[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 179 (Tuesday, September 16, 1997)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 48456-48471]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-24524]



[[Page 48456]]

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

7 CFR Parts 201 and 361

[Docket No. 93-126-5]
RIN 0579-AA64


Imported Seed and Screenings

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: We are amending the ``Imported Seed'' regulations by moving 
the regulations to a different chapter in the Code of Federal 
Regulations; establishing a seed analysis program with Canada; and 
allowing U.S. companies that import seed for cleaning or screenings for 
processing to enter into compliance agreements with the Animal and 
Plant Health Inspection Service. These changes are being made to 
reflect recent amendments to the Federal Seed Act and the transfer of 
responsibility for the import provisions of the act from the 
Agricultural Marketing Service to the Animal and Plant Health 
Inspection Service. These changes will bring the imported seed 
regulations into agreement with the amended Federal Seed Act, eliminate 
the need for sampling shipments of Canadian-origin seed at the border, 
and allow certain seed importers to clean seed without the direct 
monitoring of an Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service inspector.

EFFECTIVE DATE: October 16, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Polly Lehtonen, Botanist, 
Biological Assessment and Taxonomic Support, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River 
Road Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737-1236, (301) 734-8896.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Under the authority of the Federal Seed Act of 1939, as amended 
(FSA), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulates the 
importation and interstate movement of certain agricultural and 
vegetable seed and screenings. Title III of the FSA, ``Foreign 
Commerce,'' requires shipments of imported agricultural and vegetable 
seed to be labeled correctly and to be tested for the presence of the 
seeds of certain noxious weeds as a condition of entry into the United 
States. The USDA's regulations implementing the provisions of the FSA 
are found at 7 CFR part 201; the regulations implementing the foreign 
commerce provisions of the FSA are found in Secs. 201.101 through 
201.230 (referred to below as the regulations).
    The responsibility for inspection of imported seeds under Title III 
of the FSA was transferred from the Agricultural Marketing Service 
(AMS) to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) by a 
final rule amending the delegations of authority from the Secretary of 
Agriculture that was published in the Federal Register on September 22, 
1982 (47 FR 41725), and effective October 1, 1982.
    In a proposed rule published in the Federal Register on October 4, 
1996 (61 FR 51791-51810, Docket No. 93-126-4), we proposed to revise 
the regulations to reflect amendments to the FSA and the transfer of 
regulatory authority for Title III of the FSA from AMS to APHIS. To 
reflect that change in authority, we proposed to move the regulations 
from 7 CFR chapter I, which is one of the chapters in which AMS 
regulations appear, to 7 CFR chapter III, where APHIS' plant-related 
regulations appear. As part of that proposed move, we also proposed to 
update the regulations to reflect amendments to the FSA and make 
nonsubstantive editorial changes to the arrangement and wording of the 
regulatory text to improve its clarity. We also announced that we would 
host a public hearing on November 21, 1996, to provide interested 
persons with an opportunity to present their views regarding the 
proposed rule.
    We solicited comments concerning the proposed rule for 60 days 
ending December 3, 1996. We received five comments by that date. The 
November 21, 1996, hearing was held as scheduled, but no members of the 
public attended to present comments (although one of the five comments 
mentioned above was included in the record of the public hearing at the 
request of the person who submitted the comment). The comments we 
received were from U.S. and Canadian seed analysts associations, a seed 
trade association, and two State departments of agriculture. Although 
all of the commenters offered support for the proposed rule, each of 
them offered suggestions or sought clarification regarding the changes 
proposed in the proposed rule. Those comments are discussed below.

Change in Responsible Canadian Agency

    On April 1, 1997, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, a public 
agency reporting to Canada's Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, was 
established. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency's responsibilities 
include plant health activities conducted at the Federal level, 
including the seed analysis and laboratory accreditation activities we 
had attributed to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in the proposed 
rule. Therefore, for accuracy, we will refer to the Canadian Food 
Inspection Agency, rather than to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 
throughout this document. We have also updated the regulations in 
Sec. 371.7(a) to reflect that change.

Discussion of Comments

    Comment: The proposed regulations refer to an ``official seed 
analyst,'' which is defined as a ``registered member of the Association 
of Official Seed Analysts'' (AOSA). The AOSA does not have a category 
of ``registered member,'' and the voting category of membership in AOSA 
is entitled ``official laboratory.'' Therefore, the term ``official 
seed laboratory,'' which would be defined as an official laboratory 
member of AOSA, should be used instead of ``official seed analyst.''
    Response: We agree with the commenter and have made the suggested 
changes. Specifically, we have changed the definition in Sec. 361.1 of 
``official seed analyst'' to ``official seed laboratory'' with the 
suggested definition, and we have changed a reference in 
Sec. 361.8(a)(1) from ``official seed analyst'' to ``official seed 
laboratory.''
    Comment: Members of the Commercial Seed Analysts Association of 
Canada (CSAAC) should be given the same recognition as the registered 
seed technologists and official seed analysts mentioned in the proposed 
rule.
    Response: The role of the registered seed technologist and official 
seed analyst (now official seed laboratory, as noted above) in the 
proposed regulations and in this final rule is limited to analyzing 
representative samples of seed cleaned in the United States under a 
compliance agreement as set forth in Sec. 361.8(a)(1). While it is 
likely that members of CSAAC are working in laboratories associated 
with or accredited by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and will, 
thus, be involved in the analysis and certification of seed in Canada 
under Sec. 361.7, we do not foresee that they would be involved in the 
analysis of seed after it has been imported into the United States and 
cleaned. For that reason, we do not believe it is necessary to 
explicitly mention CSAAC or its members in the regulations. Therefore, 
we have made no changes in this final rule based on that comment.

[[Page 48457]]

