Regulated Organism and Soil Permits |
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Federal Noxious Weeds
USDA requires permits for the importation and/or interstate movement of Federal noxious weeds (FNWs) - aquatic and wetland, parasitic and terrestrial- under the authority of 7 CFR 360. You will find a list of the regulated taxa in 7 CFR 360.200.
Section 403 of the Plant Protection Act (PPA) defines Noxious Weed as:
“any plant or plant product that can directly or indirectly injure or cause damage to crops (including nursery stock or plant products), livestock, poultry, or other interests of agriculture, irrigation, navigation, the natural resources of the United States, the public health, or the environment.”
If the species is a Federal noxious weed, and/or a parasitic plant, then fill out PPQ Form 526, Application for permit to move live plant pests or noxious weeds. If sending application by mail or fax, please include your phone number, fax number, and your email address. For faster services, apply on-line using ePermits. ePermits is a web-based system you can use to apply for a permit online, check the status of your application, view issued permits or other responses and more.
Federal Noxious Weed List (PDF: 27 Kb) (as of 6/30/06)
View the Federal Noxious Weeds list to confirm that the species is a Federal noxious weed.
Parasitic plant genera list (PDF: 72 Kb)
Confirm that the genus contains parasitic plants by checking the list of parasitic plant genera. If your species is not on either list, use PPQ form 587.
Frequently Asked Questions
View a list of the commonly asked questions and concerns associated with the application process for Federal noxious weeds.
Shipping Requirements
Federal noxious weeds and parasitic plants must be shipped in sturdy, escape-proof containers. Shipments to be imported must contain a copy of the permit, and must have an original PPQ 599 shipping label, which corresponds to the permit, on the outside of the package. PPQ 599 labels will be provided when your permit is issued and you are required to monitor their use. We require the PPQ 599 mailing labels for importations only. Additional labels can be obtained by sending an email to Redandwhitelabelrequest@aphis.usda.gov.
Containment Facility Inspection
In certain cases, a laboratory facility must be inspected in order for us to issue a PPQ 526 Permit. We inspect facilities to determine if they are adequate for containment of the organism(s). You will be informed if your facility must be inspected after review of the permit application. PPQ will conduct the inspection using a PPQ checklist. This is not the same as inspections by Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Safety Officers, or other entities. If your facility must be inspected, you will be notified in writing by our Containment Facility (CF) Staff and you can work with PPQ to set up a date and time for the inspection. Guidelines are available on the containment facility Web page.
For Additional Information
For technical information about Federal Noxious Weed permits, contact Maria (Mel) Corpuz.
For information about the APHIS noxious weed program, see the APHIS Noxious Weed Home Page.