Plant Sample Shipping Information
Submitting your sample from within the UK
Please send your Crop Health samples to the following address:
Plant/Soil Sample Reception - 04G06
Fera Science Ltd. (Fera)
York Biotech Campus
Sand Hutton
York
YO41 1LZ
United Kingdom
For customers outside England and Wales please see our ‘Sending samples for plant pest and disease testing from outside England and Wales’ section below.
Manual Ordering of Plant Clinic Testing
When submitting your sample for testing that has not been ordered on-line via our website, please follow the guidelines outlined below.
A 'sample' is defined as a unique unit sent in for examination of the same problem. A unit can be a single item (plant, plant part, soil, etc.), or multiple items of the same variety, taken from the same location and exhibiting the same problem. If sending multiple items showing the range of symptoms as ‘1 sample’ or extra ‘healthy material for comparison’ please mark as such on the sample bag, and on the accompanying sample submission form to indicate the number of samples to be charged. Entirely dead material should not be submitted for testing.
The relevant signed sample submission form must be included (in a separate bag if the sample is damp). Failure to send a signed sample submission form may result in a delay of your sample being tested.
Completing your sample submission form
Please give as much detail as possible including your full contact details, your sample reference(s), your PO (if needed), the sample host and type and the specific problem you are concerned about. This aids our diagnosis.
All sample submission forms sent with samples for testing must be signed by the company ordering the testing, and the company who will be invoiced if different to the ordering company (see below information ‘invoicing for your order’).
For large batches* of samples, please send one sample submission form and use the appropriate ‘SSF sample spreadsheet’ (in the links below) to list all your sample references and tests required. Ensure you state how many samples are included in the order and add a note to say ‘see spread sheet emailed’ on the sample submission form in the references box.
If these details and a second signature are not provided or the outcome of that company’s credit checks are not satisfactory, we reserve the right to refuse to invoice to the company you have stated on the sample submission form, and by default the invoice will be sent to the company who has placed the order.
Multiple samples for the same testing/problem
If you are sending multiple samples, 1 sample submission form can be completed for all samples arriving in that order at the same time, that have the same problem/require the same test. Your samples will be processed as one order, with one report and one invoice, therefore any ‘multiple sample’ discounts available for test you have requested will be applied to your order.
Ensure you add the number of samples you are sending for that order, and your corresponding sample references (both on the form and the sample bags) so we can clearly identify all samples in the order.
For large batches* of samples, please complete the appropriate ‘SSF sample spreadsheet’ electronically (in the links below) to list all your sample references and tests required. Ensure you state how many samples are included in the order and add a note to say ‘see spread sheet emailed’ on the sample submission form in the references box. Then email an electronic copy of the SSF sample spreadsheet to plantclinic@fera.co.uk so it can be matched to your samples on arrival and suploaded to our system.
*As guidance a batch can be 2 or more samples of the same host, for the same problem, however if you are sending 5 or more, we would advise you complete the spread sheet to ensure the booking in process is as efficient as possible for your order.
Invoicing for your order
The invoice details provided on the sample submission form should be for the company who are placing the order, this could be a specific field office or your Head office.
In the case of a different company needing to be invoiced you must provide the following for us to invoice in this way:
- The other company’s full name
- The other company’s address
- The other company’s account contact details
- The other company’s VAT number and/or Business registration number (as appropriate).
In addition, a member of the other company must sign the sample submission form before submitting it with the samples.
If these details and a second signature are not provided or the outcome of that company’s credit checks are not satisfactory, we reserve the right to refuse to invoice to the company you have stated on the sample submission form, and by default the invoice will be sent to the company who has placed the order.
Bespoke tests are available on request, please contact us on +44 (0)300 100 0322 or via the Crop health team: crophealth@fera.co.uk
Sending samples for plant pest and disease testing from outside England and Wales
When sending plant pathogens and invertebrates from outside England and Wales, for testing please include the relevant Fera Letter of Authority (as issued by Fera Science Ltd) to ensure your samples are not delayed upon entry into Customs. This covers material to be sent for diagnosis of plant pests and pathogens.
Fera hold plant health Scientific Authorisations which (for the purposes above) allow us to:
- Import, move and keep prohibited plant pathogens.
- Import, move and keep prohibited invertebrates.
As the customer, you are responsible for paying any customs duties or excise duties that may be raised by UK Customs when sending samples to Fera for testing. If this charge is passed to Fera on your behalf, we reserve the right to charge this cost back to you and this may be invoiced separately from your testing charges. We therefore recommend that, where possible, packages should be marked with zero or a nominal monetary value (i.e., £1, $1 or 1 Euro) and samples be labelled 'No commercial value - to be destroyed after scientific testing'.