    Comment: The noxious weed seed tolerances set out in Sec. 361.6(b) 
are too lenient. As it is currently written, the discovery of two seeds 
in an initial examination triggers a second examination; if two or 
fewer seeds are found in the second examination, the lot of seed may be 
imported. Such a tolerance would allow approximately 100 noxious weed 
seeds per 50 lb. bag for a crop seed the size of wheat. The discovery 
of even one or two seeds in a second examination serves only to confirm 
that prohibited noxious weed seeds are present in the lot of seed. The 
regulations should be changed to require a second examination upon the 
discovery of a single noxious weed seed; if the second examination 
yields one or more noxious weed seeds, then the lot of seed should be 
refused entry.
    Response: The tolerances established under the FSA are consistent 
with those of the Association of Official Seed Analysts (AOSA) and the 
Association of American Seed Control Officials' ``Recommended Uniform 
State Seed Law'' (RUSSL), as amended in July 1996. The RUSSL recommends 
that State seed laws recognize the tolerances in AOSA's ``Rules for 
Testing Seeds.'' Also, within the framework of the General Agreement on 
Tariffs and Trade and the North American Free Trade Agreement, a 
quarantine action such as that recommended by the commenter, i.e. 
prohibiting all weed seeds with no tolerances, is not appropriate for 
pests that are widespread in the importing country. All of the weeds 
for which we allow tolerances are already established and widespread in 
the United States. Therefore, we have made no changes in this final 
rule based on that comment.
    Comment: The list of noxious weeds in Sec. 361.6 does not include 
many species of weeds that are prohibited in many States. This could 
result in a State having to accept an imported lot of seed that 
contains weed seeds that are prohibited by that State but not by 
regulations. The list of noxious weeds in Sec. 361.6 should be expanded 
to include noxious weed seed prohibited by States.
    Response: The commenter is correct in noting that many States 
prohibit weeds that are not included on the list of noxious weeds in 
Sec. 361.6; it is also true, however, that the list in Sec. 361.6 is 
more restrictive than the noxious weed lists maintained by some other 
States. Generally speaking, the weeds found in the list in Sec. 361.6 
are those weeds prohibited most often by individual States. Any State 
may inspect seed shipments sold within its borders and can issue a 
``stop sale'' if a State inspector finds weeds on the State's 
prohibited list. Further, the AMS' regulations in 7 CFR 201.50 
recognize each States' prohibited weed list in enforcing the interstate 
provisions of the FSA. Because individual States have the authority to 
prevent the sale within their borders of seed containing weed seeds 
prohibited under State regulations, we do not believe it is necessary 
to amend the imported seed regulations to reflect the noxious weed 
lists of all the States. We have, therefore, made no changes in this 
final rule based on that comment.
    Comment: As set forth in the proposed rule, the regulations in 
Sec. 361.7 are unclear as to who in Canada will be doing the sampling 
of seed intended for export to the United States. Sampling must be 
performed by persons trained in proper sampling and who are in no way 
biased as to test outcome.
    Response: The sampling in Canada will be performed in the manner 
seen as necessary by the commenter. Seed samples drawn in Canada 
pursuant to the regulations in Sec. 361.7 will be analyzed by the 
Canadian Food Inspection Agency or by a private seed laboratory 
accredited by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, and the Canadian 
Food Inspection Agency has informed APHIS that it will require those 
laboratories testing seed for export to the United States to test only 
``officially recognized samples'' as defined by the Canada Seeds 
Regulations. Thus, the seed will have to be drawn according to 
recognized methods by an accredited grader, a person licensed to 
operate an approved conditioner, or a person accredited by an official 
certifying agency to sample seed.
    Comment: APHIS should require sampling for seed imported for 
feeding purposes. Seed screenings are often used as a component of feed 
and may contain a high percentage of viable noxious weed seeds. There 
should be limitations on viable noxious weed seeds in feed and some 
measure of sampling or monitoring.
    Response: As we noted in the proposed rule with regard to 
screenings, the process usually used to produce animal feed--i.e., an 
extrusion process that includes heating and pelletizing--is sufficient 
to devitalize any live seed, which reduces to an insignificant level 
any risk that the feed would contain any viable noxious weed seeds. We 
do not, therefore, believe that it is necessary to require sampling or 
monitoring for imported seed declared for feeding purposes.
    Comment: When seed intended for planting purposes is imported and 
found to be adulterated with noxious weed seeds, the regulations would 
allow the seed to enter the United States if the importer withdraws the 
original declaration and files a new declaration stating that the seed 
is being imported for feeding or manufacturing purposes. How can APHIS 
be sure that the importer will not use the seed for planting purposes 
once it reaches its final destination in the United States?
    Response: There are avenues that an importer can pursue to render 
adulterated seed fit for planting purposes and penalties in place to 
discourage the type of action envisioned by the commenter. If a lot of 
seed is deemed to be adulterated, the importer of the seed would have 
the option of sending the seed to a seed-cleaning facility. After the 
noxious weed seeds are removed, the importer could sell the seed for 
planting purposes. When an importer instead chooses to file a new 
declaration for the seed, that new declaration must include a statement 
that no part of the seed will be used for planting purposes, and the 
importer will be bound to abide by the new declaration. Under Sec. 304 
of the FSA (7 U.S.C. 1586), it is unlawful for any person to sell or 
offer for sale any seed or screenings for seeding (planting) purposes 
if the seed or screenings were imported for other than seeding 
(planting) purposes. Any seed sold, delivered for transportation in 
interstate commerce, or transported in interstate or foreign commerce 
in violation of any of the provisions of the FSA would, under Sec. 405 
of the FSA (7 U.S.C. 1595), be subject to seizure. Further, Sec. 406 of 
the FSA (7 U.S.C. 1596) provides that any person who knowingly violates 
any provision of the FSA or the regulations shall be deemed guilty of a 
misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall pay a fine of $1,000 
for the first offense and a fine of not more than $2,000 for each 
subsequent offense. In addition, if the importer intends to sell the 
adulterated seed for planting purposes but files a new declaration 
stating that the seed is to be used for feed or manufacturing purposes 
merely to secure the release of the seed, the importer could be subject 
to the provisions of 18 U.S.C. 1001, which provides, in part, that 
``Whoever, in any matter within the jurisdiction of any department or 
agency of the United States knowingly and willfully * * * makes any 
false, fictitious or fraudulent statements or representations, or makes 
or uses any false writing or document knowing the same to contain any 
false, fictitious or fraudulent statement or entry, shall be fined 
under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.''

[[Page 48458]]

    Comment: Section 361.3 contains references to seed treated with 
mercurials. Is it not the case that mercurial seed treatments were 
banned several years ago?
    Response: With regard to the treatment of seeds with mercurials or 
similarly toxic substances, the scope of the FSA and the regulations is 
limited to requiring that such treated seed be properly labeled. Those 
labeling requirements, as noted by the commenter, are contained in 
Sec. 361.3 of the regulations. However, because mercurials are harmful 
to humans and vertebrate animals, they would be covered under the Food 
and Drug Administration's (FDA's) regulations in 16 CFR 2.25(b), which 
state, in part, that the FDA ``will regard as adulterated any 
interstate shipment of the food seeds wheat, corn, oats, rye, barley, 
and sorghum bearing a poisonous treatment in excess of a recognized 
tolerance or treatment for which no tolerance or exemption from 
tolerance is recognized in regulations promulgated pursuant to section 
408 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, unless such seeds have 
been adequately denatured by a suitable color to prevent their 
subsequent inadvertent use as food for man or feed for animals.'' Thus, 
seeds deemed adulterated by the FDA would be subject to appropriate 
action by the FDA under its authority.
    Comment: Will APHIS monitor the Canadian seed testing laboratories 
that analyze the seed to be exported to the United States? What actions 
will be taken if APHIS finds that one of those Canadian laboratories is 
conducting incorrect or incomplete analyses on seed to be exported to 
the United States?
    Response: APHIS will take samples of Canadian-origin seed for 
monitoring purposes. If our test results do not agree with those of the 
Canadian seed-testing laboratory that analyzed the seed, we will notify 
the Canadian Food Inspection Agency of the discrepancy and cooperate 
with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency in its investigation of the 
cause of the discrepancy. If sampling or laboratory errors are found to 
have occurred, corrective action will be initiated by the Canadian Food 
Inspection Agency. Further, APHIS will increase its monitoring of seed 
shipments that have been analyzed by the laboratory in question.
    Comment: Section 361.9 of the proposed rule states that seed 
importers must retain a seed sample from each lot of imported seed for 
at least 1 year. This requirement is too burdensome and should be 
eliminated; such samples will not assist in the tracing or monitoring 
of potential problems. In addition, it has traditionally been the role 
of the seed exporter to maintain samples of seed from each lot shipped.
    Response: As we noted in the proposed rule, seed companies must 
already retain records and samples to comply with the AMS' regulations 
promulgated under the interstate provisions of the FSA, so we do not 
believe that the recordkeeping requirements of this rule place an 
additional burden on those companies. Further, even if exporters retain 
samples from lots of seed shipped to this country, only the importer's 
sample can be relied upon to accurately reflect the content of the seed 
lot that was actually received in the United States. Therefore, we 
continue to believe that it is necessary for importers to retain a seed 
sample to provide a reference that would help APHIS to trace the source 
of potential problems and monitor the efficacy of noxious weed 
examinations and cleaning.

Other Changes

    We have made a change to the wording of the introductory text of 
paragraph (a) in Sec. 361.4, ``Inspection at the port of first 
arrival.'' In the proposed rule, that paragraph stated that all 
agricultural seed, vegetable seed, and screenings offered for entry 
into the United States shall be ``subject to inspection'' at the port 
of first arrival. Because the phrase ``subject to inspection'' does not 
accurately represent what must occur at the port of first arrival prior 
to seed and screenings, or any other agricultural commodity, being 
released for entry into the United States, we have changed that 
paragraph to make it clear that the seed or screenings must be made 
available for examination by an inspector and must remain at the port 
of first arrival until released by an inspector.
    Similarly, we have changed those sections of the regulations that 
refer to an APHIS inspector's ``supervision'' of certain activities, 
i.e., the destruction or cleaning of seed, the correction of the 
labeling on a lot of seed, the removal of seed from containers, and the 
enforcement of compliance agreements. To state that an APHIS inspector 
will ``supervise'' such activities may imply that the inspector is in a 
position of authority over the persons conducting such activities and 
is, therefore, responsible for all issues associated with the conduct 
of those activities, even issues unrelated to the inspector's authority 
such as worker safety or compliance with labor laws. The actual role of 
an APHIS inspector in such situations is to ensure that the 
requirements of APHIS' regulations are being satisfied; therefore, we 
have replaced references to ``supervision'' with references to 
``monitoring'' to more clearly represent the role of APHIS inspectors 
participating in activities conducted in connection with the 
regulations.
    Therefore, based on the rationale set forth in the proposed rule 
and in this document, we are adopting the provisions of the proposal as 
a final rule with the changes discussed in this document.

