Can you bring Yerba mate From argentina to the US in airplane luggage?

Question

Is it legal to bring yerba mate from argentina in your airplane luggage from argentina to the United States or will it be confiscated??

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mate_(beverage)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yerba

Answer 1

From my own experience the answer is yes.  Just make sure its in the original bag and its unopened.  I lived in Chile for a couple years (10+ years ago) and brought home about 10 kilos of the stuff and was never questioned.  

You dont really need to declare it unless they specifically ask about it.  But if you have a suitcase full I would probably declare it.

One thing to know though is that you can get the loose herb here in the US at just about any "Whole Foods" type of store for abotu $5-6 per kilo bag.  Selection is very limited though.  But at least you can get your mate fix :)

Answer 2

First of all, you'd need to declare it; if it's not declared, it will be confiscated.  

There is a possibility it would be on the prohibited list.  Certain plants require a phytosanitary certificate in advance. For information on certificates, contact the USDA/APHIS Plant Protection and Quarantine Permit Unit.