Breeding crop plants specifically for organic production is still in its early stages. While some universities and seed companies are developing varieties suited for organic systems through public breeding programs and farmer collaboration, no commercially available seeds have been bred exclusively for organic use. There is debate around whether organic seed production should be mandated and whether the benefits of exclusively organic seeds outweigh the increased costs and limited availability that a requirement could create for farmers during the initial years. Many in the organic industry believe variety development for organics needs to go beyond just using existing varieties under organic conditions, and instead focus on breeding new varieties tailored to the specific challenges of organic agriculture.
The document discusses the benefits of agricultural biotechnology and genetically modified crops. It describes how a smallholder farmer in the Philippines transitioned to biotechnology by planting Bt corn, which increased her yields from 3.2 to 7.3 metric tons per hectare. She now advocates for biotechnology crops and shares her experiences internationally to help other farmers increase incomes and standards of living through sustainable agriculture.
(1) The document analyzes the impact of intellectual property rights in the seed sector on crop yield growth and social welfare using three case studies. (2) The case studies examine wheat in the US and EU, rootworm-resistant corn, and hybrid tomatoes to understand how intellectual property environments, crops, and companies affect research decisions and yields. (3) Most academic research to date has found mixed impacts of private sector research incentives on yields and social welfare.
The document summarizes discussions from the 3rd annual Global Farmer Roundtable in 2008. 20 farmers from 19 countries discussed three key themes: 1) The value of networking and sharing experiences with other farmers, 2) That biotechnology access can increase agricultural productivity while providing benefits, and 3) That farmer expertise is often not respected in policy debates. The farmers agreed to work on cross-pollinating information, establishing a global communications network, changing political climates, and replicating roundtable events worldwide to advance farmer interests.
This document discusses industrial agriculture and GMOs. It begins by defining key concepts like intensive agriculture, monoculture, biodiversity, hybrids, bioengineering, and GMOs. It then notes that the vast majority of commodity crops in the US, like soybeans and corn, are now genetically modified varieties. The document outlines perceived benefits and concerns of GMOs, and discusses Monsanto's role in developing GMO crops and Roundup herbicide. It also discusses the "revolving door" between Monsanto and government regulators. Finally, it provides information on organic farming and certification.
Genetically Engineered Crops and the Developing WorldSeeds
While genetically engineered crops were intended to help solve world hunger issues, they have failed to significantly increase yields and have instead led to increased herbicide and pesticide use. Independent studies show that GE crops do not outperform traditional breeding methods and have not contributed meaningfully to addressing food shortages. Additionally, many countries are restricting or rejecting GE crops due to labeling requirements, health concerns, and impacts on small farmers. Overall, GE technology has not lived up to expectations and more sustainable agricultural practices may be better solutions to improving global food security.
Community Seed Banks ~ fao
`
For more information, Please see websites below:
`
Organic Edible Schoolyards & Gardening with Children =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851214 ~
`
Double Food Production from your School Garden with Organic Tech =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851079 ~
`
Free School Gardening Art Posters =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851159 ~
`
Increase Food Production with Companion Planting in your School Garden =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851159 ~
`
Healthy Foods Dramatically Improves Student Academic Success =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851348 ~
`
City Chickens for your Organic School Garden =
http://scribd.com/doc/239850440 ~
`
Simple Square Foot Gardening for Schools - Teacher Guide =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851110 ~
Bioversity International policy scientist Ronnie Vernooy gave this presentation at the the Global Consultation on Farmers’ Rights, Indonesia, 27-30 September 2016, organized by the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (Plant Treaty).
The importance of farmers’ rights is recognized in Article 9 of the Plant Treaty.
In this presentation Vernooy shows how a community-based approach to the management of agricultural biodiversity, including supporting community seedbanks, can empower and benefit smallholder farmers and farming communities economically, environmentally and socially. This approach makes implementing farmers’ rights at national level both practical and effective contributing to food and seed security, sustainable livelihoods and resilience.
