So Peeved @ the Australian Govn't!!!!!

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Man!!!! I'm boiling right now! Thanks to the Australian government raising exportation fees to over $1,000 per shipment (not including phytosanitary papers and CITES documents), I am either gonna have a difficult time getting some flasks I had a lab produce out of there or I'm never gonna see my babies!

Thanks a million Australia for giving it to everybody, including your own citizens!!!!!!!!!!

[Bud]

I think the new policy is not just a money making venture but Australia wants to keep their indeginous plants within the confines of their territory. They think they have enough labs to preserve some of their dying species.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Bud, these seedlings are not native Aussie terrestrial orchids.

The seedlings are plants native to South Africa. They are rare summer rainfall Disas, not the typical evergreen species. I dare say that either very few private orchid collectors, or no private collectors in the US has these 2 species. If anyone has these 2 species and were selling them, they'd command a very high price tag!

[lambelkip]

Very sad to hear about this. The new fees are not related to orchids at all, but are charged for every business exporting anything (which basically guarantees that small businesses can't do exports anymore)

what Disa species did you have flasked? have you contacted the flasker to find out what they have to say about the new fees?

[Bud]

Do you know anyone in the forreign service assigned in Australia? Even a lowly clerk in the US embassy....as personal effects of any staff you can have your flasks in displomatic box directly mailed to you. They will not be taxed nor inspected. In fact it goes through the post office of the embassy and carried by US planes directly to your post office in LA and to your doorstep.

[Andrew]

Odd timing for this post. I've just been swearing under my breath at the paper work APHIS makes you go through to send seed into the US!

I think Lambelkip is on the mark regarding the effect of these new fees on small businesses. There have been a couple of changes in AQIS that seem to be aimed at dissuading small importers/exporters from dealing with AQIS. Presumably, the government is trying to increase resources to AQIS, as per the Beale review recommendations, with minimal increase in the national budget. For large produce importers/exporters the additional AQIS charges are easily absorbed into their costs. For small businesses and individuals, who are more work per volume of product, the additional costs are prohibitively expensive, forcing them out of the import/export market and making AQIS operate more efficiently. Yes, it screws the small businesses over but they're not important enough in the scheme of things to outweigh the government looking good on paper.

[Rowangreen]

Sounds like something you might be able to get the Aussie media interested in if you can get the right 'story'. Philip, do you think your flasker would be interested in contacting the media? Small buisness crushed by new charges, endangered baby orchids put in jeopardy... I think there might be a story there. They are not going to be much interested in your problem, since you aren't in Australia, but they might be interested in the fate of your flasks!

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Originally Posted by Bud

Do you know anyone in the forreign service assigned in Australia? Even a lowly clerk in the US embassy....as personal effects of any staff you can have your flasks in displomatic box directly mailed to you. They will not be taxed nor inspected. In fact it goes through the post office of the embassy and carried by US planes directly to your post office in LA and to your doorstep.

Unfortunately, I don't know anybody working in any embassy.

It is an interesting piece of information, though. It could prove useful sometime down the road. I just don't know how it'll fit into the scheme of things specifically, at the moment. Thank you.

I'm not sure if the flasker has any connections...

He has replied to my emails. However, he does not know the fine details of this mess. I really don't know the fine details of the new exportation regulations either, but here is the AQIS website for anyone interested:

Plants and Plant Products - Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

Depending on what kinds of gambits I have going on that I'm not aware of, in terms of importing plants from Australia, I will try to see if there is a way to get one final order in from Les, indirectly...

In the meantime, I am determined to get the Disa seedlings. I don't have the patience to start over again! Seed viability in each packet is iffy and the approximate embryo count, percentage wise, can vary all over the place. Another problem that is frequently encountered in flasking Disas from seed is that the seeds can swell and stop in mid-development. Of course, they also take forever to germinate from seed, (winter/summer rainfall Disas currently take about 6 months to 1 year to germinate from seed). Then it takes another year for the protocorms to reach seedling stage, and another year for them to produce tuberoids. The total flasking process for these winter/summer rainfall Disas can be anywhere around 2 - 3 years before they can be deflasked safely. Seedling yield with winter/summer rainfall Disas are typically not that high at the moment, so if I get some coming in, I'm gonna try and give it my best effort to get them.

Originally Posted by Rowangreen

Sounds like something you might be able to get the Aussie media interested in if you can get the right 'story'. Philip, do you think your flasker would be interested in contacting the media? Small buisness crushed by new charges, endangered baby orchids put in jeopardy... I think there might be a story there. They are not going to be much interested in your problem, since you aren't in Australia, but they might be interested in the fate of your flasks!

He might do something. I'm not sure. The flasker is internationally known. Both the flasker and Les are pissed at AQIS for pulling this nonsense.

I appreciate the offer of advice for making waves in the media, and I'm not trying to belittle it, but rather, I'm trying to think how the media moguls here in Hollywood think. I purposefully used Hollywood instead of LA. I want to propose the fact that the media is about "entertainment" - and one of the head honchos in the industry made a statement in an article that eludes to this. It is also as much about popularity as well. It could be easy to get laughed at or ridiculed by/through the media. I used to work in the entertainment industry as an actor, and I'm aware of their games. I don't think most people in general would give two pennies for anything orchid related in the media. It doesn't hit home as much as if the context was on a grander scale, with high to super high stakes, such as small businesses, overall, being hurt by such regulatory changes. This story is not sensational enough for the media, especially for the media industry here in Los Angeles, to make waves! It might work for a small country town, but even then that's iffy. Now, if big business was affected to the point where they get angry as well, then we have something! That's an entire economy down the toilet right there!!! I don't know how likely big businesses in Australia or the US is going to squawk though.

Originally Posted by Andrew

Odd timing for this post. I've just been swearing under my breath at the paper work APHIS makes you go through to send seed into the US!

I know!

This was a new one that got implemented about a couple years ago, I think. It used to not be on the agenda.

What a pain. At least it isn't absolutely absurd. This whole seed thing is just partially absurd.

Originally Posted by Andrew

I think Lambelkip is on the mark regarding the effect of these new fees on small businesses. There have been a couple of changes in AQIS that seem to be aimed at dissuading small importers/exporters from dealing with AQIS. Presumably, the government is trying to increase resources to AQIS, as per the Beale review recommendations, with minimal increase in the national budget. For large produce importers/exporters the additional AQIS charges are easily absorbed into their costs. For small businesses and individuals, who are more work per volume of product, the additional costs are prohibitively expensive, forcing them out of the import/export market and making AQIS operate more efficiently. Yes, it screws the small businesses over but they're not important enough in the scheme of things to outweigh the government looking good on paper.

Sounds pretty scandalous. Unfortunately, it affects lots and lots of people negatively. This move could end up hurting the Australian economy in the long run, imo.

[Leafmite]

How frustrating! Seems crazy! How much, really, does it cost to inspect/test plants...going out of the country to make certain they are not native? While I do believe in fees to cover costs, this makes no sense. Wow! What about a book or magazine article? 'The Orchid Seedling Thief!'

[Baz in Oz]

King, from experience, I can tell you some of our Federal Govt. departments seem to specialize in employing 'little Hitlers' who are dangerously short on common sense.

Whilst I haven't had experience in trying to export orchids, I can tell you decisions seem to be made by persons who have no idea what they are talking about who seem to adopt the attitude of, "I'm not happy until you are unhappy".

I have no objections to protecting our borders against unwanted imports and stopping wholesale exploitation of native flora/fauna but mindless and difficult bureaucrats flexing their muscles just because they can really rile me.

Don't forget, every govt. employee has a supervisor.

Baz