Residents Warned Not To Open Unsolicited Seed Packets From China

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA— The Contra Costa County Agricultural Commissioner's Office warned residents Wednesday against opening any unsolicited seed packets mailed from China.

County officials said the California Department of Food and Agriculture recently became aware of a number of reports regarding the seeds from China being received by homeowners throughout the United States, including in Contra Costa County.

The CDFA is communicating with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to determine any necessary actions for shipments of the seeds received in California.

"In the meantime, CDFA is instructing residents NOT to open any unsolicited seed packets received and to contact their local county agricultural commissioner’s office," county officials said.

"Seed packets should NOT be opened, shipped, or disposed of by residents in order to prevent potential dispersal of invasive species, diseases, and/or quarantine pests. Unopened seed packets should be held by the resident or county official until further instructions are provided."

Any Contra Costa residents who receive such a packet in the mail that they did not order should call the Contra Costa Agricultural Commissioner's Office at 925-608-6600.

The county will then arrange for an agricultural inspector to pick up the packet at the resident's convenience.

If the seeds have already been planted, residents should retrieve the seeds and any contaminated soil, then call the county and ask for a pickup by a county agricultural inspector.

Contra Costa County Ag Commissioner Matthew Slattengren shared the below examples of a few varieties of the seeds in question, with the instructions: "Do not open seed packets. Do not plant unsolicited seeds. Contact us."

The same warning went out Tuesday to Solano County residents.