(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.

1. (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:

   1. (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.

   2. (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:

      1. (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;
      2. (B) Add all these products;
      3. (C) Total the percentages of all components of the mixtures; and
      4. (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.
2. (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.

3. (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.

   Table 1

   Name 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)
   VEGETABLE SEED:
   Artichoke	500	25	50
   Asparagus	500	25	50
   Asparagusbean	500	25	50
   Bean		25	200
   Garden	500	100	500
   Lima	500	25	200
   Runner	500	25	200
   Beet	300	25	50
   Broadbean	500	25	200
   Broccoli	50	5	10
   Brussels sprouts	50	5	10
   Burdock, great	150	10	50
   Cabbage	50	5	10
   Cabbage, Chinese	50	5	10
   Cabbage, tronchuda	100	5	10
   Cantaloupe (see Melon)
   Cardoon	500	25	50
   Carrot	50	5	10
   Cauliflower	50	5	10
   Celeriac	25	5	10
   Celery	25	5	10
   Chard, Swiss	300	25	50
   Chicory	50	5	10
   Chives	50	5	10
   Citron	500	25	50
   Collards	50	5	10
   Corn, sweet	500	25	200
   Cornsalad	50	5	10
   Cowpea	500	25	200
   Cress, garden	50	5	10
   Cress, upland	35	5	10
   Cress, water	25	5	10
   Cucumber	500	25	50
   Dandelion	35	5	10
   Dill	50	5	10
   Eggplant	50	5	10
   Endive	50	5	10
   Gherkin, West India	160	25	50
   Kale	50	5	10
   Kale, Chinese	50	5	10
   Kale, Siberian	80	5	10
   Kohlrabi	50	5	10
   Leek	50	5	10
   Lettuce	50	5	10
   Melon	500	25	50
   Mustard, India	50	25	100
   Mustard, spinach	50	5	10
   Okra	500	25	50
   Onion	50	5	10
   Onion, Welsh	50	5	10
   Pak-choi	50	5	10
   Parsley	50	5	10
   Parsnip	50	5	10
   Pea	500	25	200
   Pepper	150	5	10
   Pumpkin	500	25	50
   Radish	300	25	50
   Rhubarb	300	5	10
   Rutabaga	50	5	10
   Sage	150	25	50
   Salsify	300	25	50
   Savory, summer	35	5	10
   Sorrel	35	5	10
   Soybean	500	25	200
   Spinach	150	25	50
   Spinach, New Zealand	500	25	50
   Squash	500	25	50
   Tomato	50	5	10
   Tomato, husk	35	5	10
   Turnip	50	5	10
   Watermelon	500	25	50
   AGRICULTURAL SEED:
   Agrotricum	500	100	500
   Alfalfa	50	25	100
   Alfilaria	50	25	100
   Alyceclover	50	25	100
   Bahiagrass	50	25	100
   Barrelclover	100	25	100
   Barley	500	100	500
   Bean, adzuki	500	100	500
   Bean, field	500	100	500
   Bean, mung	500	100	500
   Bean (see Velvetbean)
   Beet, field	500	100	500
   Beet, sugar	500	100	1,000
   Beggarweed	50	25	100
   Bentgrass, colonial	2.5	25	100
   Bentgrass, creeping	2.5	25	100
   Bentgrass, velvet	2.5	25	100
   Bermudagrass	10	25	100
   Bermudagrass, giant	10	25	100
   Bluegrass, annual	10	25	100
   Bluegrass, bulbous	40	25	100
   Bluegrass, Canada	5	25	100
   Bluegrass, glaucantha	10	25	100
   Bluegrass, Kentucky	10	25	100
   Bluegrass, Nevada	10	25	100
   Bluegrass, rough	5	25	100
   Bluegrass, Texas	10	25	100
   Bluegrass, wood	5	25	100
   Bluejoint	5	25	100
   Bluestem, big	70	25	100
   Bluestem, little	50	25	100
