Mystery Seed Packages Prompt State Warning

by North Forty News Staff | NorthFortyNews.com

Officials urge residents not to plant unsolicited seeds mailed from overseas

State and federal agriculture officials are urging Colorado residents to remain vigilant after continued reports of unsolicited seed packages arriving through the mail—shipments that could threaten farms, gardens, and natural landscapes if planted.

The Colorado Department of Agriculture, working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and its Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, says the packages often originate from outside the United States and may contain invasive plants, pests, or diseases that could damage Colorado’s $47 billion agricultural economy and sensitive ecosystems.

“The introduction of a new invasive species or plant disease is one of the greatest threats to our state’s biodiversity and farming industry,” said Wondirad Gebru, director of the Colorado Department of Agriculture’s Plant Industry Division. “We need every resident to treat these unsolicited seeds as an urgent agricultural threat.”

Officials stress that anyone who receives seeds they did not order should avoid opening or planting them and should report the shipment so it can be tested and safely destroyed.

Unsolicited seed packages first drew national attention in 2020, when thousands of Americans reported receiving mystery seed packets in the mail. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture and its Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, most of those seeds were ordinary plant varieties, and the shipments were widely believed to be tied to an online “brushing” scam that generates fake product reviews.

Even so, agriculture experts warn that unknown seeds still pose a risk. Introducing an invasive species—even accidentally—can damage crops, harm native ecosystems, and require costly long-term control efforts.

Residents who receive unsolicited seeds should follow these steps:

• Do not open the seed packets. Leave them sealed and place the seeds and all mailing materials, including the shipping label, inside a sealable plastic bag.
• Do not plant the seeds or expose them to soil, plants, or water sources.
• After reporting the package, place the sealed bag into an envelope or box and mail the entire shipment—including seeds and packaging—for identification and secure disposal to:

USDA APHIS PPQ
3950 North Lewiston Street, Suite 104
Aurora, CO 80011-1561

Officials say plant health specialists use advanced sampling and identification procedures, including examination by professional botanists, to ensure that shipments are safely analyzed and, if necessary, destroyed.

If residents must handle the package, they should wear disposable gloves. If a chemical or unusual odor is present, the package should be moved to a well-ventilated area and not intentionally smelled. Authorities also warn residents never to discard unsolicited seeds in the trash or compost.

Colorado residents with questions about unsolicited seeds can contact the Colorado Department of Agriculture Plant Industry Division at (303) 869-9052 or by email at cda_nursery@state.co.us.

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Attribution: Colorado Department of Agriculture

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