Ag department warns on mysterious seeds
by July 27, 2020 3:44 pm 1,685 views
The Arkansas Department of Agriculture has been made aware that private citizens in several states have received unsolicited packages containing seeds that appear to have originated from China.
The types of seeds in the packages are unknown at this time and may be invasive plant species. The packages were sent by mail and may have Chinese writing on them.
The Arkansas Department of Agriculture is encouraging anyone who has received unsolicited seeds in the mail that appears to have Chinese origin to place the unopened seed packet in a sealed bag and contact the Plant Industries Division at 501-225-1598 or:
- Paul Shell [email protected]
- Mark Stoll [email protected]
- Scott Bray [email protected]
They are advising against planting the seeds.
Invasive species wreak havoc on the environment, displace or destroy native plants and insects and severely damage crops.
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.