<div dir="ltr">Taylor,<div><br></div><div>Please feel free to send me a direct message for additional clarification, but here is a quick overview. I am happy to give you more details specific to your import.</div><div><ul><li>Accessioned / catalogged herbarium specimens should not require an import permit (but I recommend a check with your <b>state plant health director</b> - <a href="https://www.aphis.usda.gov/contact/plant-health">https://www.aphis.usda.gov/contact/plant-health</a>)</li><ul><li>The definition of an "herbarium specimen" in the USDA Miscellaneous and Processed Products Import Manual does not apply to ALL potential herbarium specimen preparations</li><li>NOTE: recent field collected dried plant material will most likely require a USDA import permit - potentially a PPQ 588</li></ul><li>The USDA ACIR portal (that you mentioned) is the best way to determine the species and the associated regulations</li><li>If you plan to hand-carry any material, it must be declared to US Customs and Border Protection</li><ul><li>I recommend that you send a message to the general CBP email (<a href="mailto:aptlabtc@cbp.dhs.gov">aptlabtc@cbp.dhs.gov</a>) to connect to a Biological Agent where your flight will arrive</li><li>These CBP Agents can also help provide additional guidance for other agencies.</li></ul><li>A Certification Statement is recommended for customs agents to review specific details about your specimens (species, treatment, country of origin, packaging, etc.)</li></ul></div><div>We hand carry material fairly often, and have had very good success doing so.</div><div><br></div><div>Sincerely,</div><div><br>Ben</div><div><br></div></div><br><div class="gmail_quote gmail_quote_container"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Mon, Aug 4, 2025 at 1:45 PM Taylor, Sarah <<a href="mailto:sarah.taylor@uconn.edu">sarah.taylor@uconn.edu</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div class="msg-974292327801887647">
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Hi all,</div>
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Does anyone have up to date guidance on hand-carrying dead, dried herbarium specimens into the US from an international departure? The USDA APHIS Plants and Planting manual web page now says that for Herbarium specimens, one must refer to the Agricultural Commodity
Import Requirements (ACIR) database. In that database, you enter the scientific name of the plant and "preparation" (of course, herbarium specimen is not listed, so I put in "dried") but none of the search results have anything to do with herbaria.</div>
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I'm aware of the <a title="https://acir.aphis.usda.gov/s/acir-document-detail?rowId=a0jt000001BjDUbAAN&Document_Type=Reference%20Documents" id="m_-974292327801887647LPlnk404703" href="https://acir.aphis.usda.gov/s/acir-document-detail?rowId=a0jt000001BjDUbAAN&Document_Type=Reference%20Documents" target="_blank">
section</a> of the old Plants and Planting manual that said that herbarium specimens are exempt from import permit requirements, but now I don't know if carrying a hard copy of that is enough to clear screening/questions.</div>
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Also (because I've never done this myself), does the person with the specimens declare them to CBP? (I assume yes).</div>
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Is anything else required at the point of entry (besides documentation of species IDs/not noxious weeds/not CITES/not ESA/not parasitic and what institution will receive the specimens)? Even though herbarium specimens are supposed to be exempt, does one need
to schedule an appointment at a plant inspection station or with the USDA?</div>
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I feel so much more informed about shipping internationally (thanks, Dirk!), but I've been asked for advice recently on hand-carry. Honestly, I think the person should just ship the specimens, but we'll see.</div>
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Thanks for any advice and input!</div>
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Best,</div>
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Sarah</div>
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<p>-----------------------------------------------------------------<br>
<br>
Sarah Taylor, PhD<br>
<br>
<br>
Scientific Collections Manager<br>
<br>
George Safford Torrey Herbarium (CONN)<br>
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology<br>
<b>University of Connecticut</b><br>
75 North Eagleville Road, Unit 3043<br>
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U.S.A.<br>
<br>
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