Executive Order 12866 and Regulatory Flexibility Act

    This rule has been reviewed under Executive Order 12866. The rule 
has been determined to be not significant for purposes of Executive 
Order 12866 and, therefore, has not been reviewed by the Office of 
Management and Budget.
    We are amending the ``Imported Seed'' regulations by moving the 
regulations to a different chapter in the Code of Federal Regulations, 
establishing a seed analysis program with Canada, and allowing U.S. 
companies that import seed for cleaning or screenings for processing to 
enter into compliance agreements with APHIS. With these changes, the 
regulations will reflect recent amendments to the FSA and the transfer 
of responsibility for the import provisions of the act from AMS to 
APHIS, eliminate the need for sampling shipments of Canadian-origin 
seed at the border, and allow certain seed importers to clean seed with 
monitoring by an APHIS inspector.
    No economic impact will result from shifting the regulations to a 
different chapter in the Code of Federal Regulations. However, the 
elimination of the requirement that shipments of Canadian-origin seed 
be sampled at the border will result in savings to APHIS. This rule 
will require that all shipments of Canadian-origin agricultural or 
vegetable seed 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; that certificate of 
analysis precludes the need for sampling and testing those shipments of 
Canadian-origin seed. The certificate of analysis will confirm the seed 
shipment meets the noxious weed tolerances and labeling requirements of 
the FSA and the regulations. Therefore, APHIS will no longer have to 
rely on U.S. Customs Service inspectors at the Canadian border to draw 
samples from shipments of imported seed and mail the seed samples to 
APHIS'' Seed Examination Facility (SEF) in Beltsville, MD, for testing. 
Under the provisions of this rule, the cost of the analysis and

[[Page 48459]]

subsequent certification will be borne by the owner or exporter of the 
seed, so there will be a reduction in the sampling and testing costs 
currently borne by APHIS. We estimate that APHIS will save over 
$103,000 annually in salary and related expenditures associated with 
the testing of Canadian-origin seed.
    Imports of field and garden seeds from Canada represent 80 percent 
of total U.S. seed imports; from 1992 to 1994, imports of the regulated 
agricultural and vegetable seeds from Canada into the United States 
averaged 107,270 tons per year, with an average value of $63.059 
million. From fiscal year 1989 to fiscal year 1993, the number of seed 
shipments sampled increased from 2,451 to 3,615 shipments per year, an 
increase of 47.5 percent; over the same period, SEF tested an average 
of 2,907 seed samples per year. In fiscal years 1994 and 1995, 
approximately 5,000 Canadian seed samples were tested. Only 3 percent 
of Canadian seed shipments were refused admission for noxious weed 
content.
    This final rule's requirement that Canadian-origin seed be 
certified prior to import into the United States will eliminate the 
need for the routine testing of Canadian-origin seed and thus eliminate 
the costs associated with that testing. Without the certificate 
requirement, the SEF botanist spent approximately 90 percent of his 
time testing Canadian-origin seed for noxious weed seeds, while his 
assistant spent about 50 percent of his time on this task. In terms of 
salaries and benefits, the costs associated with the SEF's testing of 
Canadian seed are estimated to exceed $100,000 annually. With the 
certificate requirement for Canadian seed in place, the time and costs 
spent on testing Canadian seed may be shifted into the SEF's other 
areas of responsibility.
    This rule will also result in savings in salary for the time spent 
by APHIS or State inspectors monitoring the cleaning of seed lots 
refused admission due to noxious weed seed content. In fiscal year 
1995, 61 seed shipments were refused entry due to noxious weed seed 
content above tolerances. An inspector spends an average of about 4 
hours monitoring the cleaning of each refused shipment. The savings in 
the inspector's monitoring time in this activity is estimated as 
$1,262.
    This rule also allows companies that import uncleaned seed for 
reconditioning and resale to enter into a compliance agreement with 
APHIS, which will likely yield a savings to APHIS in inspection time 
since only periodic inspections of these companies will be necessary to 
ensure compliance with the conditions of the agreement. In fiscal year 
1995, two companies in Idaho imported a total of 48 lots of seed that 
required cleaning; APHIS employed a contractor to monitor the cleaning 
of those adulterated seed lots. A company operating under a compliance 
agreement will not require monitoring for every lot of seed imported 
for cleaning, so we expect there will be an estimated $1,664 annual 
savings in salary and benefits as a result of seed-cleaning companies 
entering into compliance agreements with APHIS.
    In total, we expect an estimated annual reduction of approximately 
$103,000 in the costs associated with the sampling and testing of 
Canadian origin seed and the monitoring of seed cleaning.
    This rule is expected to impact exporters of Canadian-origin seed, 
the majority of which--over 95 percent--are Canadian businesses. The 
cost of obtaining a certificate of analysis from a Canadian government 
or private laboratory is estimated to range from $13.00 to $58.00 per 
lot, depending on the type of seed to be analyzed, or an average of $35 
per lot. The cost is the same regardless of the size of the lot, which 
can range from 50 to 50,000 pounds. Based upon fiscal year 1995 
figures, there are approximately 6,000 seed shipments per year from 
Canada that will require certification as a condition of importation 
into the United States. For the majority of shipments, the cost of the 
certification does not represent an additional expense because much of 
the seed is likely to have been tested anyway to meet the requirements 
of the exporting company's contracts with its importing customers. 
Nevertheless, the cost of a certificate is small in comparison to the 
average value of a seed shipment (which is typically worth thousands of 
dollars) and will not, therefore, impose a significant economic burden 
on Canadian seed exporters, large or small. For this reason, any cost 
that is passed on to U.S. buyers of Canadian seed is likewise estimated 
to be small.
    Less than 2 percent of the Canadian seed imported into the United 
States is imported through transactions between Canadian seed exporters 
and individual U.S. farms. (Individual farms located near the U.S.-
Canadian border typically import small amounts of Canadian seed to be 
used directly on farms.) While the exact number of these entities is 
not known, it is expected that the impact to these individuals will be 
small because seed sold in such small quantities is, in almost all 
cases, already analyzed and certified prior to its entry into the 
United States.
    Under these circumstances, the Administrator of the Animal and 
Plant Health Inspection Service has determined that this action will 
not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small 
entities.

Executive Order 12988

    This rule has been reviewed under Executive Order 12988, Civil 
Justice Reform. This rule: (1) Preempts all State and local laws and 
regulations that are inconsistent with this rule; (2) has no 
retroactive effect; and (3) does not require administrative proceedings 
before parties may file suit in court challenging this rule.

Paperwork Reduction Act

    In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 
3501 et seq.), the information collection or recordkeeping requirements 
included in this proposed rule have been approved by the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) under OMB control number 0579-0124.

Regulatory Reform

    This action is part of the President's Regulatory Reform 
Initiative, which, among other things, directs agencies to remove 
obsolete and unnecessary regulations and to find less burdensome ways 
to achieve regulatory goals.

List of Subjects

7 CFR Part 201

    Advertising, Agricultural commodities, Imports, Labeling, Reporting 
and recordkeeping requirements, Seeds, Vegetables.

7 CFR Part 361

    Agricultural commodities, Imports, Labeling, Quarantine, Reporting 
and recordkeeping requirements, Seeds, Vegetables, Weeds.

    Accordingly, title 7, chapters I and III, of the Code of Federal 
Regulations are amended as follows:

PART 201--FEDERAL SEED ACT REGULATIONS

    1. The authority citation for part 201 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1592.

Sec. 201.38  [Amended]

    2. Section 201.38 is amended by removing the words ``Secs. 201.208 
and 201.209'' and adding the words ``Sec. 361.4 of this title'' in 
their place.

