Bay Area: Mysterious seed packages bring public warning - East Bay Times

Contra Costa County officials are warning residents that if they should get some seeds in the mail unexpectedly, they should not plant them,.

They’re … well, seedy.

“They could be weeds,” said Matt Slattengren, the agricultural commissioner and weights-and-measures director for Contra Costa County. “They could be diseases, they could be viruses. We just don’t know yet.”

The strange seeds began arriving throughout the United States in recent weeks, and the packages appear to be from China, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, though the Chinese foreign ministry has said the postmarks are forged. The labels often indicate the packages contain jewelry.

All 50 states have issued warnings about the seeds, concerned that they could be an invasive plant species that might cause harm to native North American plants or wildlife. The California Department of Agriculture is instructing California residents not to open any unsolicited packets, but to instead to contact their county agricultural office. In Contra Costa County, residents should call925-608-6600 or email agcommissioner@ag.cccounty.us.

“At this time, we don’t have any evidence indicating this is something other than a ‘brushing scam,’ where people receive unsolicited items from a seller who then posts false customer reviews to boost sales,” the USDA said in a statement. “USDA is currently collecting seed packages from recipients and will test their contents and determine if they contain anything that could be of concern to U.S. agriculture or the environment.”

Slattengren confirmed that residents in Contra Costa County began receiving the seeds last weekend “and maybe earlier.” Officials from Alameda and Santa Clara counties did not immediately respond to calls asking about whether residents in those counties have received similar packages.

“I’ve got about 40 or 50 packages sitting on our desks right now,” Slattengren said. “We’re driving to each residence, making sure we get them picked up, so they don’t get planted or thrown in the trash. They could end up growing in a dump.”

Slattengren said whatever hazards the seeds may bring likely would be contained to plant life and not directly affect human health. The agricultural cost could be far more painful, he said, because viruses and weeds can ruin crops the state depends on.

“We’re keeping a watch on it,” he said.

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