For more information, please visit:
http://www.bioversityinternational.org/research-portfolio/conservation-of-crop-diversity/community-seedbanks/
http://www.bioversityinternational.org/research-portfolio/policies-for-plant-diversity-management/the-plant-treaty/
The Role and Contribution of Plant Breeding and Plant Biotechnology to Sustai...Francois Stepman
Dr. Denis T. Kyetere
Executive Director
AFRICAN AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY FOUNDATION (AATF)
30 - 31 August 2018. Gent-Zwijnaarde, Belgium. IPBO conference 2018: “Scientific innovation for a sustainable development of African agriculture”
The document discusses the benefits of agricultural biotechnology and genetically modified crops. It describes how a smallholder farmer in the Philippines transitioned to biotechnology by planting Bt corn, which increased her yields from 3.2 to 7.3 metric tons per hectare. She now advocates for biotechnology crops and shares her experiences internationally to help other farmers increase incomes and standards of living through sustainable agriculture.
(1) The document analyzes the impact of intellectual property rights in the seed sector on crop yield growth and social welfare using three case studies. (2) The case studies examine wheat in the US and EU, rootworm-resistant corn, and hybrid tomatoes to understand how intellectual property environments, crops, and companies affect research decisions and yields. (3) Most academic research to date has found mixed impacts of private sector research incentives on yields and social welfare.
The document summarizes discussions from the 3rd annual Global Farmer Roundtable in 2008. 20 farmers from 19 countries discussed three key themes: 1) The value of networking and sharing experiences with other farmers, 2) That biotechnology access can increase agricultural productivity while providing benefits, and 3) That farmer expertise is often not respected in policy debates. The farmers agreed to work on cross-pollinating information, establishing a global communications network, changing political climates, and replicating roundtable events worldwide to advance farmer interests.
This document discusses industrial agriculture and GMOs. It begins by defining key concepts like intensive agriculture, monoculture, biodiversity, hybrids, bioengineering, and GMOs. It then notes that the vast majority of commodity crops in the US, like soybeans and corn, are now genetically modified varieties. The document outlines perceived benefits and concerns of GMOs, and discusses Monsanto's role in developing GMO crops and Roundup herbicide. It also discusses the "revolving door" between Monsanto and government regulators. Finally, it provides information on organic farming and certification.
Genetically Engineered Crops and the Developing WorldSeeds
While genetically engineered crops were intended to help solve world hunger issues, they have failed to significantly increase yields and have instead led to increased herbicide and pesticide use. Independent studies show that GE crops do not outperform traditional breeding methods and have not contributed meaningfully to addressing food shortages. Additionally, many countries are restricting or rejecting GE crops due to labeling requirements, health concerns, and impacts on small farmers. Overall, GE technology has not lived up to expectations and more sustainable agricultural practices may be better solutions to improving global food security.
Community Seed Banks ~ fao
`
For more information, Please see websites below:
`
Organic Edible Schoolyards & Gardening with Children =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851214 ~
`
Double Food Production from your School Garden with Organic Tech =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851079 ~
`
Free School Gardening Art Posters =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851159 ~
`
Increase Food Production with Companion Planting in your School Garden =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851159 ~
`
Healthy Foods Dramatically Improves Student Academic Success =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851348 ~
`
City Chickens for your Organic School Garden =
http://scribd.com/doc/239850440 ~
`
Simple Square Foot Gardening for Schools - Teacher Guide =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851110 ~
Bioversity International policy scientist Ronnie Vernooy gave this presentation at the the Global Consultation on Farmers’ Rights, Indonesia, 27-30 September 2016, organized by the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (Plant Treaty).
The importance of farmers’ rights is recognized in Article 9 of the Plant Treaty.
In this presentation Vernooy shows how a community-based approach to the management of agricultural biodiversity, including supporting community seedbanks, can empower and benefit smallholder farmers and farming communities economically, environmentally and socially. This approach makes implementing farmers’ rights at national level both practical and effective contributing to food and seed security, sustainable livelihoods and resilience.