[[Page 48460]]

Secs. 201.101 through 201.230  [Removed]

    3. In 7 CFR part 201, Secs. 201.101 through 201.230 are removed.
    4. A new 7 CFR part 361 is added to read as follows:

PART 361--IMPORTATION OF SEED AND SCREENINGS UNDER THE FEDERAL SEED 
ACT

Sec.
361.1  Definitions.
361.2  General restrictions on the importation of seed and 
screenings.
361.3  Declarations and labeling.
361.4  Inspection at the port of first arrival.
361.5  Sampling of seeds.
361.6  Noxious weed seeds.
361.7  Special provisions for Canadian-origin seed and screenings.
361.8  Cleaning of imported seed and processing of certain Canadian-
origin screenings.
361.9  Recordkeeping.
361.10  Costs and charges.

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1581-1610; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.2(c).

Sec. 361.1  Definitions.

    Terms used in the singular form in this part shall be construed as 
the plural, and vice versa, as the case may demand. The following 
terms, when used in this part, shall be construed, respectively, to 
mean:
    Administrator. The Administrator of the Animal and Plant Health 
Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, or any other 
individual to whom the Administrator delegates authority to act in his 
or her stead.
    Agricultural seed. The following kinds and varieties of grass, 
forage, and field crop seed that are used for seeding purposes in the 
United States:

Agrotricum--x Agrotriticum Ciferri and Giacom.
Alfalfa--Medicago sativa L.
Alfilaria--Erodium cicutarium (L.) L'Her.
Alyceclover--Alysicarpus vaginalis (L.) DC.
Bahiagrass--Paspalum notatum Fluegge
Barley--Hordeum vulgare L.
Barrelclover--Medicago truncatula Gaertn.
Bean, adzuki--Vigna angularis (Willd.) Ohwi and Ohashi
Bean, field--Phaseolus vulgaris L.
Bean, mung--Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek
Beet, field--Beta vulgaris L. subsp. vulgaris
Beet, sugar--Beta vulgaris L. subsp. vulgaris 
Beggarweed, Florida--Desmodium tortuosum (Sw.) DC.
Bentgrass, colonial--Agrostis capillaris L.
Bentgrass, creeping--Agrostis stolonifera L. var. palustris (Huds.) 
Farw.
Bentgrass, velvet--Agrostis canina L.
Bermudagrass--Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. var. dactylon
Bermudagrass, giant--Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. var. aridus Harlan 
and de Wet
Bluegrass, annual--Poa annua L.
Bluegrass, bulbous--Poa bulbosa L.
Bluegrass, Canada--Poa compressa L.
Bluegrass, glaucantha--Poa glauca Vahl
Bluegrass, Kentucky--Poa pratensis L.
Bluegrass, Nevada--Poa secunda J.S. Presl
Bluegrass, rough--Poa trivialis L.
Bluegrass, Texas--Poa arachnifera Torr.
Bluegrass, wood--Poa nemoralis L.
Bluejoint--Calamagrostis canadensis (Michx.) P. Beauv.
Bluestem, big--Andropogon gerardii Vitm. var. gerardii
Bluestem, little--Schizachyrium scoparium (Michx.) Nash
Bluestem, sand--Andropogon hallii Hack.
Bluestem, yellow--Bothriochloa ischaemum (L.) Keng
Bottlebrush-squirreltail--Elymus elymoides (Raf.) Swezey
Brome, field--Bromus arvensis L.
Brome, meadow--Bromus biebersteinii Roem. and Schult.
Brome, mountain--Bromus marginatus Steud.
Brome, smooth--Bromus inermis Leyss.
Broomcorn--Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench
Buckwheat--Fagopyrum esculentum Moench
Buffalograss--Buchloe dactyloides (Nutt.) Engelm.
Buffelgrass--Cenchrus ciliaris L.
Burclover, California--Medicago polymorpha L.
Burclover, spotted--Medicago arabica (L.) Huds.
Burnet, little--Sanguisorba minor Scop.
Buttonclover--Medicago orbicularis (L.) Bartal.
Canarygrass--Phalaris canariensis L.
Canarygrass, reed--Phalaris arundinacea L.
Carpetgrass--Axonopus fissifolius (Raddi) Kuhlm.
Castorbean--Ricinus communis L.
Chess, soft--Bromus hordeaceus L.
Chickpea--Cicer arietinum L.
Clover, alsike--Trifolium hybridum L.
Clover, arrowleaf--Trifolium vesiculosum Savi
Clover, berseem--Trifolium alexandrinum L.
Clover, cluster--Trifolium glomeratum L.
Clover, crimson--Trifolium incarnatum L.
Clover, Kenya--Trifolium semipilosum Fresen.
Clover, ladino--Trifolium repens L.
Clover, lappa--Trifolium lappaceum L.
Clover, large hop--Trifolium campestre Schreb.
Clover, Persian--Trifolium resupinatum L.
Clover, red or
    Red clover, mammoth--Trifolium pratense L.
    Red clover, medium--Trifolium pratense L.
Clover, rose--Trifolium hirtum All.
Clover, small hop or suckling--Trifolium dubium Sibth.
Clover, strawberry--Trifolium fragiferum L.
Clover, sub or subterranean--Trifolium subterraneum L.
Clover, white--Trifolium repens L. (also see Clover, ladino)
Clover--(also see Alyceclover, Burclover, Buttonclover, Sourclover,
Sweetclover)
Corn, field--Zea mays L.
Corn, pop--Zea mays L.
Cotton--Gossypium spp.
Cowpea--Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp. subsp. unguiculata
Crambe--Crambe abyssinica R.E. Fries
Crested dogtail--Cynosurus cristatus L.
Crotalaria, lance--Crotalaria lanceolata E. Mey.
Crotalaria, showy--Crotalaria spectabilis Roth
Crotalaria, slenderleaf--Crotalaria brevidens Benth. var. intermedia 
(Kotschy) Polh.
Crotalaria, striped or smooth--Crotalaria pallida Ait.
Crotalaria, sunn--Crotalaria juncea L.
Crownvetch--Coronilla varia L.
Dallisgrass--Paspalum dilatatum Poir.
Dichondra--Dichondra repens Forst. and Forst. f.
Dropseed, sand--Sporobolus cryptandrus (Torr.) A. Gray
Emmer--Triticum dicoccon Schrank
Fescue, chewings--Festuca rubra L. subsp. commutata Gaud.
Fescue, hair--Festuca tenuifolia Sibth.
Fescue, hard--Festuca brevipila Tracey
Fescue, meadow--Festuca pratensis Huds.
Fescue, red--Festuca rubra L. subsp. rubra
Fescue, sheep--Festuca ovina L. var. ovina
Fescue, tall--Festuca arundinacea Schreb.
Flax--Linum usitatissimum L.
Galletagrass--Hilaria jamesii (Torr.) Benth.
Grama, blue--Bouteloua gracilis (Kunth) Steud.
Grama, side-oats--Bouteloua curtipendula (Michx.) Torr.
Guar--Cyamopsis tetragonoloba (L.) Taub.
Guineagrass--Panicum maximum Jacq. var. maximum
Hardinggrass--Phalaris stenoptera Hack.
Hemp--Cannabis sativa L.
Indiangrass, yellow--Sorghastrum nutans (L.) Nash
Indigo, hairy--Indigofera hirsuta L.
Japanese lawngrass--Zoysia japonica Steud.
Johnsongrass--Sorghum halepense (L.) Pers.
Kenaf--Hibiscus cannabinus L.
Kochia, forage--Kochia prostrata (L.) Schrad.
Kudzu--Pueraria montana (Lour.) Merr. var. lobata (Willd.) Maesen 
and S. Almeida
Lentil--Lens culinaris Medik.
Lespedeza, Korean--Kummerowia stipulacea (Maxim.) Makino
Lespedeza, sericea or Chinese--Lespedeza cuneata (Dum.-Cours.) G. 
Don
Lespedeza, Siberian--Lespedeza juncea (L. f.) Pers.
Lespedeza, striate--Kummerowia striata (Thunb.) Schindler
Lovegrass, sand--Eragrostis trichodes (Nutt.) Wood
Lovegrass, weeping--Eragrostis curvula (Schrad.) Nees
Lupine, blue--Lupinus angustifolius L.
Lupine, white--Lupinus albus L.
Lupine, yellow--Lupinus luteus L.
Manilagrass--Zoysia matrella (L.) Merr.
Meadow foxtail--Alopecurus pratensis L.
Medic, black--Medicago lupulina L.
Milkvetch or cicer milkvetch--Astragalus cicer L.
Millet, browntop--Brachiaria ramosa (L.) Stapf
Millet, foxtail--Setaria italica (L.) Beauv.
Millet, Japanese--Echinochloa frumentacea Link
Millet, pearl--Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.
Millet, proso--Panicum miliaceum L.
Molassesgrass--Melinis minutiflora Beauv.
Mustard, black--Brassica nigra (L.) Koch
Mustard, India--Brassica juncea (L.) Czernj. and Coss.

