Shipping to florida
 

Hello all,
Has anyone had any issues shipping orchids to FL? Do you have to get a permit for it? I have a relative that would like some divisions of my plants but i was affraid of shipping issues with FL

Shipping from where? From Colorado to Florida? I believe you do not need anything, I know you need permits for shipping from Hawaii, and to Hawaii, but I am pretty sure you can have any live plants shipped to Florida, I am receiving packages from the whole USA:-) As a matter of the fact, I am just today shipping packages from Florida to 2 members here, in Utah and in Texas:-)

We don't have import permits here to my knowledge.

Summary of Plant Regulations / Business Services / Plant Industry / Divisions & Offices / Home - Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services


NURSERY STOCK DEFINITION
All plants, trees, shrubs, vines, bulbs, cuttings, grafts, scions or buds, grown or kept for or capable of propagation or distribution, unless specifically excluded by the rules of the Department.
...
GENERAL SHIPPING REQUIREMENTS
Any person, nurseryman, stock dealer, agent or plant broker who desires to ship into this state nursery stock from any state, territory or district of the United States, shall comply with the following regulations:
The nurseryman, stock dealer, agent or plant broker must be listed in the latest directory of registered or certified nurseries, agents, stock dealers and plant brokers of the state where such nursery stock originated.
A valid certificate of inspection must be attached to each separate package, bundle, box or shipment of nursery stock shipped into Florida. In club orders, one tag must be attached to each individual order and another to the package containing the individual orders.

You skipped quoting the only relevant part?

Non-commercial shipments of (homeowner) plants which are part of a passenger's baggage or household effects may enter the state provided the plants are accompanied by a certificate of inspection. These plants would include non-commercial shipments of plants grown indoors and outdoors. Should the plants originate from a state that does not offer an inspection and certification service for house plants, the owner must be able to furnish the Department a Florida address where the plants will be located. This information will enable the Department to conduct a follow-up inspection if deemed necessary. If sufficient information is given, the plants will be allowed entry.

Florida only has a system in place for plants coming in through the airports, you can mail a box fom another state and there's no way of stopping it or inspecting it's contents. You could write in huge letters, LIVE PLANTS, on the sides of the box and it will go to it's destination, no problem. Very few nurseries even comply with Florida's requirements when it comes to shipping a plant to an individual consumer in FL.

So Orchidnut, you can absolutely send an orchid to someone in Florida. There's no system in place to deal with individual packages coming in. Just please don't send us citrus trees or fruit, please.

No issues I have shipped 2 puerto rico/florida ups priority no issues what so ever. Now Europe thats a whole other issue

This applies to personal baggage or houshold effects; not pacakges sent via USPS, UPS etc. And you still need a certificate of inspection or you need to declare the shipment to Florida and ask for permission to bring the plants in.

Non-commercial shipments of (homeowner) plants which are part of a passenger's baggage or household effects may enter the state provided the plants are accompanied by a certificate of inspection. These plants would include non-commercial shipments of plants grown indoors and outdoors. Should the plants originate from a state that does not offer an inspection and certification service for house plants, the owner must be able to furnish the Department a Florida address where the plants will be located. This information will enable the Department to conduct a follow-up inspection if deemed necessary. If sufficient information is given, the plants will be allowed entry.

Correct, even though it would be illegal for you to do so.

Perhaps, if Florida is not yet using USDA trained dogs to inspect packages as does California and other states.

Perhaps, or perhaps it will be confiscated and destroyed.

They risk having their shipment confiscated and destroyed.

Yes, as long as you realize that it is illegal and that you risk having the shipment confiscated and destroyed.

Edit:
In California, they are using dogs to inspect incoming parcels for undeclared plants.
CDFA > PLANT > CALIFORNIA DOG TEAMS

Yup, you see why I quoted what I did. All that nursery/commercial stuff doesn't apply, but the things you highlighted in that paragraph do. I've been on the phone with the USDA in FL, before I moved here.

Again, there's no risk of confiscation, delay, or even dogs. There's no system currently in place to deal with individual packages coming into the state. Heck, just today I recieved a package from a nursey in CA that literally had, "Live Plants" written on every single side of the box (CA nurseries for some reason really like to do this?). I wasn't joking when I mentioned that. No issues. There's no one to intercept and inspect packages coming through the mail. Just because it may not be legal doesn't mean there's a system to enforce those rules. If you want to argue legality, that's one thing, but my answer to Orchidnut remains the same. You can safely ship an orchid to FL. If you're concerned with breaking the rules, have the thing inspected first and send it with a certificate. No one is going to open the box and read that it was inspected before putting it through the state border, but go ahead and do it if you're concerned.

I'm not advocationg for breaking laws, I'm just pointing out the facts here. I personally really think Florida should have a system set up like California or Arizona has, but they don't.

I have ordered plants from Santa Barbara Orchids in Ca. and each time I ordered they said they did not possess a permit for snails that Florida requires and they had to hold the plants for one month in isolation before they could ship.