In late July, America was briefly enthralled with “ Unsolicited Seeds from China ,” which started showing up in mailboxes in all 50 states. These mystery seeds prompted warnings from the USDA, which said people should not plant them, and should instead alert their state agricultural authority and mail them to the USDA or their local officials.
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"About a month ago, I did receive seeds from China. I guess China because it looks like Chinese writing. I thought, 'Oh cool, maybe Burgess seeds or one of the seed companies sent me some seeds.' And, umm, like a dumbass, I planted them, not knowing there was a problem," a woman in New Mexico said in a voicemail left with the state's department of agriculture in late July. "And now, I've been battling this for a couple weeks. Now, where I planted them, and I remember where I planted them, everything that's in the garden where I planted them are having a hard time and are starting to die … I really don't know what to do at this point, so could somebody call me back and give me a little bit of direction about this? I know I'm a dumbass."
Based on documents I’ve read, the scale of the mystery seed operation was much larger than I had originally suspected and than was originally reported. Conservatively, it is safe to say that tens of thousands of Americans received what they perceived to be Chinese mystery seeds in July. Some states, like North Carolina, had more than 1,000 people contact the department of agriculture having received unsolicited seeds. Others, like New Mexico, had roughly 100 recorded seed receivers. Many of these seed receivers, regardless of location, panicked.
Since the seed story originally broke, I have been obsessed with learning more. To do this, I filed 52 freedom of information requests; one with each of the departments of agriculture (or their state-level equivalent) in all 50 states plus Washington DC and Puerto Rico. I also filed requests with the USDA and several of its labs. Thousands of pages of emails, spreadsheets, reports, and documents, as well as audio voicemail recordings, have been trickling in for the last month, and they have been enlightening in many ways.
According to documents obtained by Motherboard from state departments of agriculture, at least hundreds, perhaps thousands of Americans planted the seeds.
According to a spreadsheet compiled by Michigan, 677 people filed official complaints with the state about the receipt of unsolicited seeds; 30 reported planting them. “I planted them in my hydroponic system in my home, I thought they were the strawberry seeds I ordered from Amazon. They turned Black and green mold, so I threw them away,” one person wrote. “If I had known these seeds were going to originate from China, I would not have purchased them from Amazon. I am still waiting on at least 4 other orders of seeds. Will burn them if they come.”
“People were planting them and have planted them,” Jennifer Holton, a spokesperson for the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, told Motherboard in a phone call. “Our plant person was not able to keep up with the calls.”
“Our call center was completely overwhelmed with calls,” Brad Deacon, director of the office of legal affairs for Michigan’s Department of Agriculture, said. “There were 5-600 Facebook posts, direct messages …”
In the initial days of this mystery, the agricultural departments of many states were overwhelmed with emails and calls from residents who were unsure of what they’d gotten in the mail and what they should do with the seeds.
“Yes,” David Stebbings, an officer with the SITC, emailed when alerted by authorities in New Hampshire about the seeds, “it’s starting to explode.”
Calls like this were not unusual. Some people ate the seeds, according to the documents. Some people called 911. Emergency meetings and calls were held. The USDA’s Smuggling Interdiction and Trade Compliance group (SITC), Customs and Border Protection, and the FBI began investigating.
Officials in that state weren't sure what to do: "I need your guidance for this one since they're planted, and spreading?," two state department of agriculture employees wrote to each other.
"I have purchased some seeds from china. I have only planted one. Although with the rain and wind, it spread through the backyard. Which is really wired since it only was 50 pieces. I plsnted the pearls chorophytum. Please come and take a look," a New Mexico resident wrote.
Not all of the seeds were unsolicited. Some people ordered seeds, got what they paid for, planted them, then became concerned when the Chinese mystery seeds articles began popping up.
“Received many shipments. Planted some and clover came up,” one report says. “She indicated that she planted the bulbs,” another states. “Planted one pack and ate the oregano that grew. Has some left,” says yet another. One seed recipient noted that they “salted ground” after planting some of their seed packet.
A spreadsheet of plant receivers compiled by North Carolina shows that in that state alone, nearly 1,300 people reported getting the seeds. About 60 of those people planted them.
“I received this package from China. Unfortunately I through the envelope away. It said they were stud earrings. I had ordered onions from amazon and thought they got them from China. The more I looked at them they don’t even come close to onions I just figured they sent the wrong thing. No I didn’t plant or open the package. What should I do with them,” a resident wrote in an email.
In one exchange, a state entomologist and a plant health director discuss how they should categorize and respond to a person who said they had eaten the seeds.In one exchange, a state entomologist and a plant health director discuss how they should categorize and respond to a person who said they had eaten the seeds.
