Officials are urging residents not to use the seeds
Some U.S. residents are reporting receiving random packages of seeds.
At least 311 unsolicited packages from 64 locations, and a live plant, have arrived at Texas addresses from China, the department of agriculture said on March 21.
Initial testing indicated some of the seeds are water lilies, Fox 7 reported.
“We must stay vigilant and not assume that every package contains harmless plant material. Although many of these seeds are not listed as noxious plants by the federal government, they still pose a significant national biosecurity threat that should not be overlooked,” Texas Ag Commissioner Sid Miller said in a statement, adding these incidents show a security gap in the U.S. delivery system.
Miller reminds Texans to contact the Texas Department of Agriculture if they receive a random package containing seeds.
In Alabama, seeds came in a package from China labeled as greeting cards.
This practice is known as agricultural smuggling. It involves the illegal import of agricultural products to bypass inspections.
Officials are urging people not to plant any seeds as they could be dangerous.
“Alabama’s climate is suitable for a wide range of plant species to establish and grow,” David Russell, an extension professor at Auburn University who specializes in invasive plant management, said in a university article on March 17. “Seed from unsolicited sources like this should never be planted, because some could have invasive potential like cogongrass, kudzu or Chinese privet that aggressively spread.”
Cogongrass, for example, can invade pastures and crops.
And Chinese privet matures rapidly and are prolific seed producers.
Americans received similar packages in 2020.
That year, people in all 50 states reported receiving unsolicited packages of seeds.
In July 2020, the USDA determined the contents of some of the unknown seeds.
Those packages included mustard, cabbage, morning glory, mint, sage, and rosemary.