Turning this hobby into a small business?

[WhiteRabbit]

hmmm - I have never had problems with plants shipped to me (in Calif) from out of state, even when marked as 'live plants' and nothing indicated the shipper has been certified in any way (except for those coming from Hawaii)
Tho driving back into Calif from out of state, there are customs (?) booths and they do ask if you have plants or fruit - or did, haven't driven out of state in a long time ;p

I do know many sellers just won't ship to Arizona or Hawaii

[tom_e_boi]

Originally Posted by goodgollymissmolly

Turns out that local police (and I believe it's true everywhere) conduct random drugs searches of UPS (and others also I think) terminals. They use dogs to sniff out suspicious packages which they can then legally open. Here at least if one dog identifies a package, it is passed by a second dog and if he hits on it; it is inspected.

I can't speak for UPS, perhaps they do conduct random searches or not, but I have worked for Fed Ex for well over seven years at their regional sorting facility here in Little Rock and not once did they ever perform any random searches. Many nurseries and florist ship out plants all the time, and I can never recall any of them being opened up or inspected.
The LR facility is quite large and is one of the "big three" in the tri-state area, which is Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. To my knowledge, none of them carry out inspections.
There is also a UPS facility that isn't very far from ours, and I doubt they perform any kind of random searches or inspections either, but I may be wrong. Some of the management for Fed EX have also worked for UPS, and from what they've told me, they run their sort pretty much the same way.

[quiltergal]

Hawaiian growers shipping to CA must certify that their plants are nematode free.

I really think this is overkill. As already mentioned paying the $75 fee doesn't necessarily mean your plants are "clean". And if shipping bare root is required then how is it EVERY greenhouse I have ordered plants from ships in media?

[Ray]

Originally Posted by tom_e_boi

I can't speak for UPS, perhaps they do conduct random searches or not, but I have worked for Fed Ex for well over seven years at their regional sorting facility here in Little Rock and not once did they ever perform any random searches. Many nurseries and florist ship out plants all the time, and I can never recall any of them being opened up or inspected.
The LR facility is quite large and is one of the "big three" in the tri-state area, which is Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. To my knowledge, none of them carry out inspections.
There is also a UPS facility that isn't very far from ours, and I doubt they perform any kind of random searches or inspections either, but I may be wrong. Some of the management for Fed EX have also worked for UPS, and from what they've told me, they run their sort pretty much the same way.

It's not the carrier that has the responsibility to inspect, it's the authorities within the state.

[tom_e_boi]

Originally Posted by Ray

It's not the carrier that has the responsibility to inspect, it's the authorities within the state.

Yeah, I knew that much. That's kinda what I meant by what I had said. The entire time I've worked for them, no one has ever conducted random searches of packages containing plants, by either the company or the local authorities.
They do perform regular security checks of other packages, such as prescription drugs, electronics, and other valuable merchandise, but that's about it. Perhaps they do random inspections of plants tho in states like California and Hawaii, I can't vouch for those regions.

[stefpix]

don't they have dogs sniff packages to look for weed and other stuff?

[Ray]

One time, long ago, before I knew any better, I had a FedEx package - labeled as "live orchid plants" seized and inspected at a FedEx terminal in California. The inspector from the CA Dept of Ag (or whatever) called me, told me about the necessary permit required for future deliveries, and shipped the package to my customer.

If I'm not mistaken, a carrier must present packages for inspection in AZ, CA, and HI to the authorities if they have any knowledge of the contents being a plant or fruit, vegetable etc., such as a label. I do not believe such arrangements are done in other states.

[LavendarSunset]

Contact your local USDA office. Long before I ever started buying orchids online I called mine to make sure I wasn't going to run into problems, and they were very helpful. The USDA website I looked at didn't specifically address my questions, so that's why I called (and the guy I talked to acknowledged that the info on their website was vague and confusing.) Good luck!

[DavidCampen]

Originally Posted by Ray

One time, long ago, before I knew any better, I had a FedEx package - labeled as "live orchid plants" seized and inspected at a FedEx terminal in California. The inspector from the CA Dept of Ag (or whatever) called me, told me about the necessary permit required for future deliveries, and shipped the package to my customer.

If I'm not mistaken, a carrier must present packages for inspection in AZ, CA, and HI to the authorities if they have any knowledge of the contents being a plant or fruit, vegetable etc., such as a label. I do not believe such arrangements are done in other states.

Arizona and Hawaii are very particular about plant material being shipped into their state. I was looking recently at an orchid vendor's website (RF orchids in Florida):
FAQ « RF Orchids
see the last 2 bullets in the FAQ.
They state specifically that they will _not_ ship to AZ because of the difficulties. They will ship to Hawaii but you have to have an import permit and then RF charges $75 for a phytosanitary certificate for each shipment. All other states they do not seem to have any difficulties.

RF Orchids shipped my recent order (to California) with a couple of plants in pots and another couple on mounts and the box labeled as "live plants"; they did have a Florida Nursery Inspection certificate attached.

I have gotten a number of shipments from vendors in Florida, many in pots, all labeled as "live plants" and with a Florida Nursery certificates attached, all with no problems. Shipped by FEDEX and USPS. Oh, also I have gotten potted plants from Carter and Holmes in South Carolina shipped labled "live plants" and with a State Nursery Inspection certificate also attached. The same goes for a recent shipment from Oak Hill Gardens in Wisconsin. Perhaps most states have reciprocal agreements to accept one another's Nursery Inspection Certificates.

[LavendarSunset]

Arizona does have reciprocal agreements with Florida and California; I was told that when I called the USDA office in Phoenix. The person I spoke with also gave me the names of a few nurseries that he was personally aware of in Florida. Also, during my conversation with the USDA I was never told NOT to order from a nursery in any other state. That being said, I have received orchids via USPS from Florida and California both with no problem. I will be attending my first orchid show here in Arizona in October, and am hoping to load up with some good local bounty to limit my online shopping

It would appear the difference lies with being a licensed nursery?