WCHD Warns Residents Of Unsolicited Seed Deliveries From China

WILL COUNTY, IL — The Will County Health Department shared a statement from the Illinois Department of Agriculture on social media, regarding the mailing of unsolicited seeds.

According to the release, the IDA is currently working with U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to address reports of "unsolicited shipments of seeds from foreign countries."

Mark Schneidewind, Will County Farm Bureau manager with the Illinois Farm Bureau said that the department has been aware of seeds showing up in people's mail boxes over the weekend, and Illinois has had approximately 500 calls or emails on seed packages being received.

"Currently we are aware of only one person in Will County," he said. "They farm in Will County but live outside."

Schneidewind said this been happening in most states.

"Each state has a Natural Plant Board, and they coordinate with the USDA on what is taking place and the seeds are undergoing testing by the USDA," he said. "The seeds are mostly from China, but some are from Russia and Vietnam."

Anyone who receives unordered seeds in the mail should contact the Illinois Department of Agriculture by emailing the following information to agr.seeds@Illinois.gov: first and last name, phone number, and the number of packages received.

The seeds are directly being delivered to the residential addresses and people have been asked to not open the package, not plant the seeds, and not throw them out.

"Please keep all seeds unopened and with their original packaging and labels, including mailing labels, until further instruction is provided," the IDA release said.

Schneidewind said the department is "erring on the side of caution" since it does not know if there is any danger in the seed packages.

"Basic concern is for the environment, and if they are an invasive species of seed not native to the United States and if there are in the seeds," he said. That is what we are looking at."