Texans have been warned to be cautious with their mail after multiple reports of unsolicited seeds being delivered to residents, which authorities suspect could have originated from China.
The Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) is now investigating an incident in Frisco, where at least 10 boxes containing unrequested seeds were sent to a local resident.
What raised even more suspicion about the packages was the use of a website that concealed the origin area of the shipment. The return address was also mysteriously listed as a Frisco location.
The seeds sent to unsuspecting recipients could potentially be invasive species that can disrupt local ecosystems and agriculture. The foreign seeds may also carry pathogens or pests threatening crops, plants, and wildlife in Texas.
According to the TDA, sudden introductions of dangerous foreign seeds can lead to severe environmental and economic consequences, particularly for farming communities that rely on native species for crop production.
The New Mexico Department of Agriculture has also reported receiving similar untracked and unsolicited seed shipments in the mail, according to KOB 4.
This recent development mirrors an alarming trend seen years ago when mysterious seed packages were delivered to homes across all 50 states, per Axios. In 2020, the United States Department of Agriculture issued a nationwide warning about unsolicited seed deliveries, many of which appeared to have been sent from China. While it remains unclear if the most recent packages are indeed from China, the seeds closely resemble those received in prior years.
Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller spoke on the potential risks to public health and the state’s agricultural industry.
“If you receive a package of seeds that you did not order, do not send it back to the listed return address,” said Commissioner Miller.
“Instead, please report those packages to TDA immediately and hold onto them until we can pick them up. Even if the sender appears to be from Texas, the true source could be from China or anywhere. This serious issue could have severe consequences for your health and the biosecurity of Texas agriculture. We need everyone’s cooperation to catch and report these incidents,” he added.