Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles has announced the creation of a webpage dedicated to updated information about steps Kentuckians should take if they have received mysterious packages of seeds from China or any other foreign country.
Commissioner Quarles says in a news release, “The Kentucky Department of Agriculture has received hundreds of phone calls and e-mails since Monday about unsolicited packages of seeds from foreign countries. While the U.S. Department of Agriculture has not received any indication that this could be anything more than a marketing scam, they continue to investigate this matter and provide guidance on what steps Kentuckians should take should they receive unsolicited seeds.”
He continues, “The Kentucky Department of Agriculture is dedicated to sharing the best information with the public when we have it, and we encourage Kentuckians to visit kyagr.com/foreignseeds to stay current with the latest on this unusual situation.”
As previously reported, the state was notified last weekend of several Kentucky residents who had received unsolicited seed packets in the mail that appear to have originated from China. The types of seeds are unknown and may be harmful.
Commissioner Quarles stresses “The message is the same: Do not plant unsolicited seeds.”
Individuals who have received unsolicited foreign seeds should bag them in an airtight bag and send it to the United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s Plant Protection and Quarantine at: P.O. Box 475; Hebron, Kentucky 41048.