For more information, please visit:
http://www.bioversityinternational.org/research-portfolio/conservation-of-crop-diversity/community-seedbanks/
http://www.bioversityinternational.org/research-portfolio/policies-for-plant-diversity-management/the-plant-treaty/
The Role and Contribution of Plant Breeding and Plant Biotechnology to Sustai...Francois Stepman
Dr. Denis T. Kyetere
Executive Director
AFRICAN AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY FOUNDATION (AATF)
30 - 31 August 2018. Gent-Zwijnaarde, Belgium. IPBO conference 2018: “Scientific innovation for a sustainable development of African agriculture”
The document discusses the State of Organic Seed project which aims to advance organic seed systems in the United States. It does this by monitoring the status of organic seed, developing stakeholder involvement, and implementing activities to improve the quality, integrity and use of organic seed. The project seeks input from organic farmers, certifiers, seed industry, researchers and other stakeholders. It identifies challenges in the organic seed sector such as lack of breeding for organic systems, industry concentration, and GE contamination risks. The document outlines principles and farmer-centered approaches to guide actions that strengthen organic seed systems.
This document is the prepublication summary of a report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine's Committee on Genetically Engineered Crops. The committee was tasked with reviewing the experiences and prospects of GE crops based on evidence from the last two decades. The summary finds that while many GE traits have been developed, only herbicide and insect resistance have been widely commercialized, primarily in soybean, cotton, maize, and canola. It examines claims about GE crop impacts and reviews regulatory approaches as newer genetic engineering techniques emerge.
Sustainable Management of Biodiversity for Food Security and Nutrition, Jessi...Bioversity International
Jessica Fanzo speaks at the Gorta side event - improving nutrition security through agriculture: ensuring access, quality and resilience. October 21 2011 FAO, Rome as part of celebrations for World Food Day. Read more about Bioversity International’s work on diet diversity for nutrition and health
http://www.bioversityinternational.org/research-portfolio/diet-diversity/
This is Rapid community assessment technique to assess the amount and distribution of crop diversity within farming communities, and widely used in various countries in on farm biodiversity management related projects.
The document summarizes labor issues in the U.S. industrial food system. It discusses how immigrant and undocumented workers face low wages, dangerous working conditions, lack of benefits and protections from abuse in jobs like agriculture, meatpacking, and food service. Agricultural work pays poverty-level wages and exposes workers to health risks from pesticides and machinery. The Bracero program exploited Mexican immigrant farm laborers. Recent programs like Fair Food have improved wages and conditions but many workers still lack legal protections and face retaliation for reporting abuses. Meatpacking remains dangerous due to speed pressures and exposure to biological hazards.
Evidence-based policy-making: The role of impact assessment studies and thei...ExternalEvents
Evidence-based policy-making: The role of impact assessment studies and their implications for agricultural biotechnologies presentation by David Spielman, International Food Policy Research Institute, Washington D.C., United States of America
This document discusses genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in food and debates both sides of the issue. It notes that GMOs are now found in many common foods but are still controversial. While some see benefits like increased crop yields and drought resistance, others worry about impacts on health, small farmers, and patent control of crops. Quotes are provided from scientists, farmers, and organizations on both sides of the GMO debate.
Farmers' Taxonomies as a Participatory Diagnostic ToolMauricio R. Bellon
This document summarizes a study on soil fertility management in Chihota, Zimbabwe from the perspective of local farmers. The study used farmers' taxonomies of themselves, their soils, and soil management practices to understand current approaches and constraints. Farmers in the region recognize soil infertility as a major challenge and have developed ways to cope. The researchers aimed to integrate new soil fertility technologies with farmers' existing knowledge and needs. Farmers' taxonomies provided insight into resources, challenges, and concerns regarding soil fertility, forming an important framework for introducing technical interventions.
Presentation given at the session on 'Seeds of Resilience - Novel strategies for using crop diversity in climate change adaptation' at Tropentag 2016, September 21st, Vienna, by Bioversity International scientist Ronnie Vernooy.
