Please read this if swapping or requesting seed etc.....

[Maggi Young]

I would just like to make a point here about etiquette for any offers/ pleas for seed etc. made on the Forum.

More often than not the person making the offer is not selling the seeds... BUT... it is only polite, Folks, for anyone asking for a favour of seed to offer a swap of something you grow in return. At the very least you should make payment for the postage costs.......    This is only fair when you consider the very generous offers made by many of the great Forumists on this site!

[Kristl Walek]

I would just like to make a point here about etiquette for any offers/ pleas for seed etc. made on the Forum. More often than not the person making the offer is not selling the seeds... BUT... it is only polite, Folks, for anyone asking for a favour of seed to offer a swap of something you grow in return. At the very least you should make payment for the postage costs.......    This is only fair when you consider the very generous offers made by many of the great Forumists on this site!

I have always taken it as a given that if I offer seed, it is done without expectation of anything in return,  (although sometimes an offer is made back, which I hope is not out of obligation, and sometimes I can't resist what is offered). Sometimes if I feel the recipient is offering back out of politeness or obligation, it makes me feel very uncomfortable. It is my nature to feel satisfaction sending someone something they want and that makes me happy. I am very much an emotional simpleton in that regard.

While dozens of requests for seed going overseas can sometimes add up with reference to postage costs, I really couldn't imagine asking for a contribution. I think things always balance out in the end. The only time I have done it was when I sent a box of Opuntia cuttings to one of our members and knew it would cost from $20-35.00 just to ship.

If I ASK, I *always* offer....and try to return more than what is sent- again, just because it feels good.

[Heinie]

Maggi,
You have a very valid statement you make about the etiquette and I support it. It is seldom that I experience people from other Forums or Groups that receive but do not return the swap but they are there and we should learn to know them very quickly.

I also understand what Kristl says, I also like to share with others where I have many but then this is where your etiquette comes in. Postage can mount up to a substantial sum if you receive nothing in return. The plant or seed may cost you nothing.

Heinie
South Africa

[Paul T]

And an offer can always be rejected by the person offering the seed, but it is still nice to GET the offer as it means people are thinking of it from both sides.  I trade for lots of things, but also often send stuff out that I do not hope for anything in return.  I have been given so many things by so many people that my way of "paying them back" is to try to share with others freely as well.  And generally, while I may have been slow at times to repay things due to health, I always try.  It's great to receive things from people, but it is so much fun to be able to just plain share things with others. 

[Maggi Young]

Heinie, welcome to the Forum and thank you for your comments.


Paul, I appreciate what you say about sometimes it being a while before a "return gesture" can be made, for whatever reason..... I have a list with name of those kind folks I need, somehow, somewhere, to show my appreciation for a favour, because I had nothing to swap at the time!


I am pleased that my post has generated some discussion.... I do feel it was worth stating in order to "encouragez les autres"... as it were   .....

[Maggi Young]

Sending seeds to other countries.

Different countries have different regulations governing the import of seeds ( and plants, of course) .  For some, such as the USA, a special permit is required  in order to receive  any seed from outside the USA.
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/wps/portal/aphis/ourfocus/planthealth/sa_international/sa_travel?1dmy&urile=wcm%3Apath%3A%2Faphis_content_library%2Fsa_our_focus%2Fsa_plant_health%2Fsa_import%2Fsa_permits%2Fsa_plant_plant_products%2Fsa_plants_for_planting%2Fct_smalllots_seed

Our sister organisation NARGS, has a useful list of prohibted seed for the USA :  https://www.nargs.org/restricted-seed   USA restricted seed  listing


 This is a  link  to the New Zealand Bioseurity index  search  https://www1.maf.govt.nz/cgi-bin/bioindex/bioindex.pl/query



 What are the Requirements for sending seed to Australia?

 http://www.agriculture.gov.au/import/icon-icd?wasRedirectedByModule=true  Australian site for Import conditions


Some notes on Australian regulations:
 Seeds can only be sent to Australia if they meet the following
 requirements:
 • They are on the Australian Government’s permitted seed list, and are
 not otherwise prohibited from being imported into Australia.
• Each shipment of permitted seeds must be clearly labelled in English
 with the full botanical name, genus and species.
 • Seed must be free of live insects, soil, disease symptoms, prohibited
 seeds, other plant material (e.g. leaf, stem material, fruit pulp, pod
 material, etc.), animal material (e.g. animal faeces, feathers, etc.),
 and any other extraneous contamination of quarantine concern.
 • If the seeds require an import permit from the Department of
 Agriculture, sellers must sight a copy of the permit to ensure that they
can meet the conditions for sending seeds to Australia.
 • Freight or mail shipments should have all documentation (e.g. permit or
permit number, invoice, manufacturer’s declarations and certification
 where applicable) securely attached to the outside of the package and
clearly marked ‘Attention Quarantine’.


All seeds sent by the Scottish Rock Garden Club Seed Exchange to our members
around the world do, of course, conform to the regulations of each country
to which they are sent, not just Australia.

The SRGC would like to draw  readers' attention to the need  for those sending  plant seed
to other countries to be aware of the regulations pertaining to that country.

All seeds sent by the Scottish Rock Garden Club Seed Exchange to our members
around the world do, of course, conform to the regulations of each country
to which they are sent, not just Australia.