67th SRGC Seed Exchange - 2013-2014

[fermi de Sousa]

This question of labelling seed packets with names instead of numbers is one that some of us have been asking for for some years....
I know others  have mentioned a similar problem - this is is very important question for future seed distribution to continue  to the likes of Australia, New Zealand and the USA.
 I very much hope that it will be seriously addressed by the SRGC. 

As long as we aren't treated as we were by the RHS who decided it was too much trouble to send seed to Australia and cut us out from their Seedex entirely!!! 
cheers
ferm

[Neil J]

That's tough Jon,
None of us would wish to lose our chosen seed.

However, AQIS have a vital role in keeping all the undesirable bugs & diseases that we certainly don't need out of our Australian gardens. Their rules are created by indifferent (at best) politicians and senior bureaucrats and the people we have to deal with are left to make the best of a "dog's breakfast".

To their great credit, although the rules clearly state that all seed packets must have the species name on the packet, over many years now they have been good enough to accept the need to check against a list. Yes it is time consuming, but they have demonstrated the goodwill & practicality to go the extra mile and give us our seed.

If we give them grief, they can insist that we meet the rules as defined, and we will all be in trouble. No seed !

I'm sure SRGC could print labels. But labels, and the time and effort to prepare them, would undoubtedly blow the miniscule budget on which our great seed exchange operates, and the cost of our seed would have to multiply rapidly. Do we really want that?

Personally, I would rather lose the odd packet and continue to benefit from the wonderful, simple, cost effective service we have.

I am pleased to say, despite importing a few hundred packets in any given year, i have never lost a packet to AQIS. I did once have to pay a $95 inspection fee when someone thought some "furry" seed may have an infection. I chose to pay up and look around my garden at all the wonderful plants that have come safely through AQIS without any problems, or any pests or diseases.

Yes it is frustrating. But we must be very careful what we wish for.

AQIS staff have a thankless task which they carry out very well. As do our great SRGC volunteers. Long may this valued service continue.

[David Nicholson]

Since names and numbers are on the seed list anyway and the seed list is surely computerised, it can't be much of a problem to print out a label for individual seed envelopes. Then again, I don't have to do it!

[Maggi Young]

I believe that having the packets named would greatly increase the amount of surplus  seed sold at the shows - at the moment there is limited room for folk to peruse the few paper seedlists available to make their choices. Then, if they have no  internet access they have to make their own notes/list of the names
- all very fiddly and time consuming-  with labelled packets  large amounts of seed could be sold  to lots of people in the time it takes one person to compile their choice.

[johnralphcarpenter]

Since names and numbers are on the seed list anyway and the seed list is surely computerised, it can't be much of a problem to print out a label for individual seed envelopes. Then again, I don't have to do it!

I agree - minimal time difference to write name as opposed to number on a packet, and with computers it should be easy to print labels.

[Mini bulb lover]

...AQIS have a vital role in keeping all the undesirable bugs & diseases that we certainly don't need out of our Australian gardens.

Neil, I appreciate the job that AQIS does and I believe that it's a vital service. However their current policy (destroy seed worth <$100) means that mistakes on their part can't be rectified. There should be some accountability. You've been very lucky not to lose any seed over the years. But the system shouldn't be a lucky dip where we have to tip toe around the department because they're doing us a favour by allowing seed packets in that aren't botanically labelled to their liking. I could quite easily go on the local talk back radio to complain about the issue but I'm aware that it could potentially lead to the department "closing up shop" when it comes to the importation of non commercial seed. It shouldn't be that way. The system should be fair for all; not just those that can afford it. I don't think it's too much to ask for.

Is it really that much more expensive to print labels on the seed packets? I actually think it would save time. The seed list is already in electronic form on the internet so it doesn't have to be manually retyped. Surely sticking labels on multiple packets is faster than hand writing all the numbers (with less errors)? One of the other SRGC members here in Melbourne had all of her seed held because there was no seed list enclosed. If the packets were printed that kind of mistake (which I'm sure is rare) would not cause a problem. It would help AQIS staff.

Sometimes I think people assume things will be harder and more expensive without actually looking into it. If I have to pay an extra 2 pound a year for a better system that gives me more confidence that the seed is less likely to be accidentally destroyed and not be held over a barrel by sketchy legislation, then I'm prepared to pay it.

And as Maggi says, it would be better for the SRGC if the packets were printed for selling the excess seed at shows. The SRGC seed exchange is a wonderful service that I want to see continue for many more years to come. But that doesn't mean that things should remain as is. Progress can be a good thing sometimes.

[fixpix]

Just a small suggestion?
Maybe such elevated costs and workload for printing out labels and sticking them on packets could be reduced if such labels were used for destinations who need them?
I have no idea what the ratio is for EU / rest of world (USA, Australia, New Zealand and so on) members.

[GordonT]

Seed packets from the North American Rock Garden Society seed exchange arrived the same week that SRGC seed arrived. The NARGS packets were labelled with both name and number. I am sure the folks running the NARGS Seed Exchange would be more than happy to share how they do it, what resources they use, and perhaps what the overall cost is for them to label everything going out. I think labelling everything would be less cumbersome than having to keep track of which international destinations require full labels, and which do not.