Future impacts of climate change are expected to become more pronounced in many parts of the world, forcing farmers to change their practices and causing them to find crops and varieties better adapted to new weather dynamics. Providing farmers with better access to crop and varietal diversity can strengthen their capacity to adapt to climate change. Under supportive policy and socioeconomic conditions, such strengthened capacity could contribute to greater food availability throughout the year, the production of more nutritious and healthy crops, and income generation. This is easier said than done.
How do we design and implement a comprehensive strategy that will allow farmers to access and use plant genetic diversity more effectively in the context of climate change adaptation? This session responded to this question through an interactive introduction to the challenge of enabling farmers to use climate-adapted germplasm (led by Bioversity International), a practical example from the field to bring new diversity to farmers fields (a case study from Uganda), and a “this is how we support crop diversification for climate change adaptation” exchange among a number of experts from government (development cooperation), private sector and civil society.
Find out more:
http://www.bioversityinternational.org/tropentag2016/
http://www.bioversityinternational.org/e-library/publications/detail/resource-box-for-resilient-seed-systems-handbook/
This document provides an overview of transgenic crops, including:
1) A brief history of transgenic crop development and the governing policies surrounding the technology.
2) A summary of the main agricultural crops that have been genetically modified, their expressed characteristics, and their market roles.
3) A discussion of unintended consequences, economic considerations, safety concerns, and implications of transgenic crops for sustainable agriculture.
Monsanto's perspective on claims made in the film Food, Inc. For use in classrooms that show this movie to present and discuss another Point of View and as an additional learning tool.
Rebbie Harawa
COUNTRY WORKSHOP
The Knowledge Lab on Climate Resilient Food Systems: An analytical support facility to achieve the SDGs
Co-Organized by IFPRI and AGRA
FEB 7, 2019 - 08:30 AM TO 05:55 PM EAT
Seed Production and Variety Development for Organic SystemsElisaMendelsohn
The document discusses seed production and variety development for organic systems. It notes that while interest is growing in developing seed varieties specifically for organic production, this area is still in its infancy. Some public universities and seed companies are beginning to breed varieties suited to organic farming through participatory breeding programs and selecting traits that confer natural resistance. However, no commercially available seeds have been bred specifically for organic production yet. The document outlines challenges around increasing the supply of organic seeds and regulatory issues affecting U.S. organic farmers.
The National Banana Development Strategy (2013-2016) aims to address several issues hampering growth of Kenya's banana industry. These issues include: lack of regulatory framework and standards; inadequate high quality planting materials; low productivity due to high pest/disease incidence and poor agronomic practices; low value addition; poor market access; lack of suitable variety maps; weak farmer organizations; and lack of targeted financial services. The strategy seeks to develop standards, increase quality inputs, promote resistant varieties, train farmers, enhance value addition and market access to make banana production more commercial, innovative and competitive.
This corporate presentation summarizes the report done by a Committee commisioned by the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine examining issues related to genetically engineered crops.
What do we have to lose? Generating crop diversity and threat monitoring info...Bioversity International
Ehsan Dulloo, Bioversity International Conservation and Availability Programme Leader, presented at the international conference Enhanced genepool utilization - Capturing wild relative and landrace diversity for crop improvement, in Cambridge, UK, 16-20 June 2014.
It is said that “you can't manage what you don't measure”. The unprecedented global loss of agricultural species, varieties and associated traditional knowledge is of increasing concern, threatening the provisioning, regulatory, supporting and cultural ecosystem services of importance to the livelihoods of the poor as well as the welfare of broader society. Such services include such public goods as maintaining agroecosystem resilience and future option values.
Unfortunately, although many crop genetic resources (CGR) are widely recognized as being threatened, there is only limited information available regarding actual status. Only isolated efforts at monitoring have been undertaken. Conventional monitoring efforts, where they exist at all, have been subject to limitations due to ad hoc approaches that lack rigorous survey and sampling approaches, do not adequately account for search effort costs or systematically involve the participation of local-level actors, and are usually based on collections instead of direct observations in the field. Furthermore, the links between specific CGR conservation levels/configurations and the provision of specific ecosystem services are poorly understood.