[[Page 48461]]

Mustard, white--Sinapis alba L.
Napiergrass--Pennisetum purpureum Schumach.
Needlegrass, green--Stipa viridula Trin.
Oat--Avena byzantina C. Koch, A. sativa L., A. nuda L.
Oatgrass, tall--Arrhenatherum elatius (L.) J.S. Presl and K.B. Presl
Orchardgrass--Dactylis glomerata L.
Panicgrass, blue--Panicum antidotale Retz.
Panicgrass, green--Panicum maximum Jacq. var. trichoglume Robyns
Pea, field--Pisum sativum L.
Peanut--Arachis hypogaea L.
Poa trivialis--(see Bluegrass, rough)
Rape, annual--Brassica napus L. var. annua Koch
Rape, bird--Brassica rapa L. subsp. rapa
Rape, turnip--Brassica rapa L. subsp. silvestris (Lam.) Janchen
Rape, winter--Brassica napus L. var. biennis (Schubl. and Mart.) 
Reichb.
Redtop--Agrostis gigantea Roth
Rescuegrass--Bromus catharticus Vahl
Rhodesgrass--Chloris gayana Kunth
Rice--Oryza sativa L.
Ricegrass, Indian--Oryzopsis hymenoides (Roem. and Schult.) Ricker
Roughpea--Lathyrus hirsutus L.
Rye--Secale cereale L.
Rye, mountain--Secale strictum (K.B. Presl) K.B. Presl subsp. 
strictum
Ryegrass, annual or Italian--Lolium multiflorum Lam.
Ryegrass, intermediate--Lolium x hybridum Hausskn.
Ryegrass, perennial--Lolium perenne L.
Ryegrass, Wimmera--Lolium rigidum Gaud.
Safflower--Carthamus tinctorius L.
Sagewort, Louisiana--Artemisia ludoviciana Nutt.
Sainfoin--Onobrychis viciifolia Scop.
Saltbush, fourwing--Atriplex canescens (Pursh) Nutt.
Sesame--Sesamum indicum L.
Sesbania--Sesbania exaltata (Raf.) A.W. Hill
Smilo--Piptatherum miliaceum (L.) Coss.
Sorghum--Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench
Sorghum almum--Sorghum x almum L. Parodi
Sorghum-sudangrass--Sorghum x drummondii (Steud.) Millsp. and Chase
Sorgrass--Rhizomatous derivatives of a johnsongrass x sorghum cross 
or a johnsongrass x sudangrass cross Southernpea--(See Cowpea)
Sourclover--Melilotus indicus (L.) All.
Soybean--Glycine max (L.) Merr.
Spelt--Triticum spelta L.
Sudangrass--Sorghum x drummondii (Steud.) Millsp. and Chase
Sunflower--Helianthus annuus L.
Sweetclover, white--Melilotus albus Medik.
Sweetclover, yellow--Melilotus officinalis Lam.
Sweet vernalgrass--Anthoxanthum odoratum L.
Sweetvetch, northern--Hedysarum boreale Nutt.
Switchgrass--Panicum virgatum L.
Timothy--Phleum pratense L.
Timothy, turf--Phleum bertolonii DC.
Tobacco--Nicotiana tabacum L.
Trefoil, big--Lotus uliginosus Schk.
Trefoil, birdsfoot--Lotus corniculatus L.
Triticale--x Triticosecale Wittm. (Secale x Triticum)
Vaseygrass--Paspalum urvillei Steud.
Veldtgrass--Ehrharta calycina J.E. Smith
Velvetbean--Mucuna pruriens (L.) DC. var. utilis (Wight) Burck
Velvetgrass--Holcus lanatus L.
Vetch, common--Vicia sativa L. subsp. sativa
Vetch, hairy--Vicia villosa Roth subsp. villosa
Vetch, Hungarian--Vicia pannonica Crantz
Vetch, monantha--Vicia articulata Hornem.
Vetch, narrowleaf or blackpod--Vicia sativa L. subsp. nigra (L.) 
Ehrh.
Vetch, purple--Vicia benghalensis L.
Vetch, woollypod or winter--Vicia villosa Roth subsp. varia (Host) 
Corb.
Wheat, common--Triticum aestivum L.
Wheat, club--Triticum compactum Host
Wheat, durum--Triticum durum Desf.
Wheat, Polish--Triticum polonicum L.
Wheat, poulard--Triticum turgidum L.
Wheat x Agrotricum--Triticum x Agrotriticum
Wheatgrass, beardless--Pseudoroegneria spicata (Pursh) A. Love
Wheatgrass, crested or fairway crested--Agropyron cristatum (L.) 
Gaertn.
Wheatgrass, crested or standard crested--Agropyron desertorum (Link) 
Schult.
Wheatgrass, intermediate--Elytrigia intermedia (Host) Nevski subsp. 
intermedia
Wheatgrass, pubescent--Elytrigia intermedia (Host) Nevski subsp. 
intermedia
Wheatgrass, Siberian--Agropyron fragile (Roth) Candargy subsp. 
sibiricum (Willd.) Meld.
Wheatgrass, slender--Elymus trachycaulus (Link) Shinn.
Wheatgrass, streambank--Elymus lanceolatus (Scribn. and J.G. Smith) 
Gould subsp. lanceolatus
Wheatgrass, tall--Elytrigia elongata (Host) Nevski
Wheatgrass, western--Pascopyrum smithii (Rydb.) A. Love
Wildrye, basin--Leymus cinereus (Scribn. and Merr.) A. Love
Wildrye, Canada--Elymus canadensis L.
Wildrye, Russian--Psathyrostachys juncea (Fisch.) Nevski
Zoysia japonica--(see Japanese lawngrass)
Zoysia matrella--(see Manilagrass)

    Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). The Animal and 
Plant Health Inspection Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
    APHIS inspector. Any employee of the Animal and Plant Health 
Inspection Service or any other individual authorized by the 
Administrator to enforce this part.
    Coated Seed. Any seed unit covered with any substance that changes 
the size, shape, or weight of the original seed. Seeds coated with 
ingredients such as, but not limited to, rhizobia, dyes, and pesticides 
are excluded.
    Declaration. A written statement of a grower, shipper, processor, 
dealer, or importer giving for any lot of seed the kind, variety, type, 
origin, or the use for which the seed is intended.
    Hybrid. When applied to kinds or varieties of seed means the first 
generation seed of a cross produced by controlling the pollination and 
by combining two or more inbred lines; one inbred or a single cross 
with an open-pollinated variety; or two selected clones, seed lines, 
varieties, or species. ``Controlling the pollination'' means to use a 
method of hybridization that will produce pure seed that is at least 75 
percent hybrid seed. Hybrid designations shall be treated as variety 
names.
    Import/importation. To bring into the territorial limits of the 
United States.
    Kind. One or more related species or subspecies that singly or 
collectively is known by one common name, e.g., soybean, flax, or 
carrot.
    Lot of seed. A definite quantity of seed identified by a lot 
number, every portion or bag of which is uniform, within permitted 
tolerances, for the factors that appear in the labeling.
    Mixture. Seeds consisting of more than one kind or variety, each 
present in excess of 5 percent of the whole.
    Official seed laboratory. An official laboratory member of the 
Association of Official Seed Analysts.
    Pelleted seed. Any seed unit covered with a substance that changes 
the size, shape, or weight of the original seed in order to improve the 
plantability or singulation of the seed.
    Person. Any individual, partnership, corporation, company, society, 
association, receiver, trustee, or other legal entity or organized 
group.
    Port of first arrival. The land area (such as a seaport, airport, 
or land border station) where a person, or a land, water, or air 
vehicle, first arrives after entering the territorial limits of the 
United States, and where inspection of articles is carried out by APHIS 
inspectors.
    Registered seed technologist. A registered member of the Society of 
Commercial Seed Technologists.
    Screenings. Chaff, sterile florets, immature seed, weed seed, inert 
matter, and any other materials removed in any way from any seeds in 
any kind of cleaning or processing and which contains less than 25 
percent of live agricultural or vegetable seeds.
    State. Any State, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, 
the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands of the 
United States, and any other territory or possession of the United 
States.
    United States. All of the States.
    Variety. A subdivision of a kind which is characterized by growth, 
plant, fruit, seed, or other characteristics by which it can be 
differentiated from other sorts of the same kind.

