New Jersey, USA

New Jersey: Phytosanitary Inspection and Certification
http://www.nj.gov/agriculture/divisions/pi/serv/exports.html

Non-business Purpose: $20 fee.



Dear Mr. Chiou,
I have attached an application for the required inspection of the Ficus.
The plants must be inspected in the state which it will be shipped. The
cuttings must be inspected as cuttings.
Complete the application and fax it to our office, 609-292-4710. Allow
for approximately one week prior notification and the inspection may be
completed within days of your departure.
This will be federal documentation and normal layovers and plane
transfers in other states are not to be a concern.
The Federal Phytosanitary Certificate will indicate the person sending
the cuttings and receiving the cuttings. The person carrying the
cuttings may be noted on the certificate as well.
There is a $20.00 fee for the inspection.
Thank-you for your inquiry.
Galen

Galen E. Ettinger, Jr.
Entomologist 1
Supervisor, Plant Inspection Program
Division of Plant Industry
New Jersey Department of Agriculture
Office# (609) 292-5442
Cell# (609) 306-0861
Fax# (609) 292-4710
Website http://www.state.nj.us/agriculture/divisions/pi/


Original Message-----
From: David Chiou
Sent: Tuesday, October 23, 2007 11:30 AM
To: Ettinger, Galen
Subject: inquiry about Phytosanitary Inspection and Certification for
Ficus religosa L.

To whom it may concern,

I am considering to hand carry a cutting of Ficus Religosa L. from New
Jersey to Taiwan when I take a flight from USA to Taiwan. I will need to
carry a cutting instead of a whole plant, because roots of Ficus
Religosa L. are prohibited to enter Taiwan.

Would you please kindly advise me on the following questions?
1. Is it possible for me to send the whole plant for inspection, and
when I leave for the airport I cut the plant to obtain a cutting? Will
the certificate be valid for the cutting?
2. How long the inspection will take (hours? days?) To ensure the
freshness of the cutting, am I allowed to wait in your center and put
the cutting in a plastic bag with moisture immediately after the
inspection?
3. How long the certificate will be valid for? (i.e. am I allowed to
stay in New Jersey for weeks and then carry the cutting to Taiwan, using
that certificate?) 4. If the airplane stopover another state (e.g. New
York or California), do I also need to get certificate for the other
states as well?
5. Will the certificate be valid if the person who carries the plant for
inspection is different from the person who takes the flight?

Your advice will be highly appreciated!

Sincerely,
David