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“I’m adding them to my database. Of course, there doesn’t yet exist field to indicate that someone ATE the seeds,” the plant health director wrote. “I don’t know if they also ate other seeds or the packaging,” the entomologist responds.“I’m adding them to my database. Of course, there doesn’t yet exist field to indicate that someone ATE the seeds,” the plant health director wrote. “I don’t know if they also ate other seeds or the packaging,” the entomologist responds.
New Hampshire also got emails from cops, who said that they were getting calls from “concerned residents” and didn’t know what to do. Within a few days of the seeds getting media attention, an emergency call was held by the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service with state agricultural officials in which it attempted to, among other things, assess whether actually tracking all of the seed packets was “manageable” due to the “very high volume.”New Hampshire also got emails from cops, who said that they were getting calls from “concerned residents” and didn’t know what to do. Within a few days of the seeds getting media attention, an emergency call was held by the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service with state agricultural officials in which it attempted to, among other things, assess whether actually tracking all of the seed packets was “manageable” due to the “very high volume.”
“Is there an end to this situation in sight?” an FAQ in a readout from that call asked. “It is too early to determine whether the situation is expanding, leveling off, or decreasing,” they wrote.“Is there an end to this situation in sight?” an FAQ in a readout from that call asked. “It is too early to determine whether the situation is expanding, leveling off, or decreasing,” they wrote.
While scanning through thousands of pages of documents about the seeds, it became clear that, for at least the first few weeks, no one had any idea who sent the seeds, where they came from (other than “China”), or the goal of the seed mailing campaign.While scanning through thousands of pages of documents about the seeds, it became clear that, for at least the first few weeks, no one had any idea who sent the seeds, where they came from (other than “China”), or the goal of the seed mailing campaign.
Eventually, the official line became that this was a “brushing” campaign, in which items of small value are sent to people whose online accounts have been compromised, or are sent to people as a "gift." In order to leave a positive review from a "verified buyer" (which is weighted higher because the person nominally bought and used the product), you need to have actually bought or received an item, so by receiving seeds, reviews from that account or name will be weighted higher.Eventually, the official line became that this was a “brushing” campaign, in which items of small value are sent to people whose online accounts have been compromised, or are sent to people as a "gift." In order to leave a positive review from a "verified buyer" (which is weighted higher because the person nominally bought and used the product), you need to have actually bought or received an item, so by receiving seeds, reviews from that account or name will be weighted higher.
The USDA has found that there was no intentional harm associated with the thousands of unsolicited mystery seeds that showed up in American mailboxes this summer.
After conducting an investigation into the seeds, the agency announced earlier this month that there was no evidence that senders were trying to damage or disrupt American agriculture with the shipments. The USDA believes the packages were part of an internet “brushing” scam.
This kind of scam occurs when retailers ship inexpensive items in mass amounts to people who never ordered them. The companies then use that shipping information to post sparkling online reviews to increase their online rating. The more transactions a company completes, the higher their rating and the more likely their items will appear at the top of the search results on an e-commerce website.
The mystery seeds started popping up in mailboxes across the US last summer. They were also sent to people in Canada, New Zealand and Europe. The USDA has determined these strange shipments came from China and various Central Asian countries.
Initial concerns zeroed in on the possibility of the seeds being invasive species, which can harm the environment, misplace or destroy native plants and damage crops. In response, state and federal agriculture departments asked anyone who received the packages not to plant them. The USDA later determined that these shipments contained many different varieties, including mustard, cabbage, morning glory, rose, hibiscus and mint.
The USDA, in its most recent analysis, also found that, while some of the seeds were sent to US residents unsolicited, there were cases of people purchasing seeds online and being unaware that the product was foreign. Whether the seeds were unsolicited or not, however, the USDA said that many shipments entered the country without a permit or phytosanitary certificate, making them illegal.
The agency has published guidelines to ensure that online buyers and sellers abide by US laws when dealing with seeds and live plants from other countries. The available information is also intended to serve as a protective measure from invasive pest and disease threats.
“Plants and seeds for planting purchased online from other countries can pose a significant risk to U.S. agriculture and natural resources because they can carry harmful insects and pathogens,” said Dr. Osama El-Lissy, Deputy Administrator, Plant Protection and Quarantine, in the USDA’s announcement. “…We are thankful to the public for reporting the seeds and getting them to USDA officials so that we could investigate them and avoid introducing foreign pests into our environment.”
To prevent future brushing scams, the agency said it has been working with e-commerce companies to remove online retailers who are participating in the illegal import of seeds and ensure companies and their sellers are complying to import regulations.
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