ASTA Statement on Unsolicited Seed Shipments

ASTA is coordinating with USDA’s Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and state departments of agriculture to determine the type and origin of seeds that have allegedly illegally entered the U.S. from China. If you receive unsolicited seeds, do not open the package or plant the seeds. Limit your contact with the seed package, and immediately contact your State plant regulatory official or APHIS State plant health director. Seeds of unknown origin may constitute agricultural smuggling, be invasive, introduce pathogens, toxins, or plant and animal diseases, and could pose a threat to plant, animal, and human health. For more information, see the statement from APHIS.