b'Suspicious Seeds DeliveriesScatter Across the U.S.Mystery seeds from China have started appearing in mailboxes across the United States. Alex MartinIF YOUVE READany mainstream news lately, theres plenty of things to be concerned about. The election in November, COVID-19but did you ever think that seed would become something to be worried about in 2020?Across the United States and branching out to other countries such as Canada and Australia, people have been receiving suspi-cious packages in the mail. But theyve all contained the same thing.Seeds.States across the Untied States have had numerous reports of seeds popping up in mailboxes. Usually, they arent marked very well or have very little information.Weve seen that people have been receiving packages for some time, says Michael Wallace from the Virginia Department of Agriculture Communications office. The packages are reported to have little or no information on them. Theyve had Chinese writing on them, and weve had some people report their packages say they contain jewelry in them.Wallace notes that since July 23, theyve steadily been receiv- USDA APHIS is investigating and testing the seed packetsing reports of suspicious seeds showing up in mailboxes acrossfrom China. the state. Weve received more than 500 telephone calls and 2,031 reports of people receiving seeds, he says. There are approxi-mately 1,068 reports of Virginia residents receiving seeds.In the state of Virginia, it seems that theres no connection between any of these peopleits random.Wallace said its difficult to pin down exactly how many pack-ages have been received in Virginia.There are some people whove reported that theyve received seeds to us outside of Virginia, he says. We also have 460 emails from people who did not identify their state of residence. Then, 343 residents reported receiving packages of seeds a few weeks or months ago. Its really a situation that keeps developing.For now, states like Virginia are directing people who have received seeds to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal andAn example of some of the mystery seeds from China. 22/ SEEDWORLD.COMOCTOBER 2020'