{"data":{"id":"us/7-cfr-361.5","jurisdiction":"us","citation":"7 CFR 361.5","heading":"Sampling of seeds.","body":"(a) Sample sizes. As provided in § 361.4(b), samples of seed will be taken from each lot of seed being imported for seeding (planting) purposes to determine whether any seeds of noxious weeds listed in § 361.6(a) are present. The samples shall be drawn in the manner described in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section. Unused portions of samples of rare or expensive seeds will be returned by APHIS upon request of the importer.\n(1) A minimum sample of not less than 1 quart shall be drawn from each lot of agricultural seed; a minimum sample of not less than 1 pint shall be drawn from each lot of vegetable seed, except that a sample of 1/4 pint will be sufficient for a vegetable seed importation of 5 pounds or less. The minimum sample shall be divided repeatedly until a working sample of proper weight has been obtained. If a mechanical divider cannot be used or is not available, the sample shall be thoroughly mixed, then placed in a pile; the pile shall be divided repeatedly into halves until a working sample of the proper weight remains. The weights of the working samples for noxious weed examination for each lot of seed are shown in column 1 of table 1 of this section. If the lot of seed is a mixture, the following methods shall be used to determine the weight of the working sample:\n(i) If the lot of seed is a mixture consisting of one predominant kind of seed or a group of kinds of similar size, the weight of the working sample shall be the weight shown in column 1 of table 1 of this section for the kind or group of kinds that comprises more than 50 percent of the sample.\n(ii) If the lot of seed is a mixture consisting of two or more kinds or groups of kinds of different sizes, none of which comprises over 50 percent of the sample, the weight of the working sample shall be the weighted average (to the nearest half gram) of the weight shown in column 1 of table 1 of this section for each of the kinds that comprise the sample, as determined by the following method:\n(A) Multiply the percentage of each component of the mixture (rounded off to the nearest whole number) by the sample sizes shown in column 1 of table 1 of this section;\n(B) Add all these products;\n(C) Total the percentages of all components of the mixtures; and\n(D) Divide the sum in paragraph (a)(1)(ii)(B) of this section by the total in paragraph (a)(1)(ii)(C) of this section.\n(2) It is not ordinarily practical to sample and test small lots of seed offered for entry. The maximum sizes of lots of each kind of seed not ordinarily sampled are shown in column 2 of table 1 of this section.\n(3) The maximum sizes of lots of each kind of seed allowed entry without sampling for sowing for experimental or breeding purposes as provided in § 361.4(a)(4) are shown in column 3 of table 1 of this section.\nTable 1\nName of seed Working weight for noxious weed examination (grams) (1) Maximum weight of seed lot not ordinarily sampled (pounds) (2) Maximum weight of seed lot permitted entry for experimental or breeding purposes without sampling (pounds) (3)\nVEGETABLE SEED:\nArtichoke 500 25 50\nAsparagus 500 25 50\nAsparagusbean 500 25 50\nBean 25 200\nGarden 500 100 500\nLima 500 25 200\nRunner 500 25 200\nBeet 300 25 50\nBroadbean 500 25 200\nBroccoli 50 5 10\nBrussels sprouts 50 5 10\nBurdock, great 150 10 50\nCabbage 50 5 10\nCabbage, Chinese 50 5 10\nCabbage, tronchuda 100 5 10\nCantaloupe (see Melon)\nCardoon 500 25 50\nCarrot 50 5 10\nCauliflower 50 5 10\nCeleriac 25 5 10\nCelery 25 5 10\nChard, Swiss 300 25 50\nChicory 50 5 10\nChives 50 5 10\nCitron 500 25 50\nCollards 50 5 10\nCorn, sweet 500 25 200\nCornsalad 50 5 10\nCowpea 500 25 200\nCress, garden 50 5 10\nCress, upland 35 