Amazon.com, Inc. says it will no longer allow foreign sales of seeds into the U.S. after thousands of packets arrived at American homes - mostly stamped as coming from China. Other households around the world also received the packets. Recipients said they hadn't ordered the items.
U.S. agriculture authorities identified more than a dozen plant varieties in July in the packages of the mystery seeds. The Department of Agriculture warned Americans to dispose of seeds of unknown origin and not plant them. Officials are concerned the seeds might introduce invasive species, weeds, pests or diseases that might harm U.S. agriculture.
In an email statement Amazon said it was now permitting the sale of seeds by vendors based in the U.S. only. The company said sellers who didn't follow its new policy would be dealt with - including having their Amazon accounts removed. The prohibition covers plants and related plant products, Amazon said.
Authorities believe the seed packets are part of a worldwide scam known as "brushing" - a dishonest method used by e-commerce retailers to get positive feedback by making fake orders.
The USDA said the seeds could pose a threat to U.S. farmers. USDA identified several seeds of noxious weeds in the shipments. It also found diseases known to occur in China as well as a few pests of significance.
The seed prohibition was revealed by Amazon late last week. The retail company deleted the listings of foreign seeds from its database last week, too. The removal is part of Amazon's measures to protect clients and "enhance customer experience," The Wall Street Journal reported.
Following an evaluation, plant experts said the seeds coming from other countries could be non-native types that damage commercial produce. Amazon hasn't confirmed if the ban would include other countries. News of the company's latest recommendation was first reported by the Journal.
Several federal agencies, including the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Postal Service and local agriculture agencies are looking into the mysterious deliveries.
