In fact, the man I spoke with at the French Ministry of
Agriculture said
that French Customs allow the importation of bonsai from most
European
countries, as well as places like the US, Canada and Australia,
because
of the strict regulations in place in THOSE countries.


Oh my! THAT is scary. The regulations may be strict (not strict
enough, in MY opinion) but enforcement is so lax to make the regs
a total joke. This isn't saying anything against the
agricultural inspectors (it is seldom "Customs" who is in charge
of plant introductions and quarantine). It is the higher-up who
don't ask for appropriate budget, or the even higher-ups who
don't _appropriate_ the budgets.

As a result exotic insects, diseases, and plants regularly enter
the USA (and I doubt there is much difference elsewhere). And
unfortunately, we don't really give a HOOT (except, perhaps, on
paper) what happens to leave the country and go to -- for example
to the EU.

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Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - List nag

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