Fla. Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried issued a warning last week: If you get seeds in the mail that you didn\u2019t order, don\u2019t open them \u2013 or plant them.<\/p>\n
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. \u2013 More than 600 Floridians reported seeds showing up in the mail \u2013 seeds they did not order or know anything about. The U.S. Department of Agriculture calls it a \u201cbrushing\u201d scam.<\/p>\n
Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried last week raised concerns about unsolicited packages of seeds bearing Chinese characters and the name China Post. The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services asks Floridians to report the \u201csuspicious seed packages,\u201d which might be labeled as jewelry or something else.<\/p>\n
The USDA\u2019s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service says the packages appear to be part of a ploy to draw false customer reviews and boost online sales. The federal agency is also testing the seeds to evaluate their content and determine if they pose a risk to agriculture or the environment.<\/p>\n
The state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services by at least 631 Floridians reported receiving seeds as of last Tuesday. The state agency told people not to open the packages or throw the seeds away. Instead, the packages should be put in a sealable plastic bag and reported to the state\u2019s Division of Plant Industry, (https:\/\/www.fdacs.gov\/Divisions-Offices\/Plant-Industry) Fried\u2019s office said.
\n\u201cPlant seeds from unknown sources may introduce dangerous pathogens, diseases or invasive species into Florida, putting agriculture and our state\u2019s plant, animal, and human health at risk,\u201d Fried said in a media release.<\/p>\n
Similar packages have been reported in Virginia, Kansas, Washington, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Utah.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Fla. Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried issued a warning last week: If you get seeds in the mail that you didn\u2019t order, don\u2019t open them \u2013 or plant them. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. \u2013 More than 600 Floridians reported seeds showing up in the mail \u2013 seeds they did not order or know anything about. The U.S. Department<\/p>\n