5 10\nCress, water 25 5 10\nCucumber 500 25 50\nDandelion 35 5 10\nDill 50 5 10\nEggplant 50 5 10\nEndive 50 5 10\nGherkin, West India 160 25 50\nKale 50 5 10\nKale, Chinese 50 5 10\nKale, Siberian 80 5 10\nKohlrabi 50 5 10\nLeek 50 5 10\nLettuce 50 5 10\nMelon 500 25 50\nMustard, India 50 25 100\nMustard, spinach 50 5 10\nOkra 500 25 50\nOnion 50 5 10\nOnion, Welsh 50 5 10\nPak-choi 50 5 10\nParsley 50 5 10\nParsnip 50 5 10\nPea 500 25 200\nPepper 150 5 10\nPumpkin 500 25 50\nRadish 300 25 50\nRhubarb 300 5 10\nRutabaga 50 5 10\nSage 150 25 50\nSalsify 300 25 50\nSavory, summer 35 5 10\nSorrel 35 5 10\nSoybean 500 25 200\nSpinach 150 25 50\nSpinach, New Zealand 500 25 50\nSquash 500 25 50\nTomato 50 5 10\nTomato, husk 35 5 10\nTurnip 50 5 10\nWatermelon 500 25 50\nAGRICULTURAL SEED:\nAgrotricum 500 100 500\nAlfalfa 50 25 100\nAlfilaria 50 25 100\nAlyceclover 50 25 100\nBahiagrass 50 25 100\nBarrelclover 100 25 100\nBarley 500 100 500\nBean, adzuki 500 100 500\nBean, field 500 100 500\nBean, mung 500 100 500\nBean (see Velvetbean)\nBeet, field 500 100 500\nBeet, sugar 500 100 1,000\nBeggarweed 50 25 100\nBentgrass, colonial 2.5 25 100\nBentgrass, creeping 2.5 25 100\nBentgrass, velvet 2.5 25 100\nBermudagrass 10 25 100\nBermudagrass, giant 10 25 100\nBluegrass, annual 10 25 100\nBluegrass, bulbous 40 25 100\nBluegrass, Canada 5 25 100\nBluegrass, glaucantha 10 25 100\nBluegrass, Kentucky 10 25 100\nBluegrass, Nevada 10 25 100\nBluegrass, rough 5 25 100\nBluegrass, Texas 10 25 100\nBluegrass, wood 5 25 100\nBluejoint 5 25 100\nBluestem, big 70 25 100\nBluestem, little 50 25 100\nBluestem, sand 100 25 100\nBluestem, yellow 10 25 100\nBottlebrush-squirreltail 90 25 100\nBrome, field 50 25 100\nBrome, meadow 130 25 100\nBrome, mountain 200 25 100\nBrome, smooth 70 25 100\nBroomcorn 400 100 500\nBuckwheat 500 100 500\nBuffalograss:\n(Burs) 200 25 100\n(Caryopses) 30 25 100\nBuffelgrass:\n(Fascicles) 66 25 100\n(Caryopses) 20 25 100\nBurclover, California:\n(In bur) 500 100 500\n(Out of bur) 70 25 100\nBurclover, spotted:\n(In bur) 500 100 500\n(Out of bur) 50 25 100\nBurnet, little 250 25 100\nButtonclover 70 25 100\nCanarygrass 200 25 100\nCanarygrass, reed 20 25 100\nCarpetgrass 10 25 100\nCastorbean 500 100 500\nChess, soft 50 25 100\nChickpea 500 100 500\nClover, alsike 20 25 100\nClover, arrowleaf 40 25 100\nClover, berseem 50 25 100\nClover, cluster 10 25 100\nClover, crimson 100 25 100\nClover, Kenya 20 25 100\nClover, Ladino 20 25 100\nClover, Lappa 20 25 100\nClover, large hop 10 25 100\nClover, Persian 20 25 100\nClover, red 50 25 100\nClover, rose 70 25 100\nClover, small hop (suckling) 20 25 100\nClover, strawberry 50 25 100\nClover, sub (subterranean) 250 25 100\nClover, white 20 25 100\nCorn, field 500 100 1,000\nCorn, pop 500 100 1,000\nCotton 500 100 500\nCowpea 500 100 500\nCrambe 250 25 100\nCrested dogtail 20 25 100\nCrotalaria, lance 70 25 100\nCrotalaria, showy 250 25 100\nCrotalaria, slenderleaf 100 25 100\nCrotalaria, striped 100 25 100\nCrotalaria, Sunn 500 25 100\nCrownvetch 100 25 100\nDallisgrass 40 25 100\nDichondra 50 25 100\nDropseed, sand 2.5 25 100\nEmmer 500 100 500\nFescue, Chewings 30 25 100\nFescue, hair 10 25 100\nFescue, hard 20 25 100\nFescue, meadow 50 25 100\nFescue, red 30 25 100\nFescue, sheep 20 25 100\nFescue, tall 50 25 100\nFlax 150 25 100\nGalletagrass:\n(Other than caryopses) 100 25 100\n(Caryopses) 50 25 100\nGrama, blue 20 25 100\nGrama, side-oats:\n(Other than caryopses) 60 25 100\n(Caryopses) 20 25 100\nGuar 500 25 100\nGuineagrass 20 25 100\nHardinggrass 30 25 100\nHemp 500 100 500\nIndiangrass, yellow 70 25 100\nIndigo, hairy 70 25 100\nJapanese lawngrass 20 25 100\nJohnsongrass 100 25 100\nKenaf 500 100 500\nKochia, forage 20 25 100\nKudzu 250 25 100\nLentil 500 25 100\nLespedeza, Korean 50 25 100\nLespedeza, sericea or