[[Page 48462]]

    Vegetable seed. The seed of the following kinds and varieties that 
are or may be grown in gardens or on truck farms and are or may be 
generally known and sold under the name of vegetable seed:

Artichoke--Cynara cardunculus L. subsp. cardunculus
Asparagus--Asparagus officinalis Baker
Asparagusbean or yard-long bean--Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp. subsp. 
sesquipedalis (L.) Verdc.
Bean, garden--Phaseolus vulgaris L.
Bean, lima--Phaseolus lunatus L.
Bean, runner or scarlet runner--Phaseolus coccineus L.
Beet--Beta vulgaris L. subsp. vulgaris
Broadbean--Vicia faba L.
Broccoli--Brassica oleracea L. var. botrytis L.
Brussels sprouts--Brassica oleracea L. var. gemmifera DC.
Burdock, great--Arctium lappa L.
Cabbage--Brassica oleracea L. var. capitata L.
Cabbage, Chinese--Brassica rapa L. subsp. pekinensis (Lour.) Hanelt
Cabbage, tronchuda--Brassica oleracea L. var. costata DC.
Cantaloupe--(see Melon)
Cardoon--Cynara cardunculus L. subsp. cardunculus
Carrot--Daucus carota L. subsp. sativus (Hoffm.) Arcang.
Cauliflower--Brassica oleracea L. var. botrytis L.
Celeriac--Apium graveolens L. var. rapaceum (Mill.) Gaud.
Celery--Apium graveolens L. var. dulce (Mill.) Pers.
Chard, Swiss--Beta vulgaris L. subsp. cicla (L.) Koch
Chicory--Cichorium intybus L.
Chives--Allium schoenoprasum L.
Citron--Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. and Nakai var. citroides 
(Bailey) Mansf.
Collards--Brassica oleracea L. var. acephala DC.
Corn, sweet--Zea mays L.
Cornsalad--Valerianella locusta (L.) Laterrade
Cowpea--Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp. subsp. unguiculata
Cress, garden--Lepidium sativum L.
Cress, upland--Barbarea verna (Mill.) Asch.
Cress, water--Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum (L.) Hayek
Cucumber--Cucumis sativus L.
Dandelion--Taraxacum officinale Wigg.
Dill--Anethum graveolens L.
Eggplant--Solanum melongena L.
Endive--Cichorium endivia L.
Gherkin, West India--Cucumis anguria L.
Kale--Brassica oleracea L. var. acephala DC.
Kale, Chinese--Brassica oleracea L. var. alboglabra (Bailey) Musil
Kale, Siberian--Brassica napus L. var. pabularia (DC.) Reichb.
Kohlrabi--Brassica oleracea L. var. gongylodes L.
Leek--Allium porrum L.
Lettuce--Lactuca sativa L.
Melon--Cucumis melo L.
Muskmelon--(see Melon).
Mustard, India--Brassica juncea (L.) Czernj. and Coss.
Mustard, spinach--Brassica perviridis (Bailey) Bailey
Okra--Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench
Onion--Allium cepa L.
Onion, Welsh--Allium fistulosum L.
Pak-choi--Brassica rapa L. subsp. chinensis (L.) Hanelt
Parsley--Petroselinum crispum (Mill.) A.W. Hill
Parsnip--Pastinaca sativa L.
Pea--Pisum sativum L.
Pepper--Capsicum spp.
Pe-tsai--(see Chinese cabbage).
Pumpkin--Cucurbita pepo L., C. moschata (Duchesne) Poiret, and C. 
maxima Duchesne
Radish--Raphanus sativus L.
Rhubarb--Rheum rhabarbarum L.
Rutabaga--Brassica napus L. var. napobrassica (L.) Reichb.
Sage--Salvia officinalis L.
Salsify--Tragopogon porrifolius L.
Savory, summer--Satureja hortensis L.
Sorrel--Rumex acetosa L.
Southernpea--(see Cowpea).
Soybean--Glycine max (L.) Merr.
Spinach--Spinacia oleracea L.
Spinach, New Zealand--Tetragonia tetragonioides (Pall.) Ktze.
Squash--Cucurbita pepo L., C. moschata (Duchesne) Poiret, and C. 
maxima Duchesne
Tomato--Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.
Tomato, husk--Physalis pubescens L.
Turnip--Brassica rapa L. subsp. rapa
Watermelon--Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. and Nakai var. 
lanatus


Sec. 361.2  General restrictions on the importation of seed and 
screenings.

    (a) No person shall import any agricultural seed, vegetable seed, 
or screenings into the United States unless the importation is in 
compliance with this part.
    (b) Any agricultural seed, vegetable seed, or screenings imported 
into the United States not in compliance with this part shall be 
subject to exportation, destruction, disposal, or any remedial measures 
that the Administrator determines are necessary to prevent the 
dissemination into the United States of noxious weeds.
    (c) Except as provided in Sec. 361.7(b), coated or pelleted seed 
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 Sec. 361.5 of this part.
    (d) Except as provided in Secs. 361.4(a)(3) and 361.7(c), 
screenings of all agricultural seed and vegetable seed are prohibited 
entry into the United States.


Sec. 361.3  Declarations and labeling.

    (a) All lots of agricultural seed, vegetable seed, and screenings 
imported into the United States must be accompanied by a declaration 
from the importer of the seed or screenings. The declaration must state 
the kind, variety, and origin of each lot of seed or screenings and the 
use for which the seed or screenings are being imported.
    (b) Each container of agricultural seed and vegetable seed imported 
into the United States for seeding (planting) purposes must be labeled 
to indicate the identification code or designation for the lot of seed; 
the name of each kind or kind and variety of agricultural seed or the 
name of each kind and variety of vegetable seed present in the lot in 
excess of 5 percent of the whole; and the designation ``hybrid'' when 
the lot contains hybrid seed. Kind and variety names used on the label 
shall conform to the kind and variety names used in the definitions of 
``agricultural seed'' and ``vegetable seed'' in Sec. 361.1. If any seed 
in the lot has been treated, each container must be further labeled, in 
type no smaller than 8 point, as follows:
    (1) The label must indicate that the seed has been treated and 
provide the name of the substance or process used to treat the seed. 
Substance names used on the label shall be the commonly accepted 
coined, chemical (generic), or abbreviated chemical name.
    (i) Commonly accepted coined names are commonly recognized as names 
of particular substances, e.g., thiram, captan, lindane, and dichlone.
    (ii) Examples of commonly accepted chemical (generic) names are 
blue-stone, calcium carbonate, cuprous oxide, zinc hydroxide, 
hexachlorobenzene, and ethyl mercury acetate. The terms ``mercury'' or 
``mercurial'' may be used in labeling all types of mercurials.
    (iii) Examples of commonly accepted abbreviated chemical names are 
BHC (1,2,3,4,5,6-Hexachlorocyclohexane) and DDT (dichloro diphenyl 
trichloroethane).
    (2) If the seed has been treated with a mercurial or similarly 
toxic substance harmful to humans and vertebrate animals, the label 
must include a representation of a skull and crossbones and a statement 
indicating that the seed has been treated with poison. The skull and 
crossbones must be at least twice the size of the type used for the 
information provided on the label, and the poison warning statement 
must be written in red letters on a background of distinctly 
contrasting color. Mercurials and similarly toxic substances include 
the following:

