‘They may look innocent, but the danger is real’
Unwanted seed packages from China arriving on doorsteps across the United States have led agricultural officials to issue urgent warnings about potential threats to American crops and ecosystems.
What’s going on?
Accordingly In the New York Post, the Texas Department of Agriculture documented 126 packages delivered across the state since January 1; Additional deliveries from Florida to New Mexico were also reported. The packages contain transparent envelopes filled with seeds, sometimes bearing Chinese labels, sometimes without labels.
“These packages are flowing faster and farther than ever before,” Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller said, according to the report. “They may seem innocent, but the danger is real.”
People who received these mailers stated that they never ordered them, and authorities instructed anyone who found these deliveries on their doorstep to leave them sealed and notify authorities to take them for testing.
“Texans need to stay vigilant,” Miller said. “Report every suspicious package. We cannot take any risks that could endanger our producers, the environment or food safety.”
While bundles are “scam scams” where businesses send worthless products to create fake reviews, they still pose real risks. A similar wave of mysterious seed mail from China occurred throughout 2020, which researchers attributed to similar scam schemes.
The seeds somehow evade U.S. customs inspections designed to prevent them from entering the country.
“There is a flaw in our security system,” Miller said said News 4 San Antonio. “These are coming [via] ship directly. “Customs does not accept this.”
Why are these packages important?
Invasive seeds, distributed singly or fraudulently, can devastate local ecosystems and food production systems.
“An invasive species, pest or pathogen could devastate Texas farms, ranches, natural resources and food supply,” Miller warned, according to the Post.
Introducing non-native plants can cause them to rapidly outcompete native species, disrupting pollination patterns and destroying habitats that wildlife depend on for survival.
“Some of these seeds are invasive species, harmful weeds, and we don’t want them used in our agricultural products,” Miller explained. “It could devastate agricultural production.”
What is being done against invasive seed threats?
Agriculture officials are coordinating with customs enforcement to detect and block suspicious seed packages, and the Texas Department of Agriculture is actively collecting reported packages for testing and proper disposal.
Anyone receiving unwanted seeds should contact their state department of agriculture immediately rather than throwing away packages where the seeds may germinate.
Miller, for his part, emphasized that accurate reporting also helps authorities track distribution patterns and address gaps in screening that allow packages to enter the country undetected.
Meanwhile, to counter the impact of invasive plant species, rewilding your garden Using native species can make it much harder for problem plants to take root.
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