“Unsolicited” seeds originating from China are being delivered to residents through the United States Postal Service (USPS).
Residents from several other states including, Alabama, Arizona, Delaware, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Ohio, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, and Washington State have reported receiving suspicious packages of seeds.
Photos courtesy of the Carroll County Ag Center.
This practice is known as agricultural smuggling and the packaging is often mislabeled as “jewelry.”
If you are a recipient of the unsolicited seeds, follow the instructions below:
1). DO NOT plant the seeds and if they are in a sealed package, do not open the sealed package. Also, DO NOT dispose of the seeds.
2). Send the package and seeds to: Georgia Department of Agriculture at 1109 Experiment Street, Redding Building Room 215, Griffin, Georgia 30223.
You should include your contact information when you send them.
Visit the following link on the Georgia Department of Agriculture website for more information: http://agr.georgia.gov/unsolicited-packages-of-seeds-from-china.aspx