   Bluestem, sand	100	25	100
   Bluestem, yellow	10	25	100
   Bottlebrush-squirreltail	90	25	100
   Brome, field	50	25	100
   Brome, meadow	130	25	100
   Brome, mountain	200	25	100
   Brome, smooth	70	25	100
   Broomcorn	400	100	500
   Buckwheat	500	100	500
   Buffalograss:
   (Burs)	200	25	100
   (Caryopses)	30	25	100
   Buffelgrass:
   (Fascicles)	66	25	100
   (Caryopses)	20	25	100
   Burclover, California:
   (In bur)	500	100	500
   (Out of bur)	70	25	100
   Burclover, spotted:
   (In bur)	500	100	500
   (Out of bur)	50	25	100
   Burnet, little	250	25	100
   Buttonclover	70	25	100
   Canarygrass	200	25	100
   Canarygrass, reed	20	25	100
   Carpetgrass	10	25	100
   Castorbean	500	100	500
   Chess, soft	50	25	100
   Chickpea	500	100	500
   Clover, alsike	20	25	100
   Clover, arrowleaf	40	25	100
   Clover, berseem	50	25	100
   Clover, cluster	10	25	100
   Clover, crimson	100	25	100
   Clover, Kenya	20	25	100
   Clover, Ladino	20	25	100
   Clover, Lappa	20	25	100
   Clover, large hop	10	25	100
   Clover, Persian	20	25	100
   Clover, red	50	25	100
   Clover, rose	70	25	100
   Clover, small hop (suckling)	20	25	100
   Clover, strawberry	50	25	100
   Clover, sub (subterranean)	250	25	100
   Clover, white	20	25	100
   Corn, field	500	100	1,000
   Corn, pop	500	100	1,000
   Cotton	500	100	500
   Cowpea	500	100	500
   Crambe	250	25	100
   Crested dogtail	20	25	100
   Crotalaria, lance	70	25	100
   Crotalaria, showy	250	25	100
   Crotalaria, slenderleaf	100	25	100
   Crotalaria, striped	100	25	100
   Crotalaria, Sunn	500	25	100
   Crownvetch	100	25	100
   Dallisgrass	40	25	100
   Dichondra	50	25	100
   Dropseed, sand	2.5	25	100
   Emmer	500	100	500
   Fescue, Chewings	30	25	100
   Fescue, hair	10	25	100
   Fescue, hard	20	25	100
   Fescue, meadow	50	25	100
   Fescue, red	30	25	100
   Fescue, sheep	20	25	100
   Fescue, tall	50	25	100
   Flax	150	25	100
   Galletagrass:
   (Other than caryopses)	100	25	100
   (Caryopses)	50	25	100
   Grama, blue	20	25	100
   Grama, side-oats:
   (Other than caryopses)	60	25	100
   (Caryopses)	20	25	100
   Guar	500	25	100
   Guineagrass	20	25	100
   Hardinggrass	30	25	100
   Hemp	500	100	500
   Indiangrass, yellow	70	25	100
   Indigo, hairy	70	25	100
   Japanese lawngrass	20	25	100
   Johnsongrass	100	25	100
   Kenaf	500	100	500
   Kochia, forage	20	25	100
   Kudzu	250	25	100
   Lentil	500	25	100
   Lespedeza, Korean	50	25	100
   Lespedeza, sericea or Chinese	30	25	100
   Lespedeza, Siberian	30	25	100
   Lespedeza, striate	50	25	100
   Lovegrass, sand	10	25	100
   Lovegrass, weeping	10	25	100
   Lupine, blue	500	100	500
   Lupine, white	500	100	500
   Lupine, yellow	500	100	500
   Manilagrass	20	25	100
   Meadow foxtail	30	25	100
   Medick, black	50	25	100
   Milkvetch	90	25	100
   Millet, browntop	80	25	100
   Millet, foxtail	50	25	100
   Millet, Japanese	90	25	100
   Millet, pearl	150	25	100
   Millet, proso	150	25	100
   Molassesgrass	5	25	100
   Mustard, black	20	25	100
   Mustard, India	50	25	100
   Mustard, white	150	25	100
   Napiergrass	50	25	100
   Needlegrass, green	70	25	100
   Oat	500	100	500
   Oatgrass, tall	60	25	100
   Orchardgrass	30	25	100