Chinese 30 25 100\nLespedeza, Siberian 30 25 100\nLespedeza, striate 50 25 100\nLovegrass, sand 10 25 100\nLovegrass, weeping 10 25 100\nLupine, blue 500 100 500\nLupine, white 500 100 500\nLupine, yellow 500 100 500\nManilagrass 20 25 100\nMeadow foxtail 30 25 100\nMedick, black 50 25 100\nMilkvetch 90 25 100\nMillet, browntop 80 25 100\nMillet, foxtail 50 25 100\nMillet, Japanese 90 25 100\nMillet, pearl 150 25 100\nMillet, proso 150 25 100\nMolassesgrass 5 25 100\nMustard, black 20 25 100\nMustard, India 50 25 100\nMustard, white 150 25 100\nNapiergrass 50 25 100\nNeedlegrass, green 70 25 100\nOat 500 100 500\nOatgrass, tall 60 25 100\nOrchardgrass 30 25 100\nPanicgrass, blue 20 25 100\nPanicgrass, green 20 25 100\nPea, field 500 100 500\nPeanut 500 100 500\nPoa trivialis (see bluegrass, rough)\nRape, annual 70 25 100\nRape, bird 70 25 100\nRape, turnip 50 25 100\nRape, winter 100 25 100\nRedtop 2.5 25 100\nRescuegrass 200 25 100\nRhodesgrass 10 25 100\nRice 500 100 500\nRicegrass, Indian 70 25 100\nRoughpea 500 100 500\nRye 500 100 500\nRye, mountain 280 25 100\nRyegrass, annual 50 25 100\nRyegrass, intermediate 80 25 100\nRyegrass, perennial 50 25 100\nRyegrass, Wimmera 50 25 100\nSafflower 500 100 500\nSagewort, Louisiana 5 25 100\nSainfoin 500 100 500\nSaltbush, fourwing 150 25 100\nSeasame 70 25 100\nSesbania 250 25 100\nSmilo 20 25 100\nSorghum 500 100 1,000\nSorghum almum 150 25 100\nSorghum-sudangrass hybrid 500 100 1,000\nSorgrass 150 25 100\nSourclover 50 25 100\nSoybean 500 100 500\nSpelt 500 100 500\nSudangrass 250 25 100\nSunflower 500 100 500\nSweetclover, white 50 25 100\nSweetclover, yellow 50 25 100\nSweet vernalgrass 20 25 100\nSweetvetch, northern 190 25 100\nSwitchgrass 40 25 100\nTimothy 10 25 100\nTimothy, turf 10 25 100\nTobacco 5 1 1\nTrefoil, big 20 25 100\nTrefoil, birdsfoot 30 25 100\nTriticale 500 100 500\nVaseygrass 30 25 100\nVeldtgrass 40 25 100\nVelvetbean 500 100 500\nVelvetgrass 10 25 100\nVetch, common 500 100 500\nVetch, hairy 500 100 500\nVetch, Hungarian 500 100 500\nVetch, Monantha 500 100 500\nVetch, narrowleaf 500 100 500\nVetch, purple 500 100 500\nVetch, woolypod 500 100 500\nWheat, common 500 100 500\nWheat, club 500 100 500\nWheat, durum 500 100 500\nWheat, Polish 500 100 500\nWheat, poulard 500 100 500\nWheat × Agrotricum 500 100 500\nWheatgrass, beardless 80 25 100\nWheatgrass, fairway crested 40 25 100\nWheatgrass, standard crested 50 25 100\nWheatgrass, intermediate 150 25 100\nWheatgrass, pubescent 150 25 100\nWheatgrass, Siberian 50 25 100\nWheatgrass, slender 70 25 100\nWheatgrass, streambank 50 25 100\nWheatgrass, tall 150 25 100\nWheatgrass, western 100 25 100\nWildrye, basin 80 25 100\nWild-rye, Canada 110 25 100\nWild-rye, Russian 60 25 100\nZoysia Japonica (see Japanese lawngrass)\nZoysia matrella (see Manilagrass)\n(b) Method of sampling. (1) When an importation consists of more than one lot, each lot shall be sampled separately.\n(2) For lots of six or fewer bags, each bag shall be sampled. A total of at least five trierfuls shall be taken from the lot.\n(3) For lots of more than six bags, five bags plus at least 10 percent of the number of bags in the lot shall be sampled. (Round off numbers with decimals to the nearest whole number, raising 0.5 to the next whole number.) Regardless of the lot size, it is not necessary to sample more than 30 bags.\n(4) When the lot of seed to be sampled is comprised of seed in small containers that cannot practically be sampled as described in paragraph (b)(2) or (b)(3) of this section, entire unopened containers may be taken in sufficient number to supply a sample that meets the minimum size requirements of paragraph (a)(1) of this section.