Aldrin, technical
Demeton
Dieldrin
p-Dimethylaminobenzenediazo sodium sulfonate
Endrin

[[Page 48463]]

Ethion
Heptachlor
Mercurials, all types
Parathion
Phorate
Toxaphene
O-O-Diethyl-O-(isopropyl-4-methyl-6-pyrimidyl) thiophosphate
O,O-Diethyl-S-2-(ethylthio) ethyl phosphorodithioate

    (3) If the seed has been treated with a substance other than one 
classified as a mercurial or similarly toxic substance under paragraph 
(b)(2) of this section, and the amount remaining with the seed is 
harmful to humans or other vertebrate animals, the label must indicate 
that the seed is not to be used for food, feed, or oil purposes. Any 
amount of any substance used to treat the seed that remains with the 
seed will be considered harmful when the seed is in containers of more 
than 4 ounces, except that the following substances will not be deemed 
harmful when present at a rate less than the number of parts per 
million (p/m) indicated:

Allethrin--2 p/m
Malathion--8 p/m
Methoxyclor--2 p/m
Piperonyl butoxide--20 p/m (8 p/m on oat and sorghum)
Pyrethrins--3 p/m (1 p/m on oat and sorghum)

    (c) In the case of seed in bulk, the information required under 
paragraph (b) of this section shall appear in the invoice or other 
records accompanying and pertaining to such seed. If the seed is in 
containers and in quantities of 20,000 pounds or more, regardless of 
the number of lots included, the information required on each container 
under paragraph (b) of this section need not be shown on each container 
if each container has stenciled upon it or bears a label containing a 
lot designation and the invoice or other records accompanying and 
pertaining to such seed bear the various statements required for the 
respective seeds.
    (d) Each container of agricultural seed and vegetable seed imported 
into the United States for cleaning need not be labeled to show the 
information required under paragraph (b) of this section if:
    (1) The seed is in bulk;
    (2) The seed is in containers and in quantities of 20,000 pounds or 
more, regardless of the number of lots involved, and the invoice or 
other records accompanying and pertaining to the seed show that the 
seed is for cleaning; or
    (3) The seed is in containers and in quantities of less than 20,000 
pounds, and each container carries a label that bears the words ``Seed 
for cleaning.''


Sec. 361.4  Inspection at the port of first arrival.

    (a) All agricultural seed, vegetable seed, and screenings imported 
into the United States shall be made available for examination by an 
APHIS inspector at the port of first arrival and shall remain at the 
port of first arrival until released by an APHIS inspector. Lots of 
agricultural seed, vegetable seed, or screenings may enter the United 
States without meeting the sampling requirements of paragraph (b) of 
this section if the lot is:
    (1) Seed that is not being imported for seeding (planting) purposes 
and the declaration required by Sec. 361.3(a) states the purpose for 
which the seed is being imported;
    (2) Seed that is being shipped in bond through the United States;
    (3) Screenings from seeds of wheat, oats, barley, rye, buckwheat, 
field corn, sorghum, broomcorn, flax, millet, proso, soybeans, cowpeas, 
field peas, or field beans that are not being imported for seeding 
(planting) purposes and the declaration accompanying the screenings as 
required under Sec. 361.2(a) indicates that the screenings are being 
imported for processing or manufacturing purposes;
    (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 Sec. 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
    (5) Seed that was grown in the United States, exported, and is now 
returning to the United States, provided that the person importing the 
seed into the United States furnishes APHIS with the following 
documentation:
    (i) Export documents indicating the quantity of seed and number of 
containers, the date of exportation from the United States, the 
distinguishing marks on the containers at the time of exportation, and 
the name and address of the United States exporter;
    (ii) A document issued by a Customs or other government official of 
the country to which the seed was exported indicating that the seed was 
not admitted into the commerce of that country; and
    (iii) A document issued by a Customs or other government official 
of the country to which the seed was exported indicating that the seed 
was not commingled with other seed after being exported to that 
country.
    (b) Except as provided in Secs. 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 Sec. 361.5 to determine whether any seeds of noxious 
weeds listed in Sec. 361.6(a) are present. If seeds of noxious weeds 
are present at a level higher than the tolerances set forth in 
Sec. 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 Sec. 361.8(a); or
    (iv) If the lot of seed is adulterated with the seeds of a noxious 
weed listed in Sec. 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.


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

[[Page 48464]]

(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.

                                                     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

[[Page 48465]]

                                                                                                                
    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
    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

[[Page 48466]]

                                                                                                                
    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
    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

[[Page 48467]]

                                                                                                                
    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
    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

[[Page 48468]]

                                                                                                                
    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
    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
    Wheat x Agrotricum.................................                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

[[Page 48469]]

                                                                                                                
    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, 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.


Sec. 361.6  Noxious weed seeds.

    (a) Seeds of the plants listed in paragraphs (a)(1) and (a)(2) of 
this section shall be considered noxious weed seeds.
    (1) Seeds with no tolerances applicable to their introduction:

Aeginetia spp.
Ageratina adenophora (Sprengel) King & Robinson
Alectra spp.
Alternanthera sessilis (L.) R. Brown ex de Candolle
Asphodelus fistulosus L.
Avena sterilis L. (including Avena ludoviciana Durieu)
Azolla pinnata R. Brown
Borreria alata (Aublet) de Candolle
Carthamus oxyacantha M. Bieberstein
Chrysopogon aciculatus (Retzius) Trinius
Commelina benghalensis L.
Crupina vulgaris Cassini
Cuscuta spp.
Digitaria abyssinica (=D. scalarum)
Digitaria velutina (Forsskal) Palisot de Beauvois
Drymaria arenarioides Humboldt & Bonpland ex Roemer & Schultes
Eichhornia azurea (Swartz) Kunth
Emex australis Steinheil
Emex spinosa (L.) Campdera
Galega officinalis L.
Heracleum mantegazzianum Sommier & Levier
Hydrilla verticillata (Linnaeus f.) Royle
Hygrophila polysperma T. Anderson
Imperata brasiliensis Trinius
Imperata cylindrica (L.) Raeuschel
Ipomoea aquatica Forsskal
Ipomoea triloba L.
Ischaemum rugosum Salisbury
Lagarosiphon major (Ridley) Moss
Leptochloa chinensis (L.) Nees
Limnophila sessiliflora (Vahl) Blume
Lycium ferocissimum Miers
Melaleuca quinquenervia (Cav.) Blake
Melastoma malabathricum L.
Mikania cordata (Burman f.) B. L. Robinson

[[Page 48470]]

Mikania micrantha Humboldt, Bonpland, & Kunth
Mimosa invisa Martius
Mimosa pigra L. var. pigra
Monochoria hastata (L.) Solms-Laubach
Monochoria vaginalis (Burman f.) C. Presl
Nassella trichotoma (Nees) Hackel ex Arechavaleta
Opuntia aurantiaca Lindley
Orobanche spp.
Oryza longistaminata A. Chevalier & Roehrich
Oryza punctata Kotschy ex Steudel
Oryza rufipogon Griffith
Ottelia alismoides (L.) Pers.
Paspalum scrobiculatum L.
Pennisetum clandestinum Hochstetter ex Chiovenda
Pennisetum macrourum Trinius
Pennisetum pedicellatum Trinius
Pennisetum polystachion (L.) Schultes
Prosopis alapataco R. A. Philippi
Prosopis argentina Burkart
Prosopis articulata S. Watson
Prosopis burkartii Munoz
Prosopis caldenia Burkart
Prosopis calingastana Burkart
Prosopis campestris Grisebach
Prosopis castellanosii Burkart
Prosopis denudans Bentham
Prosopis elata (Burkart) Burkart
Prosopis farcta (Solander ex Russell) Macbride
Prosopis ferox Grisebach
Prosopis fiebrigii Harms
Prosopis hassleri Harms
Prosopis humilis Gillies ex Hooker & Arnott
Prosopis kuntzei Harms
Prosopis pallida (Humboldt & Bonpland ex Willdenow) Humboldt, 
Bonpland, & Kunth
Prosopis palmeri S. Watson
Prosopis reptans Bentham var. reptans
Prosopis rojasiana Burkart
Prosopis ruizlealii Burkart
Prosopis ruscifolia Grisebach
Prosopis sericantha Gillies ex Hooker & Arnott
Prosopis strombulifera (Lamarck) Bentham
Prosopis torquata (Cavanilles ex Lagasca y Segura) de Candolle
Rottboellia cochinchinensis (Lour.) Clayon (=R. exaltata (L.) L. f.)
Rubus fruticosus L. (complex)
Rubus moluccanus L.
Saccharum spontaneum L.
Sagittaria sagittifolia L.
Salsola vermiculata L.
Salvinia auriculata Aublet
Salvinia biloba Raddi
Salvinia herzogii de la Sota
Salvinia molesta D.S. Mitchell
Setaria pallide-fusca (Schumacher) Stapf & Hubbard
Solanum torvum Swartz
Solanum viarum Dunal
Sparganium erectum L.
Striga spp.
Tridax procumbens L.
Urochloa panicoides Beauvois

