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State & Federal Permit Requirements for Plant Research

A permit may be required for importation, transit, movement by mail, or environmental release of plants or organisms that may impact local flora or agriculture. The process for determining when a permit is required depends upon what you want to collect and your intended use of the material.

If you are not sure whether your intended activity requires a USDA-APHIS permit, email USDA APHIS at biotechquery@aphis.usda.gov or (301)734-5301.

Movement of Plants in Georgia

If your research involves moving any of the following into or out of Georgia, contact USDA-APHIS-PPQ to determine if a permit is required for your import or export.

• Importation of soil or plant materials, plant pests or plant associated organisms across state lines for research or domesitc purposes
• Exportation of soil or plant materials, plant pests or plant associated organisms across state lines for research or domesitc purposes
• Organisms and Soil
• Plant and Plant products
 – Groups of organisms which are or contain plant pests and exemptions

Genetically Modified Plants & Plant Pests

Introductions (interstate movement, importation or environmental release) of a regulated genetically engineered organism is overseen by USDA-APHIS Biotechnology Regulatory Service. Introductions and housing in outdoor venues (screen house, greenhouse, lath house, external beds) are authorized by USDA under either a permit or notification process.

USDA provides a  site to assist researchers in determining their permit needs. Plan early as permits may take up to 60 days to receive.

Under its biotechnology regulations, USDA does not currently ( regulate, or have any plans to regulate plants that could otherwise have been developed through traditional breeding techniques as long as they are developed without the use of a plant pest as the donor or vector and they are not themselves plant pests. This can include plant varieties with the following changes:

• ¶Ù±ð±ô±ð³Ù¾±´Ç²Ô²õ—the change to the plant is solely a genetic deletion of any size.
• Single base pair substitutions—the change to the plant is a single base pair substitution.
• Insertions from compatible plant relatives—the change to the plant solely introduces nucleic acid sequences from a compatible relative that could otherwise cross with the recipient organism and produce viable progeny through traditional breeding.
• Complete Null Segregants—off-spring of a genetically engineered plant that does not retain the change of its parent.
• More here: