Ky. Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles sounds alarm on unsolicited foreign seeds

Kentucky is now the fourth known state to report suspicious packages appearing to originate from China containing seeds. Multiple states have opened investigations. If you receive a suspicious package of seeds that you did not order, you are asked to not plant the seeds as they could contain an invasive species; contact the Kentucky Department of Agriculture immediately at 502-573-0282 or email Ag.Web@ky.gov; and put the package and seeds in a zip lock bag and wash your hands immediately.

According to a release from Agriculture Commissioner Dr. Ryan Quarles, he is sounding the alarm about reports of foreign seeds being shipped unsolicited to Kentuckians across the Commonwealth.

“It is incredibly important that if you receive a package of foreign or unfamiliar seeds, you report it to the Kentucky Department of Agriculture immediately,” Commissioner Quarles said. “At this point in time, we don’t have enough information to know if this is a hoax, a prank, an internet scam, or an act of agricultural bio-terrorism. Unsolicited seeds could be invasive and introduce unknown diseases to local plants, harm livestock or threaten our environment. If you have received such a package, do not plant the seeds and immediately contact the Kentucky Department of Agriculture.”

The Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA) has been notified of several Kentucky residents who had received unsolicited seed packets that appear to have originated by China. The types of seeds are unknown and may be harmful. The packages were sent by mail.

“I want to reiterate: do not plant the seeds,” Commissioner Quarles said. “We don’t know what they are, and we cannot risk any harm whatsoever to agricultural production in the United States. We have the safest, most abundant food supply in the world and we need to keep it that way.”

Individuals who have received suspicious packages with seeds should put them in an airtight bag and ship them to the United States Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's division of Plant Protection Quarantine at USDA-APHIS PPQ, P.O. Box 475, Hebron, Kentucky 41048.

Individuals are also encouraged to contact the Kentucky Department of Agriculture at (502) 573-0282 or e-mail ag.web@ky.gov.