The Organic Seed Partnership will enhance and expand a set of existing complementary, regionally-focused activities to create a strong national network aimed at developing and delivering improved vegetable varieties selected for superior performance in organic systems. Achieving this goal requires both new varieties and improved capacity to produce large quantities of commercial grade seed. This project integrates participatory farm-based crop breeding and selection activities in organic systems, supported by regional research centers that ensure the early engagement of growers, consumers and seed companies. The focus of this project is on vegetable species because of the paramount importance of vegetables in organic farming systems and because of the relative value of these products for the businesses that engage in organic agriculture. Vegetable germplasm for this project will originate from small businesses (e.g., farmer/breeders and regionally focused, smaller seed companies), non-profit organizations and from public sector research institutions including universities and the USDA. Appropriate procedures to manage the transfer of these materials between breeders and to our trialing networks are in place that preserve the originators' rights, if desired.

Our national trialing network has been setup to consist of a series of hubs representing key production areas and regions, each supporting farmer-based trialing networks similar to those already used successfully by our Public Seed Initiative, funded by the USDA IFAFS program. Trials conducted at these hubs and farmers' trials linked to each hub will occur on certified organic ground or land in transition, and will be organically managed in every case. Unfunded partners include seed companies with a history of serving the organic agriculture community and with the capacity to produce commercial vegetable seed organically. Particular emphasis has been placed on serving diverse regions in the U.S., particularly those where minorities are well represented among small farmers.

This federated approach builds upon a successful model for integrating public sector research/education with the capacity offered by farmer-based non-profit organizations and small businesses. Furthermore, curriculum development opportunities that arise as a consequence of basing our trial hubs at schools will be addressed by cooperators who will be able to demonstrate to students trialing strategies, organic agricultural production and farmer-based participatory trialing and selection. Our goal is to develop the Organic Seed Partnership as an effective strategy to harness national research and education capacity for locally- and regionally-defined needs of organic agriculture.

This project is funded through the CSREES
(Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service)

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