AnonymousSource: Ventura County Agricultural Commissioner
Residents across the country have been receiving unsolicited and mysterious seeds shipped from China. The seeds are arriving in small mailer envelopes labeled with descriptions such as “stud earrings”, “jewelry”, “handmade flowers”, and “wire connectors”. Since it is illegal to ship seeds unless they meet the import requirements of the United States – including proper labeling with the name of the shipper, the type of seed, and certification where required – the small packets are sent mislabeled in order to pass through Customs undetected.
“There is concern that these seeds may be invasive species or can carry plant diseases,” said Ed Williams, Agricultural Commissioner. “We have already been contacted by a number of residents who have turned in the seeds they received to our office. We want to work with the community to ensure that none of these seeds present a problem for our native plants and agriculture and we thank everyone in advance for their cooperation.”
Any Ventura County residents who may have received packets such as these are asked to hold on to them and contact the Ventura County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office at (805) 388-4222 in Camarillo, or (805) 933-2926 in Santa Paula. Residents should not dispose of the seeds in the trash due to the risk of the seeds sprouting in the landfill. Staff with the Agricultural Commissioner’s Office will arrange for the seeds to either be picked up or will provide drop-off instructions.
For community members who may have already planted the seeds they received, the Agricultural Commissioner is also asking that they contact the office. Arrangements can be made to remove the seeds that were planted.
Sandys, the credit thieves are not “China” but individual crooks and organizations. Cyber theft comes from all over the world, remember eastern Europe, Africa, Pakistan, India, Indonesia, ad nauseum. Your accusation sounds like a dog whistle from Trump.
next people will be receiving crab-eating macaques in the mail!
Maybe covid wasn’t as successful as they’d hoped so plan B is mystery seeds.
I think the Chinese got the idea from either “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” or “The Day of the Triffids.” If you plant these seeds, just watch out for suspicious pods in the cellar.
Find an address in China and mail them back.
Those seeds look alot like the seeds put out by a “fern” type plant that we could find online but,with no known name given. This fern came in a bag of miracle Grow potting mix wich we found out later had come from….You guessed it, CHINA.
The fern then invaded and killed the beautiful Cycas palm we had planted in the pot.
At this point we are doing our best to avoid crappy china crap and that in itself is hard to do all the way down to potting soil.
If I were to receive these seeds, I think that just out of curiosity I might plant them in a large pot or something that isn’t rooted directly to the earth; then when they sprout, I’d ask my yardboy what they were. Maybe they’d be something cool like artichokes. I mean, I’m guessing artichokes come from seeds…don’t they? Yeah, I’d really like some of them Chinese artichokes.
CHICO we too are doing our best to avoid buying Chinese made crap. It IS hard but it is not impossible! I found many manufacturers of anything from pots and pans to sheets and facemasks that are USA only – although for some you have to research the materials as well as sometimes the “USA Made” is only for the assembly. But we have to start somewhere! The more we buy American the more options we will have. We’ve gotten so used to cheap Chinese crap and being able to buy it cheap that we fill our houses with it even when some/many contain VOCs. Buy less, spend more up front for lasting quality stuff and you’re conscience will also feel better.