There is thus an urgent need for the development of a systematic approach to the monitoring of CGR. This presentation draws on the outcome of a recent Bioversity International/CIP international expert workshop aimed at the development of such an approach. The proposed multi-scale approach builds on a wide range of existing monitoring experiences and a review of the literature related to agricultural biodiversity-relevant ecosystem services. A number of proposed indicators that could be used to assess CGR threat levels, be used for monitoring purposes and/or assist in evaluating ecosystem service public/private good trade-offs arising from agricultural intensification are presented, with a view to supporting the potential for prioritizing, designing and implementing on-farm/in situ conservation measures that actively involve farmers, support livelihoods, complement existing ex situ conservation efforts and facilitate access and benefit sharing.
Find out more about Bioversity International work on conserving crop diversity on the farm and in the wild http://www.bioversityinternational.org/research-portfolio/conservation-of-crop-diversity/
Review of Dissertation work at UC Davis
A discussion surrounding seed management and adoption processes
- The role of seed household exchange networks
- Seed security assessment
- Consequences for varietal diversity and in situ conservation
- Impact of participatory breeding on adoption and market participation
- Heuristic framework of seed exchange processes
The four-year project aims to improve common bean productivity and production in Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Uganda. Key objectives include realizing 20% higher productivity over unimproved varieties and 10% over best varieties currently in regions like Ethiopia. Activities include validating screening protocols for diseases and pests, evaluating breeding lines for traits like drought tolerance, and strengthening multi-stakeholder platforms and seed systems to aid dissemination of improved varieties to smallholder farmers. Progress highlighted includes advanced populations sent to CIAT for genotyping, new variety demonstrations conducted across locations with partners, and seed multiplication of released varieties underway by the national agricultural research institute and various cooperatives.
seed industry has focused on developing hybrid varieties and patenting new genetically engineered varieties. However, breeding crops specifically for organic production is still in its early stages. Some of the research underway includes public and participatory breeding programs to develop varieties with natural disease resistance suited to organic systems. Workshops have been educating farmers on participatory breeding. While there are still no commercially available varieties specifically bred for organics, programs are making progress in developing organic wheat, squash, and other varieties through on-farm trials and farmer collaboration. Further development of organic seed varieties will rely on participatory breeding models and addressing issues around farmer compensation and seed distribution.
Rainwater Harvesting and Utilisation Policy MakerK9T
This document provides an overview of rainwater harvesting and discusses its growing importance globally. It notes that rapid population growth and urbanization are exacerbating water scarcity issues around the world. Rainwater harvesting provides multiple benefits, such as improving groundwater quality, mitigating drought effects, and reducing erosion. It can be an ideal solution in areas with inadequate water resources. The document discusses demographic trends driving increased urbanization, especially in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. It provides examples of water access issues facing cities in different regions. The benefits of rainwater harvesting for both rural and urban communities are outlined. These include improving water access and quality as well as reducing energy use. The growing interest in rainwater harvesting globally over the past few
The document summarizes a quality assurance review of shelters that receive city funding. It discusses a 3-phase review process to ensure shelters meet standards and identify areas for improvement. The first phase was an on-site review of each shelter and this report outlines the key findings. It recommends reporting back on the second phase and authorizing officials to implement the recommendations.
Sphericos_Biotechnologies Final Report_09MAR2013Piers Rycroft
This document provides a final report on investigating the Pakistani biotech industry and mosquito control market. Regarding the biotech innovation ecosystem in Pakistan:
- There is little research and development in academia and industry within the Pakistani biotech sector. Education and biotech companies contribute little to innovation.
- Government provides most funding but offers few incentives for local companies. Intellectual property protection is also weak.
- Overall the innovation ecosystem in Pakistan is assessed to be poor at supporting innovative biotech startups.
