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Spicy exchange / 2023

PepperGate: the seed scandal rocking the gardening community

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WTF is PepperGate?

PepperGate, also known as jalapeñogate and the Great Pepper Mixup of 2023, has become a significant topic of discussion within the gardening community. It has come to light that numerous pepper seeds have been mislabeled.

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It is important to clarify that the occasional mixups, mislabeling, and cross-pollination of seeds, which can result in individual cases of pepper variety confusion over time, are not the causes of the widespread issue known as PepperGate.

Doesn’t this happen all the time?

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How did this happen?

The primary cause of PepperGate likely lies in supplier issues within the seed industry. The complexity of the problem becomes apparent when considering the industry’s structure.

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Approximately 60% of the seed market is controlled by just four companies, indicating a lack of diversity and concentration of power. These companies operate as wholesale suppliers to smaller seed companies, which then package and distribute the seeds under their own brand names.

A look at the seed industry

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Large-scale mislabeling

The issue probably originated from large-scale mislabeling at the supplier level, leading to mislabeled seeds being distributed to numerous seed brands and thousands of consumers.

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It seems as though no pepper is safe. I have seen reports of jalapeños, poblanos, bell peppers, and other varieties being affected. New complaints are popping up daily with little consistency across varieties or companies. 

What types of peppers are affected?

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What companies sent out the wrong pepper seeds?

We have seen reports of mislabeled seeds coming from Ferry Morse, Baker Creek, Ball Seed, Burpee, and other companies.

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Determining the authenticity of pepper seeds can be challenging since most seeds have a similar appearance. To truly ascertain the authenticity of the seeds, the most reliable method is to cultivate the plant and allow it to grow until it bears fruit.

How to tell if your seeds are impacted

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What to do if you were impacted

If the pepper seeds you received did not grow into the desired variety, there are two  things you can do: 1. Contact the seed manufacturer for a refund 2. Run to the nursery and buy new seedlings (if there's enough time left in your season)

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