Ohio warns public to not plant packages of unsolicited seeds | Several Ohioans have received packages in the mail containing seeds that appear to have originated from China.
The Ohio Department of Agriculture has been notified that several Ohio residents have received unsolicited packages in the mail containing seeds that appear to have originated from China.
The types of seeds in the packages are currently unknown and may contain invasive plant species. The packages were sent by mail and may have Chinese writing on them. Unsolicited packages of seeds have been received by people in several other states across the United States over the last several days.
If you receive a package of this type, do not plant these seeds. If they are in sealed packaging, do not open the sealed package.
You can report the seeds to the Ohio Department of Agriculture online or contact the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Anti-smuggling Hotline by calling 800-877-3835 or by emailing SI*******@ap***.gov.
Also, if possible, retain the original packaging, as that information may be useful to trade compliance officers as they work through this issue.
Unsolicited seeds could be invasive species, contain noxious weeds, could introduce diseases to local plants or could be harmful to livestock. Invasive species and noxious weeds can displace native plants and increase costs of food production.
ODA and APHIS are working to prevent the introduction of invasive species and protect Ohio agriculture. All foreign seeds shipped to the United States should have a phytosanitary certificate which guarantees the seeds meet important requirements.
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