100 Wheatgrass, western................................ 100 25 100 Wildrye, basin..................................... 80 25 100 Wild-rye, Canada................................... 110 25 100 Wild-rye, Russian.................................. 60 25 100 Zoysia Japonica (see Japanese lawngrass) Zoysia matrella (see Manilagrass) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (b) Method of sampling. (1) When an importation consists of more than one lot, each lot shall be sampled separately. (2) For lots of six or fewer bags, each bag shall be sampled. A total of at least five trierfuls shall be taken from the lot. (3) For lots of more than six bags, five bags plus at least 10 percent of the number of bags in the lot shall be sampled. (Round off numbers with decimals to the nearest whole number, raising 0.5 to the next whole number.) Regardless of the lot size, it is not necessary to sample more than 30 bags. (4) When the lot of seed to be sampled is comprised of seed in small containers that cannot practically be sampled as described in paragraph (b)(2) or (b)(3) of this section, entire unopened containers may be taken in sufficient number to supply a sample that meets the minimum size requirements of paragraph (a)(1) of this section. (c) Drawing samples. Samples will not be drawn unless each container is labeled to show the lot designation and the name of the kind and variety of each agricultural seed, or kind and variety of each vegetable seed, appearing on the invoice and other entry papers, [[Page 495]] and a declaration has been filed by the importer as required under Sec. 361.2(a). In order to secure a representative sample, an APHIS inspector will draw equal portions from evenly distributed parts of the quantity of seed to be sampled; the APHIS inspector, therefore, must be given access to all parts of that quantity. (1) For free-flowing seed in bags or in bulk, a probe or trier shall be used. For small free-flowing seed in bags, a probe or trier long enough to sample all portions of the bag shall be used. When drawing more than one trierful of seed from a bag, a different path through the seed shall be used when drawing each sample. (2) For non-free-flowing seed in bags or bulk that may be difficult to sample with a probe or trier, samples shall be obtained by thrusting one's hand into the seed and withdrawing representative portions. The hand shall be inserted in an open position with the fingers held closely together while the hand is being inserted and the portion withdrawn. When more than one handful is taken from a bag, the handfuls shall be taken from well-separated points. (3) When more than one sample is drawn from a single lot, the samples may be combined into a composite sample unless it appears that the quantity of seed represented as a lot is not of uniform quality, in which case the separate samples shall be forwarded together, but without being combined into a composite sample. (d) In most cases, samples will be drawn and examined by an APHIS inspector at the port of first arrival. The APHIS inspector may release a shipment if no contaminants are found and the labeling is sufficient. If contaminants are found or the labeling of the seed is insufficient, the APHIS inspector may forward the sample to the USDA Seed Examination Facility (SEF), Beltsville, MD, for analysis, testing, or examination. APHIS will notify the owner or consignee of the seed that samples have been drawn and forwarded to the SEF and that the shipment must be held intact pending a decision by APHIS as to whether the seed is within the noxious weed seed tolerances of Sec. 361.6 and is accurately labeled. If the decision pending is with regard to the noxious weed seed content of the seed and the seed has been determined to be accurately labeled, the seed may be released for delivery to the owner or consignee under the following conditions: (1) The owner or consignee executes with Customs either a Customs single-entry bond or a Customs term bond, as appropriate, in such amount as is prescribed by applicable Customs regulations; (2) The bond must contain a condition for the redelivery of the seed or any part thereof upon demand of the Port Director of Customs at any time; (3) Until the seed is approved for entry upon completion of APHIS' examination, the seed must be kept intact and not tampered with in any way, or removed from the containers except under the monitoring of an APHIS inspector; and (4) The owner or consignee must keep APHIS informed as to the location of the seed until it is finally entered into the commerce of the United States.