Orchid Importation

The Whys and Wherefores of Phytosanitary Documentation

Marilyn HS Light, Conservation, COC

When orchids are imported with inadequate or incorrect documentation, this can result in the plant material being detained or destroyed. Nobody wants this to happen. The COC does it’s best to provide accurate information regarding the importation of orchids, however, the requirements change constantly. When alerted to a situation, we endeavor to determine the facts and make appropriate suggestions to minimize the likelihood of a similar problem arising in future. The COC cannot represent an importer. Under privacy guidelines, it is the permit holder who must seek to regularize any problems that arise from inadequate or incorrect documentation. We recommend contacting the appropriate regional Import Service Centre:

Eastern ISC (Quebec & Atlantic) Tel: 1-514-493-0468;
Central ISC (Ontario) 1-800-835-4486;
Western ISC (Manitoba, Alberta, Saskatchewan, British Columbia) 1-888-732-6222;
Vancouver International Airport.

The CFIA Import Service Centre is at CFIA Import Service Centre

The COC has published guidelines regarding documentation required to import artificially propagated, in vitro (flask) or wild-collected orchids into Canada but there still seems to be some confusion as to how to ensure that adequate documentation accompanies any importation especially from countries other than the continental USA.

Orchid importations are controlled by TWO agencies, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (plant health) and the Canadian Wildlife Service (CITES). Importations require certification by the exporting country that the plant material is healthy (Phytosanitary Certificate) and may also require documentation that the plant material can legally leave the exporting country (CITES Export documents). Depending upon what a hobbyist intends to import, how the material will be transported, and from where, permits may be required from one or both agencies.

DOCUMENTS TO HAVE IN HAND

**Use this reference only for no more than 50 personally carried orchids from the continental USA and Hawaii.

Policy Directive D-08-04 pertains to the importation of no more than 50 ‘orchid’ houseplants (in or out of flask) as personal baggage for personal and non-commercial use only from the continental USA and Hawaii.

NB. Each plant in a flask counts as one (1) plant.

The orchids must accompany the importer at time of entry into Canada. This policy directive does not apply to mail and courier importations.

What permits and certificates are required under D08-04?

Continental U.S.A: A Permit to Import or a Phytosanitary Certificate is NOT required for houseplants (including orchids) for personal and non-commercial use imported as personal baggage from the continental U.S.A., except if the houseplants (including orchids) are from ‘Sudden Oak Death’- regulated areas (refer to the recently revised Policy Directive D-01-01 for details on regulatory requirements). http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/plaveg/protect/dir/d-01-01e.shtml If in doubt, please contact CFIA permit office.

Hawaii: A Permit to Import is NOT required for houseplants (including orchids) for personal and non-commercial use imported as personal baggage from Hawaii, however the plants must be bare-root and free of soil or growing medium. The houseplants (including orchids) must be accompanied by a federal Phytosanitary Certificate issued by or under the authority of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

CITES: Importation of orchids must comply with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) requirements. It is advisable to obtain a CITES export permit from the country of origin for all orchids other than those growing in flask (in vitro).The CITES documents must be supplied by the seller of the orchids.

DOCUMENTS TO HAVE IN HAND

**Use this reference for importations from countries other than the continental USA and Hawaii and for all importations which do not accompany the importer (mail, courier, etc.)

What permits and certificates are required?

Plants in sterile culture (in flask, in vitro)

These are orchids rooted in agar or some other transparent or translucent tissue culture medium. They are growing and shipped in a sealed, sterile transparent container.

From the continental USA
A Permit to Import is NOT required.
A Phytosanitary Certificate IS required
No additional declarations regarding soil pests are required on the Phytosanitary Certificate regarding soil pests.

From outside the Continental USA
A Permit to Import IS required.
A Phytosanitary Certificate IS required.
No additional declarations regarding soil pests are required on the Phytosanitary Certificate.

Bare root orchids without growing medium

From the continental USA
A Permit to Import is NOT required
A Phytosanitary Certificate IS required.
*Additional declarations attesting to freedom from other regulated pests may also be required.

From Hawaii and other parts of the world
A Permit to Import IS required.
A Phytosanitary Certificate IS required.
The material must be free of soil, sand and related debris.

*These are the additional declarations presently required to accompany bare root orchids originating from outside the continental USA. One of the following additional declarations must written in English or French on the Phytosanitary Certificate.

“Material was grown in soil where the potato wart disease (Synchytrium endobioticum) has not been recorded and where, based on official soil surveys or other precautionary practices, the potato cyst nematode (Globodera rostochiensis and Globodera pallida) and the soybean cyst nematode (Heterodera glycines) do not occur.”

OR

“Potato wart disease (Synchytrium endobioticum), potato cyst nematode (Globodera rostochiensis and G. pallida), and soybean cyst nematode (Heterodera glycines) do not occur in the country of origin of the plant material.”

Additional declarations are not required for shipments of bare-root epiphytic orchids which have roots that are growing and adhering to a hard inert surface such as stone, bark-free manufactured wood products (i.e. small log homes) or other approved inert materials.