The report also analyzes investor concerns in Pakistan such as political instability, inflation, and infrastructure issues. Finally, it examines the malaria endemic in Pakistan and potential for biopesticides, finding an opportunity in
The document discusses the State of Organic Seed project which aims to advance organic seed systems in the United States. It does this by monitoring the status of organic seed, developing stakeholder involvement, and implementing activities to improve the quality, integrity and use of organic seed. The project seeks input from organic farmers, certifiers, seed industry, researchers and other stakeholders. It identifies challenges in the organic seed sector such as lack of breeding for organic systems, industry concentration, and GE contamination risks. The document outlines principles and farmer-centered approaches to guide actions that strengthen organic seed systems.
This document is the prepublication summary of a report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine's Committee on Genetically Engineered Crops. The committee was tasked with reviewing the experiences and prospects of GE crops based on evidence from the last two decades. The summary finds that while many GE traits have been developed, only herbicide and insect resistance have been widely commercialized, primarily in soybean, cotton, maize, and canola. It examines claims about GE crop impacts and reviews regulatory approaches as newer genetic engineering techniques emerge.
Sustainable Management of Biodiversity for Food Security and Nutrition, Jessi...Bioversity International
Jessica Fanzo speaks at the Gorta side event - improving nutrition security through agriculture: ensuring access, quality and resilience. October 21 2011 FAO, Rome as part of celebrations for World Food Day. Read more about Bioversity International’s work on diet diversity for nutrition and health
http://www.bioversityinternational.org/research-portfolio/diet-diversity/
This is Rapid community assessment technique to assess the amount and distribution of crop diversity within farming communities, and widely used in various countries in on farm biodiversity management related projects.
The document summarizes labor issues in the U.S. industrial food system. It discusses how immigrant and undocumented workers face low wages, dangerous working conditions, lack of benefits and protections from abuse in jobs like agriculture, meatpacking, and food service. Agricultural work pays poverty-level wages and exposes workers to health risks from pesticides and machinery. The Bracero program exploited Mexican immigrant farm laborers. Recent programs like Fair Food have improved wages and conditions but many workers still lack legal protections and face retaliation for reporting abuses. Meatpacking remains dangerous due to speed pressures and exposure to biological hazards.
Evidence-based policy-making: The role of impact assessment studies and thei...ExternalEvents
Evidence-based policy-making: The role of impact assessment studies and their implications for agricultural biotechnologies presentation by David Spielman, International Food Policy Research Institute, Washington D.C., United States of America
This document discusses genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in food and debates both sides of the issue. It notes that GMOs are now found in many common foods but are still controversial. While some see benefits like increased crop yields and drought resistance, others worry about impacts on health, small farmers, and patent control of crops. Quotes are provided from scientists, farmers, and organizations on both sides of the GMO debate.
Farmers' Taxonomies as a Participatory Diagnostic ToolMauricio R. Bellon
This document summarizes a study on soil fertility management in Chihota, Zimbabwe from the perspective of local farmers. The study used farmers' taxonomies of themselves, their soils, and soil management practices to understand current approaches and constraints. Farmers in the region recognize soil infertility as a major challenge and have developed ways to cope. The researchers aimed to integrate new soil fertility technologies with farmers' existing knowledge and needs. Farmers' taxonomies provided insight into resources, challenges, and concerns regarding soil fertility, forming an important framework for introducing technical interventions.
Presentation given at the session on 'Seeds of Resilience - Novel strategies for using crop diversity in climate change adaptation' at Tropentag 2016, September 21st, Vienna, by Bioversity International scientist Ronnie Vernooy.
Future impacts of climate change are expected to become more pronounced in many parts of the world, forcing farmers to change their practices and causing them to find crops and varieties better adapted to new weather dynamics. Providing farmers with better access to crop and varietal diversity can strengthen their capacity to adapt to climate change. Under supportive policy and socioeconomic conditions, such strengthened capacity could contribute to greater food availability throughout the year, the production of more nutritious and healthy crops, and income generation. This is easier said than done.
