REYNOLDSBURG – Agriculture officials in Ohio and several other states are warning people not to plant seeds they receive in unsolicited packages in the mail that appear to have originated from China.
The types of seeds in the packages are currently unknown and may contain invasive plant species, noxious weeds, or could introduce diseases to local plants, or be harmful to livestock, according to the Ohio Department of Agriculture and the agency’s counterparts in other states.
Invasive species and noxious weeds can displace native plants and increase costs of food production.
All foreign seeds shipped to the United States should have a “phytosanitary certificate” which guarantees the seeds meet important requirements.
Anyone who receives a package of the seeds is asked not to plant them or open the sealed package.
The seeds can be reported to the to department or to the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Anti-smuggling Hotline by calling 800-877-3835 or by emailing SITC.Mail@aphis.usda.gov.
Officials also ask those who receive the packets to keep the original packaging to help trade compliance officers investigate the issue.