Across the country, people in and out of agriculture have been receiving unsolicited packages of seed in the mail. These mysterious packages appear to be sent from somewhere in China and contain sealed packs of an unidentified seed.

 

While we didn’t need another thing to be alarmed by in 2020, the idea of an unknown, invasive, possibly noxious species being sent to American households certainly gives us one. According to the Arizona Department of Agriculture, APHIS is working closely with the Department of Homeland Security’s Customs and Border Protection, as well as state Departments of Agriculture across the nation, to protect American agriculture and prevent these seeds from entering the country.

 

Why these packages are being sent is still unknown. But while US and state officials work to get to the bottom of these strange mailings, what matters most is that anyone who might receive one of these packages knows what to do – and not do – with them. 

 

What to Do

 

  1. First and foremost, DO NOT plant them. But don’t throw them away, either.
  2. Instead, immediately send (or drop off) the seeds and the packaging that were mailed to you to one of the following Arizona Department of Agriculture service stations:

 

Arizona Department of Agriculture

ATTN: PLANT SERVICES DIVISION

1688 W. Adams

Phoenix, AZ  85007

(P) (602) 542-4293

(F) (602) 542-4290

 

Tucson Operations 

Arizona Department of Agriculture

Plant Services Division

400 W Congress Ste. 124

Tucson, Az.  85701

(P) 520-628-6314

(F) 520-628-6961

 

Yuma Operations 

Arizona Department of Agriculture

Plant Services Division 

1931 S. Arizona Avenue Suite 4

Yuma, AZ 85364

(P) 928-341-1758

(F) 928-341-1750

 

In the meantime, stick to purchasing seeds from reliable and verifiable sources for that garden you may be inspired to grow.