The US Has Started To Identify The Mystery Seeds Being Sent From China

USSA News ^ | 08/03/2020 | Tyler Durden

[SeekAndFind]

It was just about week ago that we highlighted a mysterious trend that was sweeping the U.S.: citizens were receiving unsolicited packages of seeds, with return addresses from China, for apparently no reason at all.

Now, the U.S. has started to identify "14 types of plants" that the seeds belonged to, revealing a “mix of ornamental, fruit and vegetable, herb and weed species,” according to the NY Times. Cabbage, hibiscus, lavender, mint, morning glory, mustard, rose, rosemary and sage have all been identified.

Osama El-Lissy of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service said: “This is just a subset of the samples we’ve collected so far.”

Art Gover, a plant science researcher at Penn State University said the "risk is low" of the plants being involved in biological warfare, but that the seeds "can be troublesome because they can introduce problematic weeds and diseases".

Lisa Delissio, a professor of biology at Salem State University in Massachusetts, said: "If any of the unidentified seeds turned out to be invasive species, they could displace native plants and compete for resources and cause harm to the environment, agriculture or human health."

Bernd Blossey, a professor in the department of natural resources at Cornell University commented: “Obviously planting rosemary or thyme in your garden isn’t something that will endanger our environment. But there may be other things in there that have not been identified yet. Any time you gain something unknown, my suggestion is burning them, not even throwing them in the trash.”

As of now, it seems too early to tell whether or not something nefarious is taking place. But, like Blossey says, we wouldn't take any chances either. In our prior report, we suggested the mailings could be some sort of agricultural warfare brewing between the U.S. and China - where agriculture remains a key point of trade tensions - and where a cold war of sorts appears to be bubbling up under the surface.

After multiple reports in the U.S. media regarding the seeds, China's Foreign Ministry responded last week by saying that China Post (the country's state owned mail service) "has strictly followed regulations that ban the sending and receiving of seeds," according to Bloomberg.

Further, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin says that the parcels were "forged" and "not from China". China has supposedly requested that the U.S. mail the seeds back to China so they could investigate further.

We noted last week that the response is anything but re-assuring. We're not postmaster generals but we find the idea of being able to forge mailing labels - and get products to their final destination - in this day and age where even the decrepit U.S. postal service is mostly digital, as a difficult one.

Recall, we wrote days ago that Americans across the country were starting to report receiving unsolicited packages of different types of seeds that they didn't order - and don't know anything about - at their door. The return address on the packages is always from China.

The Washington State Department of Agriculture wrote about the phenomenon on their Facebook page on July 24, 2020 and said that the seeds are being shipping in packaging that identifies the contents as jewelry. Similar advisories have been issued in Virginia, Utah, Kansas, Arizona and Louisiana.

Facebook users have been adding photos in the comments section of the post sharing photographs of seeds they have received from China. “It’s not a joke. I got some the other day!!!” one user commented, stating that the package identified the contents as a "Rose flower stud earring".

“Look’s like it’s all across the country,” stated an Indiana resident who also received seeds in the mail unsolicited.

At least 40 residents in Utah were said to have been mailed the unsolicited packages, according to the Daily Mail. The Kansas Department of Agriculture and the Arizona Department of Agriculture also addressed the phenomenon, as did the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, who said:

"Right now, we are uncertain what types of seeds are in the package. Out of caution, we are urging anyone who receives a package that was not ordered by the recipient, to please call the LDAF immediately. We need to identify the seeds to ensure they do not pose a risk to Louisiana’s agricultural industry or the environment."

There had been similar reports from Virginia's Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. "The seeds have yet to be identified, but officials speculate that the seeds may be of an invasive plant species and are advising residents not to use them," Fox News reported.

"Taking steps to prevent their introduction is the most effective method of reducing both the risk of invasive species infestations and the cost to control and mitigate those infestations," VDACS wrote in a press release.

Public Asked To Report Receipt of any Unsolicited Packages of Seeds. Learn more: https://t.co/RY9u4nR1QK pic.twitter.com/ZzNaO2ZaYz — VDACS (@VaAgriculture) July 24, 2020

Twitter is also littered with reports of people receiving these seeds:

We have received 2 of those packages here in Indiana. One from China, and one from Kyrgystan. pic.twitter.com/Fm6CBxf1mD — Don ⭐⭐⭐ (@SmallTownIndy) July 26, 2020

The Washington State Department of Agriculture has advised people on its Facebook page:

1) DO NOT plant them and if they are in sealed packaging (as in the photo below) don’t open the sealed package.

2) This is known as agricultural smuggling. Report it to USDA and maintain the seeds and packaging until USDA instructs you what to do with the packages and seeds. They may be needed as evidence.