For a copy of the Plant or Invertebrates Scientific Authorisation/Letter of Authority (LOA), or a new LoA reference number (if you have an existing LoA with a valid date) please contact us on +44 (0)300 100 0322 or email plantclinic@fera.co.uk
]General import conditions on ALL licensed material
- All samples must be safely packaged in at least three layers of containment (one of which must be unbreakable) to prevent accidental release. Ridged plastic containers are recommended rather than other types of packaging (e.g., glass) as material can be easily damaged.
- Any material obtained under the terms of the Scientific Authorisation must be sent directly to Fera's Plant Clinic (Plant Health quarantine containment facilities) at York and not via any other institute.
- The relevant current Letter of Authority (LoA), in conjunction with the 'authenticated list of materials' must accompany all packages. A new LoA reference number must be obtained from the Fera Plant Clinic for each sample sending so please contact us in advance every time you wish to send a sample. The LoA’s and Reference numbers are available from plantclinic@fera.co.uk
- The LoA and accompanying documents must be placed on the outside of the package, it is also advisable to include a copy within with the package in case these become detached in transit.
- To ensure that packages pass courier clearance procedures, an invoice must be included, with ‘zero’ or nominal monetary value (i.e., £1, $1 or 1 Euro) and the samples should be labelled 'No commercial value - to be destroyed after scientific testing'. As the customer, you are responsible for paying any customs duties or excise duties that may be raised by UK Customs or the courier company when sending samples to Fera for testing.
- The accompanying documents must state what the contents of the consignments are.
- Any material not meeting these requirements will either be re-exported or destroyed by the PHSI upon arrival in England and Wales.
- Further information be found here.
Completing the Letter of Authority
- You will need to complete boxes 1, 5, 9, 11 and 12, of the Letter of Authority, (this is an official Plant Health Document and must be completed, failure to do so may result in the package being stopped at the UK Border and held for an unspecified period of time).
More information can be found here.
]Preparing your sample
- To help us offer the best possible service we need the best possible sample. Try to send a sample that is representative of the problem - we need to see the full range of symptoms.
- For diseases, try to include the boundary between healthy and diseased tissue and where possible, include healthy material for comparison marked as such.
- If symptoms on leaves or shoots show general discoloration or dieback, suggesting possible root damage, then please send us a whole plant (where possible) and include the roots and surrounding soil.
- If you suspect the problem is due to nematodes, please include separate soil samples from both the unaffected area and the edge of the affected area.
- If your sample has been fumigated or treated with chemicals, please state this on the sample submission form and the internal sample packaging.
- Water samples should be sampled in sterile bottles and need to arrive within 24hrs of sampling.
All samples should be put in a strong envelope or cardboard box with your submission form and packed securely.
For specific sample type guidelines see below:
Whole plants
Enclose moist root ball in a plastic bag sealed around the plant stem. Place the whole plant in a second plastic bag, inflate slightly and seal. Add padding to minimise excess movement of the plant in the outer packaging.
Leaves and shoots
Bacterial diagnosis: Wrap in dry absorbent paper, place in a plastic bag, inflate slightly and seal. Fungal or Pest diagnosis: Wrap in slightly moist absorbent paper, place in a plastic bag, inflate slightly and seal. Virus diagnosis: Place in a plastic bag, inflate slightly and seal. Other/unknown diagnosis: Wrap sample in slightly moist absorbent paper, place in a plastic bag, inflate slightly and seal
Fleshy items
Fruit, vegetables, tubers (except potatoes), bulbs etc. Bacterial, Fungal & Invertebrates diagnosis: Wrap in dry, absorbent paper, if rotting/breaking down please wrap individually. Place in a plastic bag, inflate slightly and seal. Virus diagnosis: Place in a plastic bag, inflate slightly and seal.
Invertebrate pests
Samples of invertebrate pests (insects, spiders, mites etc.) should be put in a sealed shatter proof (not glass) container. Do not add air holes to the packaging, there should be sufficient within the container for the past to arrive intact and alive.
Potato tubers
Invertebrate diagnosis: Wrap in dry, absorbent paper. Place in a plastic bag, inflate slightly and seal. Other/unknown diagnosis: Wrap in dry, absorbent paper. Do not place in a plastic bag. If the samples are breaking down, they should be wrap in enough dry absorbent paper to prevent leaking in transport.
Soil Samples
For soil tests please check the relevant test page in our Soil Health Unit section for the correct amount of soil to send or contact us at plantclinic@fera.co.uk Place the relevant amount of soil in a strong plastic bag and seal. Do not over fill sample bags. For nematode analysis queries or Soil sampling protocol guidance please email nematology@fera.co.uk
Other submission guidelines
- Ideally, samples should be dispatched by either express courier service or first-class post to arrive at Fera next day.
- Try to avoid sending samples over the weekend or a bank holiday. If this is not possible, please mark the outer packaging ‘Please refrigerate on arrival’ for perishable samples in hot weather conditions.
- All samples should be put in a strong cardboard box and packed securely with screwed up paper.