Ashley Hunter
news@greenepublishing.com
Around the United States, a unique threat has been popping up in various states. Starting last weekend, Agricultural officials in the various states began issuing warnings about unsolicited shipments of seeds that were being sent to Americans. All of the packages of seeds seem to have originated from China.
As of Monday, Aug. 31, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has collected 8,507 packages from 50 states. So far, 2,410 of those packages have been examined and a total of 321 different species of seeds have been identified. However, acording to Madison County Extension Agent Dan Fenneman, this may not include any Madison County residents. Neighboring Madison County though, the Jefferson County Extension Office announced that a county resident had recently received a Chinese seed package in the mail. These seeds were sealed in a package from Shanghai, China.
There was no identifying label on the small, black seeds that specified what sort of plant they belonged to, and the only item included with the plastic parcel of seeds was an instructional letter (written in English) that explained how to care for the seeds. The instructions encouraged the receiver to plant the seeds in nutrient-rich soil and fertilize the plant.
As these packages of seeds continue to pop up around the United States, the Florida Department of Agriculture is requesting that anyone who receives such a package not to open the seed parcel. Do not plant the seeds or throw them in the trash – instead, the seeds should be reported to the department as well as the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Seeds of unknown origin may be invasive or can introduce diseases that will impact native plants and animals. The department also warns that these plants may also present the risk of introducing toxins or pathogens into the environment. As there is very little information on where the seeds are coming from or the purpose of the seeds, extreme caution is advised.
The USDA is reportedly working with the United States Department of Homeland Security to stop any further seeds from entering the country.
What to do is you receive a package of seeds from China:
Do not open, plant or discard the seeds, and if they are in sealed packaging, don't open the sealed package.
Report the seed package to the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Anti-Smuggling Hotline at 1 (800) 877-3835 or SITC.Mail@aphis.usda.gov.
Report the seed package to the FDACS - Division of Plant Industry at 1 (888) 397-1517 or DPIhelpline@FDACS.gov.