Minnesotans Report Receiving Mystery Seeds

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture has received reports of residents receiving unsolicited packages of seeds appearing to come from China. Officials in other states, including Louisiana, Utah, Virginia, and Washington have reported similar situations.

Any Minnesotan who has received a package of seeds that they did not order should not plant the seeds and contact the MDA.

“We’re uncertain what these seeds may be and why people are receiving these unsolicited packages,” said Denise Thiede, MDA’s Seed Unit Supervisor. “Until we know more, we encourage people to contact us because of the risk they may pose to Minnesota agriculture and our natural landscapes.”

Here is the steps that the MDA is recommending that Minnesotans should do the if they have received unsolicited packages of seeds:

• Do not throw away the package or its contents.
• Do not plant the seeds.
• Contact Arrest the Pest line at 1-888-545-6684 or arrest.the.pest@state.mn.us and provide your name, contact information, and the date the package was received.
• Officials will coordinate shipping the packaging and contents to the MDA Seed Program.

The MDA is working with the United States Department of Agriculture's Smuggling Interdiction and Trade Compliance Program on the identification and destruction of the seeds.