   Panicgrass, blue	20	25	100
   Panicgrass, green	20	25	100
   Pea, field	500	100	500
   Peanut	500	100	500
   Poa trivialis (see bluegrass, rough)
   Rape, annual	70	25	100
   Rape, bird	70	25	100
   Rape, turnip	50	25	100
   Rape, winter	100	25	100
   Redtop	2.5	25	100
   Rescuegrass	200	25	100
   Rhodesgrass	10	25	100
   Rice	500	100	500
   Ricegrass, Indian	70	25	100
   Roughpea	500	100	500
   Rye	500	100	500
   Rye, mountain	280	25	100
   Ryegrass, annual	50	25	100
   Ryegrass, intermediate	80	25	100
   Ryegrass, perennial	50	25	100
   Ryegrass, Wimmera	50	25	100
   Safflower	500	100	500
   Sagewort, Louisiana	5	25	100
   Sainfoin	500	100	500
   Saltbush, fourwing	150	25	100
   Seasame	70	25	100
   Sesbania	250	25	100
   Smilo	20	25	100
   Sorghum	500	100	1,000
   Sorghum almum	150	25	100
   Sorghum-sudangrass hybrid	500	100	1,000
   Sorgrass	150	25	100
   Sourclover	50	25	100
   Soybean	500	100	500
   Spelt	500	100	500
   Sudangrass	250	25	100
   Sunflower	500	100	500
   Sweetclover, white	50	25	100
   Sweetclover, yellow	50	25	100
   Sweet vernalgrass	20	25	100
   Sweetvetch, northern	190	25	100
   Switchgrass	40	25	100
   Timothy	10	25	100
   Timothy, turf	10	25	100
   Tobacco	5	1	1
   Trefoil, big	20	25	100
   Trefoil, birdsfoot	30	25	100
   Triticale	500	100	500
   Vaseygrass	30	25	100
   Veldtgrass	40	25	100
   Velvetbean	500	100	500
   Velvetgrass	10	25	100
   Vetch, common	500	100	500
   Vetch, hairy	500	100	500
   Vetch, Hungarian	500	100	500
   Vetch, Monantha	500	100	500
   Vetch, narrowleaf	500	100	500
   Vetch, purple	500	100	500
   Vetch, woolypod	500	100	500
   Wheat, common	500	100	500
   Wheat, club	500	100	500
   Wheat, durum	500	100	500
   Wheat, Polish	500	100	500
   Wheat, poulard	500	100	500
   Wheat × Agrotricum	500	100	500
   Wheatgrass, beardless	80	25	100
   Wheatgrass, fairway crested	40	25	100
   Wheatgrass, standard crested	50	25	100
   Wheatgrass, intermediate	150	25	100
   Wheatgrass, pubescent	150	25	100
   Wheatgrass, Siberian	50	25	100
   Wheatgrass, slender	70	25	100
   Wheatgrass, streambank	50	25	100
   Wheatgrass, tall	150	25	100
   Wheatgrass, western	100	25	100
   Wildrye, basin	80	25	100
   Wild-rye, Canada	110	25	100
   Wild-rye, Russian	60	25	100
   Zoysia Japonica (see Japanese lawngrass)
   Zoysia matrella (see Manilagrass)

(b) Method of sampling.

1. (1) When an importation consists of more than one lot, each lot shall be sampled separately.
2. (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.
3. (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.
4. (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.

(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.

1. (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.
2. (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.
3. (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.

(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:

1. (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;
2. (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;
3. (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
4. (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.