Anyone who has received seeds in the mail can report them to the United States Department of Agriculture by visiting their website here. The site says:

If individuals are aware of the potential smuggling of prohibited exotic fruits, vegetables, or meat products into or through the USA, they can help APHIS by contacting the confidential Antismuggling Hotline number at 800-877-3835 or by sending an Email to SITC.Mail@aphis.usda.gov.

USDA will make every attempt to protect the confidentiality of any information sources during an investigation within the extent of the law.

[steve86]

The seeds are labeled individually with microdots indicating genus and species; just put them under a scope and have a peek.

[KarlInOhio]

Cabbage, hibiscus, lavender, mint, morning glory, mustard, rose, rosemary and sage

Are you going to Scarborough Fair?
Parsley, sage, rosemary, cabbage, hibiscus, lavender, mint, morning glory, mustard, rose and thyme.

Needs to be edited down a little.

[Cobra64]

Seems like a lot of work and waste of electricity. Gasoline and a match is quicker and more effective.

[ro_dreaming]

Aren’t we all on one Earth?

If the seeds grow in China, I bet there’s another are SOMEWHERE in the world, perhaps in the USA, they’ll grow.

As it’s been said, “Nature Finds A Way”

[teeman8r]

These seeds are for China’s leading agricultural exports... if they are grown elsewhere, China’s economy will collapse...

Maybe

[JudgemAll]

I know a lot of Chinese ladies are getting seeded in America with invasive specie...

[AF_Blue]

I’ll contribute some kudzu vine.

[IgnorerOfLiberals]

why don’t you convert to Islam then since you love them so much.

While the rest of us have a healthy mistrust of them and the goals of their faith.

[mad_as_he$$]

One of my neighbors got a package. We burned it in the forge - nice little fire.

[NonValueAdded]

Yes, ensure there is no GM changes. I hope that analysis is being done and they didn’t simply plant them.

[Colorado Doug]

Terra-forming North America

[BA63]

Exactly!

[captain_dave]

True, but some seeds need more than a quick burn to destroy and some people may not want to play with gasoline. (There are seeds that become activated by burning)

[Hot Tabasco]

I think the US should retaliate by sending Chinese residents packets of dandelion and crab grass seeds......

[Tilted Irish Kilt]

Lurker :" Nuke the bastards. Now. "

Source : https://www.britannica.com/science/chestnut-blight

" Chestnut blight, plant disease caused by the fungus Cryphonectria parasitica (formerly known as Endothia parasitica).
Accidentally imported from Asia, the disease was first observed in 1904 in the New York Zoological Gardens.
By 1925 it had decimated the American chestnut (Castanea dentata) population
in an area extending over 1,600 km (1,000 miles) north, south, and west of its entry point.

My Comment : That is why so many homes built in the 20's and 30's had so much decorative and ornamental interior wood.
American chestnut was used for front doors, cabinets, mantle pieces, tables and chairs, etc.
The blight literally killed massive forests almost overnight.

[Covenantor]

Noticed that even later, in the early 70s, in NYC the sidewalk roasted chesnut vendors slowly disappeared in late fall and winter. They practically surrounded Rockefeller Center at Christmas time and into the New Year.

Hardly ever see chestnuts in any markets, even the speciality food stores.

[Tilted Irish Kilt]

Covenantor :" Noticed that even later, in the early 70s, in NYC the sidewalk roasted chesnut vendors slowly disappeared in late fall and winter...
Hardly ever see chestnuts in any markets, even the speciality food stores."

True that, chestnuts are a verrry rare commodity !
Back in the very early 80's, I sent away for chestnut blight resistant nuts as there are some tree nurseries that are trying to bring back the American chestnut.
I received three small nuts, planted them all, and only one nut sprouted. When last I passed by that old farmstead of decades ago, I saw the nut which I had planted and nursed was now an isolated 28 foot tree.
There are now very few vestiges of American chestnut stands, mostly in isolated areas; one such small area nearby is a County park of glacial eskers and pot holes
which account for the trees isolation and survivability, but too far away for pollination.
Hopefully, there will be a resurgence of Chestnut since the roasted nuts are delicious, and the wood has a lustrous inherent beauty.

An excellent book on Chestnut woodworking and beauty as well as other woods:
"A Reverence for Wood" by Eric Sloane - (with color plates !)

[delta7]

I am with you in this...a dry run for something sinister.

[Glad2bnuts]

It is dereliction of duty, that we do not have enough neutron bombs to depopulate China, or any other enemy. Depopulation is a great idea for the world as long as it isn’t me and my family and friends..lol

[piasa]

Interesting