*Déclarations supplémentaires

Pour ces envois, l’une des déclarations supplémentaires suivantes doit apparaître sur le certificat phytosanitaires

« Le matériel a été cultivé dans du sol où la tumeur verruqueuse de la pomme de terre (Synchytrium endobioticum) n’a pas été observée et où, selon des relevés officiels des sols ou autres mesures de précaution, les nématodes à kystes de la pomme de terre (Globodera rostochiensis et Globodera pallida) ainsi que le nématode à kystes du soja (Heterodera glycines) ne sévissent pas.

ou

« La tumeur verruqueuse de la pomme de terre (Synchytrium endobioticum), les nématodes à kystes de la pomme de terre (Globodera rostochiensis et G. pallida) ainsi que le nématode à kystes du soja (Heterodera glycines) ne sévissent pas dans le pays d’origine du matériel végétal.»

Il n’est pas nécessaire d’ajouter d’autres déclarations pour les envois d’orchidées épiphytes à racines nues dont les racines poussent en adhérant à une surface inerte dure, comme des pierres, des produits en bois manufacturés et écorcés (c.-à-d. petites cabanes en rondins), de l’écorce de liège ou autres matériaux inertes approuvés.

IMPORTATION CHECKLIST

1. APPLY: Apply for an Import Permit well before it is needed. Fees may be charged.
2. READ and UNDERSTAND: When the Import Permit arrives, read it. If you have questions, please contact the Permit Office before importing plants. Permits can be amended.
3. SELECTED CONDITIONS – READ AND UNDERSTAND: The Import Permit will state what are the conditions applicable to any importation. Any additional declarations needed will also appear on the permit under SELECTED CONDITIONS.For example:
   1. Material was grown in soil where the potato wart disease has not be recorded.
   2. May be subject to Environment Canada’s requirements.
   3. Must be free of soil and related matter

   For example: Tissue Culture – Orchids

   1. A Phytosanitary Certificate must accompany the shipment.
   2. Material must be clean and free of pests and soil.
   3. Plants rooted in agar or some other transparent tissue culture medium which are produced, container grown, and shipped in a sealed, sterile container are exempt from phytosanitary certification declarations regarding soil pests. NB. This means that while no special additional declaration is required, a Phytosanitary Certificate is still needed for plants in flask.
4. INFORM EXPORTER. MAKE CERTAIN THAT THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT IS REQUIRED: When ordering orchids from abroad, be absolutely certain that the exporter knows about and understands Canadian requirements. They must supply the required documents including a Phytosanitary Certificate citing any required declarations otherwise the plants may be detained during Canadian border inspection. The declarations must be in either English or French.
5. FLASKS: All orchids growing flask require a Phytosanitary Certificate. This certificate should declare that the flask contents are orchids, provide the name and number of plantlets per flask, to assure Canadian authorities that the “Plantlets originate from mother plants which are free of any pathogens and viruses regulated by Canada, or from mother plants which come from an area where no pathogens and viruses regulated by Canada occur.”
6. PURCHASES AT SHOWS: Major international orchid shows often offer a documentation service for plants and flasks purchased at their event. Every situation is different but usually the plant material and sales receipts must be taken to a booth during a specified time to apply for phytosanitary and CITES documents. Sometimes the process takes several days so one must allow enough time for the documents to become available. Fees are often levied and sometimes the amount is startlingly high. Staff may be rushed or not well trained. There can be a language barrier although this can be overcome by speaking with show organizers.
7. COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Note that plants must have been grown at least one year, or one growing cycle, in the country of sale before being declared as originating in that country. Plants that have not been grown at least one year, or one growing cycle, in a country, do not originate from that country and must declare the original country as the country of origin. This may cause difficulties at international shows because plants frequently arrive from many countries to be sold locally. You may find that for this and other reasons, the appropriate certificates and required additional declarations may not be forthcoming.
8. WHAT TO DO IF APPROPRIATE DOCUMENTS ARE NOT ISSUED:REFUSE TO PURCHASE
   Be absolutely certain that foreign staff understand what phytosanitary declarations are required. To accomplish this, have in hand your original permit, a copy of Directive D96-09, and a copy of the additional declarations when appropriate. If the exporting authority cannot legally make the required declarations or refuses to issue a Phytosanitary Certificate then the intending importer(s) should accept that they will not be able to return home with plants from that event. If this happens to you, our best advice is to inform the show organizers and return the purchases to the vendor. Taking a chance that all will be well may result in the loss of the plants.
9. CITES: Obtain CITES Export documents for all bare root plants from the seller of the plants – for a fee.
10. We recommend that this document is kept in all orchid society libraries and that members are made aware of its existence. Anyone intending to bring back orchids from an international show or purchasing orchids while travelling abroad is advised to first visit the CFIA website http://www.inspection.gc.ca/ for any recent updates and to have a copy of this article on hand.

Disclaimer: The details provided in this article are for informational purposes only. The Canadian Orchid Congress does not warrant or assume any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or application of any information disclosed in this article.