\n(c) Drawing samples. Samples will not be drawn unless each container is labeled to show the lot designation and the name of the kind and variety of each agricultural seed, or kind and variety of each vegetable seed, appearing on the invoice and other entry papers, and a declaration has been filed by the importer as required under § 361.2(a). In order to secure a representative sample, an APHIS inspector will draw equal portions from evenly distributed parts of the quantity of seed to be sampled; the APHIS inspector, therefore, must be given access to all parts of that quantity.\n(1) For free-flowing seed in bags or in bulk, a probe or trier shall be used. For small free-flowing seed in bags, a probe or trier long enough to sample all portions of the bag shall be used. When drawing more than one trierful of seed from a bag, a different path through the seed shall be used when drawing each sample.\n(2) For non-free-flowing seed in bags or bulk that may be difficult to sample with a probe or trier, samples shall be obtained by thrusting one's hand into the seed and withdrawing representative portions. The hand shall be inserted in an open position with the fingers held closely together while the hand is being inserted and the portion withdrawn. When more than one handful is taken from a bag, the handfuls shall be taken from well-separated points.\n(3) When more than one sample is drawn from a single lot, the samples may be combined into a composite sample unless it appears that the quantity of seed represented as a lot is not of uniform quality, in which case the separate samples shall be forwarded together, but without being combined into a composite sample.\n(d) In most cases, samples will be drawn and examined by an APHIS inspector at the port of first arrival. The APHIS inspector may release a shipment if no contaminants are found and the labeling is sufficient. If contaminants are found or the labeling of the seed is insufficient, the APHIS inspector may forward the sample to the USDA Seed Examination Facility (SEF), Beltsville, MD, for analysis, testing, or examination. APHIS will notify the owner or consignee of the seed that samples have been drawn and forwarded to the SEF and that the shipment must be held intact pending a decision by APHIS as to whether the seed is within the noxious weed seed tolerances of § 361.6 and is accurately labeled. If the decision pending is with regard to the noxious weed seed content of the seed and the seed has been determined to be accurately labeled, the seed may be released for delivery to the owner or consignee under the following conditions:\n(1) The owner or consignee executes with Customs either a Customs single-entry bond or a Customs term bond, as appropriate, in such amount as is prescribed by applicable Customs regulations;\n(2) The bond must contain a condition for the redelivery of the seed or any part thereof upon demand of the Port Director of Customs at any time;\n(3) Until the seed is approved for entry upon completion of APHIS' examination, the seed must be kept intact and not tampered with in any way, or removed from the containers except under the monitoring of an APHIS inspector; and\n(4) The owner or consignee must keep APHIS informed as to the location of the seed until it is finally entered into the commerce of the United States.","path":["Title 7—Agriculture","Subtitle B—Regulations of the Department of Agriculture","CHAPTER III—ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE","PART 361—IMPORTATION OF SEED AND SCREENINGS UNDER THE FEDERAL SEED ACT"],"source_url":"https://www.ecfr.gov/api/versioner/v1/full/2026-08-25/title-7.xml","current_through":"2026-08-25","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-08-27T02:24:01Z","sha256":"c05921657a97854cc241be09428f83741ddca1594de5d2f6f2fa3e42bfda7df7","source_id":"us-cfr","stale":true,"prev":"us/7-cfr-361.4","next":"us/7-cfr-361.6"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}