    (2) Seeds with tolerances applicable to their introduction:

Acroptilon repens (L.) DC. (=Centaurea repens L.) (=Centaurea 
picris)
Cardaria draba (L.) Desv.
Cardaria pubescens (C. A. Mey.) Jarmol.
Convolvulus arvensis L.
Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop.
Elytrigia repens (L.) Desv. (=Agropyron repens (L.) Beauv.)
Euphorbia esula L.
Sonchus arvensis L.
Sorghum halepense (L.) Pers.

    (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 Sec. 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.
    (c) Any seed of any noxious weed that can be determined by visual 
inspection (including the use of transmitted light or dissection) to be 
within one of the following categories shall be considered inert matter 
and not counted as a weed seed:
    (1) Damaged seed (other than grasses) with over one half of the 
embryo missing;
    (2) Grass florets and caryopses classed as inert:
    (i) Glumes and empty florets of weedy grasses;
    (ii) Damaged caryopses, including free caryopses, with over one-
half the root-shoot axis missing (the scutellum excluded);
    (iii) Immature free caryopses devoid of embryo or endosperm;
    (iv) Free caryopses of quackgrass (Elytrigia repens) that are 2 mm 
or less in length; or
    (v) Immature florets of quackgrass (Elytrigia repens) in which the 
caryopses are less than one-third the length of the palea. The 
caryopsis is measured from the base of the rachilla.
    (3) Seeds of legumes (Fabaceae) with the seed coats entirely 
removed.
    (4) Immature seed units, devoid of both embryo and endosperm, such 
as occur in (but not limited to) the following plant families: 
buckwheat (Polygonaceae), morning glory (Convolvulaceae), nightshade 
(Solanaceae), and sunflower (Asteraceae).
    (5) Dodder (Cuscuta spp.) seeds devoid of embryos and seeds that 
are ashy gray to creamy white in color are inert matter. Dodder seeds 
should be sectioned when necessary to determine if an embryo is 
present, as when the seeds have a normal color but are slightly 
swollen, dimpled, or have minute holes.


Sec. 361.7  Special provisions for Canadian-origin seed and screenings.

    (a) In addition to meeting the declaration and labeling 
requirements of Sec. 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 Sec. 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 Sec. 361.6. Such seed will not be subject to 
the sampling requirements of Sec. 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 Sec. 361.8(a).
    (b) Coated or pelleted agricultural seed and coated or pelleted 
vegetable seed of Canadian origin may be imported into the United 
States if the seed was analyzed prior to being coated or pelleted and 
is accompanied by a certificate of analysis issued in accordance with 
paragraph (a) of this section.
    (c) Screenings otherwise prohibited under this part may be imported 
from Canada if the screenings are imported for processing or 
manufacture and are consigned to a facility operating under a 
compliance agreement as provided by Sec. 361.8(b).

(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control 
number 0579-0124)

Sec. 361.8  Cleaning of imported seed and processing of certain 
Canadian-origin screenings.

    (a) Imported seed that is found to contain noxious weed seeds at a 
level higher than the tolerances set forth in Sec. 361.6(b) may be 
cleaned under the

[[Page 48471]]

monitoring of an APHIS inspector. The cleaning will be at the expense 
of the owner or consignee.
    (1) At the location where the seed is being cleaned, the identity 
of the seed must be maintained at all times to the satisfaction of the 
Administrator. The refuse from the cleaning must be placed in 
containers and securely sealed and identified. Upon completion of the 
cleaning, a representative sample of the seed will be analyzed by a 
registered seed technologist, an official seed laboratory, or by APHIS; 
if the seed is found to be within the noxious weed tolerances set forth 
in Sec. 361.6(b), the seed may be allowed entry into the United States;
    (2) The refuse from the cleaning must be destroyed under the 
monitoring of an APHIS inspector at the expense of the owner or 
consignee of the seed.
    (3) Any person engaged in the business of cleaning imported seed 
may enter into a compliance agreement under paragraph (c) of this 
section to facilitate the cleaning of seed imported into the United 
States under this part.
    (b) Any person engaged in the business of processing screenings who 
wishes to process screenings imported from Canada under Sec. 361.7(c) 
that are otherwise prohibited under this part must enter into a 
compliance agreement under paragraph (c) of this section.
    (c) A compliance agreement for the cleaning of imported seed or 
processing of otherwise prohibited screenings from Canada shall be a 
written agreement 1 between a person engaged in such a 
business, the State in which the business operates, and APHIS, wherein 
the person agrees to comply with the provisions of this part and any 
conditions imposed pursuant thereto. Any compliance agreement may be 
canceled orally or in writing by the APHIS inspector who is monitoring 
its enforcement whenever the inspector finds that the person who 
entered into the compliance agreement has failed to comply with the 
provisions of this part or any conditions imposed pursuant thereto. If 
the cancellation is oral, the decision and the reasons for the decision 
shall be confirmed in writing, as promptly as circumstances permit. Any 
person whose compliance agreement has been canceled may appeal the 
decision to the Administrator, in writing, within 10 days after 
receiving written notification of the cancellation. The appeal shall 
state all of the facts and reasons upon which the person relies to show 
that the compliance agreement was wrongfully canceled. The 
Administrator shall grant or deny the appeal, in writing, stating the 
reasons for such decision, as promptly as circumstances permit. If 
there is a conflict as to any material fact, a hearing shall be held to 
resolve such conflict. Rules of practice concerning such a hearing will 
be adopted by the Administrator.
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    \1\ Compliance Agreement forms are available without charge from 
Permit Unit, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 136, Riverdale, MD 
20737-1236, and from local offices of the Plant Protection and 
Quarantine. (Local offices are listed in telephone directories).
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Sec. 361.9  Recordkeeping.

    (a) Each person importing agricultural seed or vegetable seed under 
this part must maintain a complete record, including copies of the 
declaration and labeling required under this part and a sample of seed, 
for each lot of seed imported. Except for the seed sample, which may be 
discarded 1 year after the entire lot represented by the sample has 
been disposed of by the person who imported the seed, the records must 
be maintained for 3 years following the importation.
    (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 Sec. 361.5.
    (c) An APHIS inspector shall, during normal business hours, be 
allowed to inspect and copy the records.

(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control 
number 0579-0124)


Sec. 361.10  Costs and charges.

    Unless a user fee is payable under Sec. 354.3 of this chapter, the 
services of an APHIS inspector during regularly assigned hours of duty 
and at the usual places of duty will be furnished without cost. The 
U.S. Department of Agriculture's provisions relating to overtime 
charges for an APHIS inspector's services are set forth in part 354 of 
this chapter. The U.S. Department of Agriculture will not be 
responsible for any costs or charges incident to inspections or 
compliance with this part, other than for the services of the APHIS 
inspector during regularly assigned hours of duty and at the usual 
places of duty. All expenses incurred by the U.S. Department of 
Agriculture (including travel, per diem or subsistence, and salaries of 
officers or employees of the Department) in connection with the 
monitoring of cleaning, labeling, other reconditioning, or destruction 
of seed, screenings, or refuse under this part shall be reimbursed by 
the owner or consignee of the seed or screenings.

    Done in Washington, DC, this 10th day of September 1997.
Terry L. Medley,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 97-24524 Filed 9-15-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P