[Maggi Young]

The prime need for the SRGC at the moment is to find a Group willing to take on the Seed Distribution for next year - and I would urge all those here who have a local group to raise this question at their meetings, both at committee and full membership level.

While full labelling would be desirable, there would still be  the problem that AQIS  inspectors are not working from alphabetical lists and so are missing  perfectly valid newly added plants at the end of their  lists.

[ikizzeki]

I have looked up posting and saw that there are some nice thanks to seed team and lastly an arguement about labelling. That is so nice. I am from Antalya, south west coast of Turkey, is absolutely in spring. That means almost late for seed sowing time.isnt it. Unfortunately I havent received my seeds yet..

[Maggi Young]

Izzet,
 I have written to the Seed Team to ask if they can tell me when your seeds were posted to you.

 Maggi

[Olga L]

Hello!
My seeds arrived a few days ago. I'm a newbie and wasn't a donor. Nevertheless I've got all first choices but one. It's very surprising for me! Especially I'm happy to receive the seeds of some rare primulas. All the seeds have been sown and I'll make my best to grow these wonderful plants.
Thank you for your hard work! Many thanks to all the donors, volunteers and everyone involved in the exchange.

[bainbridges]

Hi all

We'll look at the labelled packet issue again, I'm sure, but please remember we're dealing with 50,000-55,000 packets of seeds of almost 5000 taxa, with 80+ volunteers packeting, and supplemetary packeting while we pick your selections, so it's not a trivial change by any means.....

Hope you're all enjoying the sowings....

Ian B

[latestart]

Can I add a comment based on experience of both packing and being on the picking/distribution team. The time from the seeds coming in to SRGC to requested orders being sent out is not very long when you think that it is done by volunteers who also have other committments.
The first stage in the process is receiving and compiling the list.
The second, Packing, and the third, Distribution.
As a packer I got a box containing packets of donated seed which I was asked to pack using glassine envelopes, ready for distribution. The number packed is based on the requests for that seed the previous year. It is a relatively easy job and needs no particular skill. I had to number each glassine envelope, to correspond with the number on the donor pack, added by the person compiling the seed list. I find it quick and easy to write numbers but I would have to seriously consider not volunteering in future if I was expected to write the unfamiliar names on each packet, and my writing would seriously stretch the interpretive skill of readers. This year I packed around 800 envelopes. As each stage is separate, does the compiler need to know how many packs I will be packing from any given donation? Does the packing supervisor need to examine the donations, to see how far they will provide the number of packs that he is asking me to provide? Donations and requests fluctuate from year to year.
If labels are to be printed maybe it should be at the stage when the order is received. If someone orders numbers 71, 135, 1699 etc. and these were transferred to a sheet of labels which the picker at the distribution stage could peel off and stick on the appropriate numbered glassine envelope from the boxes it would help both picker and members requesting seeds. At the moment if a seed has been used up, in order not to short change the member we try and give an alternative. If we knew what was not available and there were no 2nd choice numbers we would probably pick something similar. Did you order a Primula and received a Cardiocrinum? It makes the picking and distribution process much more interesting from the pickers point of view if they know what they are picking. The on line ordering paperwork supplies that, but because it often overlaps on to a second or even a third A4 page it is not as neat a solution as the old one small order form. The only problem with printing labels which may need to be binned is the cost. It would also take someone who knows how - to devise a programme to handle it. Would it only be first choices which would be labelled ?
I am very pleased to see so many happy 'customers' and I will look forward to seeing what solution is devised. The system is not perfect, but an understanding of the problem is often a first step to finding a solution. It would not help our Australian members if the system of inspection at their end is not easy to use by the examiners.   

[Maggi Young]

No-one is suggesting that names should be hand written on the seed packets. That would surely be a disaster, having seen quite a few "mangled" numbers on seed packets, either not clearly written or with numbers transposed, a neat printed label is a neater, clearer option.

The system that has been proposed in the past is that when the number of packets required for the first packeting from each taxon is requested from the packeters, that number of labels would be printed, probably with a few extras, and supplied to the packeter. Instead of writing numbers on packets, the  volunteer would instead  peel and stick a label.   Thus, for the majority of seeds the packets would all be labelled in advance.
It would be relatively painless to print off extra labels for extra packets which need to be packeted when  the initial supply has been used up.
To print off labels to correspond with individual seed requests would be rather difficult, I imagine- there would be difficulties in  matching the right list of labels to the right order, I suspect. It would also add to the workload of the  picking team at   a time when,as you say,  things are hectic  enough.  The advantage of labelling everything as it is packeted is that the labels can be largely determined from the previous year's demand and so to an extent can be pre-prepared for the more  "regular" seeds on the list.

I do think that  one of the main advantages will be the removal of the need for members to match the right seed to the right seedlist ( many get muddled with this!) and the capacity to tempt members to more seed as the surplus seed travels the groups and shows- it must be easier  to sell much more seed at shows where people can see instantly what is available and have a record of what they are buying.

If we are to keep up with foreign regulations  and - who knows, perhaps with coming EU legislation- we will have to address this question and come up with a workable solution.