Enforcement of the LACEY Act for wood furniture begins July 1, 2009.
Amendments passed last year make it illegal to import items that contain illegally logged wood. The definition of illegally logged is that which is either sold below market price or cut in violation of treaties, laws and regulations.The Act requires origin of wood species declarations from importers that contains the scientific name of the plant imported, its country of origin and a description of its value and quantity in products. The declaration of wood origin and value requires a signature at the bottom under penalty of perjury although many other import documents do not.
The USDA is the governing body for the LACEY Act so be sure to check with their site for updates on the actual enforcement schedule and for the appropriate declaration documents. Remember penalties for violating the Act can involve fines, jail or forfeiture of products. You can download the one published at the time of this post here.
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