HARTFORD, CT — State and federal agriculture officials are alerting the public to a resurgence of unsolicited seed mailings, warning that unidentified packets appearing in Connecticut mailboxes could pose biological risks to agriculture, ecosystems, and public safety.
The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES) and the Connecticut Department of Agriculture confirmed new reports of residents—particularly in southern Connecticut—receiving seed packets they never ordered.
The issue, which previously spiked in 2020, has re-emerged with growing volume.
“I think we’re anticipating a higher volume than previously over the past couple of years,” said Jacob Ricker, the state entomologist. “Maybe up to the 2020 numbers.”
Officials said the origin of the seeds remains unknown, and none are marked with regulatory identifiers or agricultural certification. “All of these seeds coming in are not regulated, they’re not identified,” Ricker said. “We do not know what they are and what necessarily they could be harboring.”
“These seeds could pose a viable threat to our state’s agricultural industry or plant health or environment,” Ricker warned. “They could have a bacteria or fungus vectored by that seed that we do not want.”
In a joint press release, CAES and the Department of Agriculture advised residents not to plant the seeds and to handle them according to guidance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
“It is important to follow guidance from [the] U.S. Department of Agriculture to report and safely handle these suspicious seed shipments, which may pose environmental and agricultural risks,” the agencies said.
The recommended protocol includes surrendering the unopened seeds and packaging to the USDA Plant Protection and Quarantine Office at 97 Barnes Rd. Unit 200 in Wallingford.
“If the seed packets are open, first place the seeds and their packaging into a zip-lock bag, seal it, and then place everything into a mailing envelope,” the advisory stated. Officials asked that residents also include their name, address, and phone number in the envelope.
If surrendering the seeds is not possible, residents may dispose of them in trash, but not before enclosing them in a sealed Ziploc bag wrapped in duct tape.
“This will help prevent the bag from bursting and will keep water and sun from reaching the seeds,” officials said. “Discard in trash.”
Agricultural officials emphasized that imported seeds must meet labeling, phytosanitary, and inspection requirements and undergo customs clearance at U.S. ports of entry.
The mystery seed packets do not meet those standards.
The state has not confirmed the contents or origins of the recent seed shipments. The investigation remains ongoing.
