An Albertan is warning others to be on the lookout for an unexpected delivery after receiving a “mystery seed.”
Westlock, Alta., resident Natalie Dempsey said she received an order of unsolicited seeds a couple of weeks ago.
“I didn’t know where it came from specifically, and I thought it was very suspicious, very odd,” Dempsey said. “Usually any seeds I would plant I would buy at the local store.”
Last week, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) warned Canadians about unwelcome seeds being delivered to homes across the country.
Experts have been warning about the hazards of planting seeds that don’t come from a well-trusted and reputable source.
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“Do not plant seeds from unknown origins. Unauthorized seeds could be the seeds of invasive plants, or carry plant pests, which can be harmful when introduced into Canada,” CFIA wrote in a statement. “These species can invade agricultural and natural areas, causing serious damage to our plant resources.”
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Dempsey said she has no idea why the seeds were delivered to her home or where they originated.
“It was specifically addressed to me, but there’s no name of anybody on it,” she said. “I opened it up and there’s this little tiny packet of grass seed in it, is what it looked like.”
She contacted the CFIA and was told to put it in a freezer in order to preserve the seeds for the agency.
“It would keep them from going moldy or growing or anything, definitely don’t plant them, don’t destroy them because it’s evidence,”
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The CFIA is also warning against putting the seeds in the garbage or compositing them because they could sprout.
“So far, there have been reports from most Canadian provinces of people receiving seeds of different types. The CFIA is working and collaborating with our United States counterparts on this issue,” CFIA spokesperson Wendy Asbil said.
CFIA is asking anyone who receives a seed package that they did not order to contact the agency and keep the seeds and packaging until contacted by an inspector.
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