How do we design and implement a comprehensive strategy that will allow farmers to access and use plant genetic diversity more effectively in the context of climate change adaptation? This session responded to this question through an interactive introduction to the challenge of enabling farmers to use climate-adapted germplasm (led by Bioversity International), a practical example from the field to bring new diversity to farmers fields (a case study from Uganda), and a “this is how we support crop diversification for climate change adaptation” exchange among a number of experts from government (development cooperation), private sector and civil society.
Find out more:
http://www.bioversityinternational.org/tropentag2016/
http://www.bioversityinternational.org/e-library/publications/detail/resource-box-for-resilient-seed-systems-handbook/
This document provides an overview of transgenic crops, including:
1) A brief history of transgenic crop development and the governing policies surrounding the technology.
2) A summary of the main agricultural crops that have been genetically modified, their expressed characteristics, and their market roles.
3) A discussion of unintended consequences, economic considerations, safety concerns, and implications of transgenic crops for sustainable agriculture.
Monsanto's perspective on claims made in the film Food, Inc. For use in classrooms that show this movie to present and discuss another Point of View and as an additional learning tool.
Rebbie Harawa
COUNTRY WORKSHOP
The Knowledge Lab on Climate Resilient Food Systems: An analytical support facility to achieve the SDGs
Co-Organized by IFPRI and AGRA
FEB 7, 2019 - 08:30 AM TO 05:55 PM EAT
Seed Production and Variety Development for Organic SystemsElisaMendelsohn
The document discusses seed production and variety development for organic systems. It notes that while interest is growing in developing seed varieties specifically for organic production, this area is still in its infancy. Some public universities and seed companies are beginning to breed varieties suited to organic farming through participatory breeding programs and selecting traits that confer natural resistance. However, no commercially available seeds have been bred specifically for organic production yet. The document outlines challenges around increasing the supply of organic seeds and regulatory issues affecting U.S. organic farmers.
The National Banana Development Strategy (2013-2016) aims to address several issues hampering growth of Kenya's banana industry. These issues include: lack of regulatory framework and standards; inadequate high quality planting materials; low productivity due to high pest/disease incidence and poor agronomic practices; low value addition; poor market access; lack of suitable variety maps; weak farmer organizations; and lack of targeted financial services. The strategy seeks to develop standards, increase quality inputs, promote resistant varieties, train farmers, enhance value addition and market access to make banana production more commercial, innovative and competitive.
This corporate presentation summarizes the report done by a Committee commisioned by the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine examining issues related to genetically engineered crops.
What do we have to lose? Generating crop diversity and threat monitoring info...Bioversity International
Ehsan Dulloo, Bioversity International Conservation and Availability Programme Leader, presented at the international conference Enhanced genepool utilization - Capturing wild relative and landrace diversity for crop improvement, in Cambridge, UK, 16-20 June 2014.
It is said that “you can't manage what you don't measure”. The unprecedented global loss of agricultural species, varieties and associated traditional knowledge is of increasing concern, threatening the provisioning, regulatory, supporting and cultural ecosystem services of importance to the livelihoods of the poor as well as the welfare of broader society. Such services include such public goods as maintaining agroecosystem resilience and future option values.
Unfortunately, although many crop genetic resources (CGR) are widely recognized as being threatened, there is only limited information available regarding actual status. Only isolated efforts at monitoring have been undertaken. Conventional monitoring efforts, where they exist at all, have been subject to limitations due to ad hoc approaches that lack rigorous survey and sampling approaches, do not adequately account for search effort costs or systematically involve the participation of local-level actors, and are usually based on collections instead of direct observations in the field. Furthermore, the links between specific CGR conservation levels/configurations and the provision of specific ecosystem services are poorly understood.
There is thus an urgent need for the development of a systematic approach to the monitoring of CGR. This presentation draws on the outcome of a recent Bioversity International/CIP international expert workshop aimed at the development of such an approach. The proposed multi-scale approach builds on a wide range of existing monitoring experiences and a review of the literature related to agricultural biodiversity-relevant ecosystem services. A number of proposed indicators that could be used to assess CGR threat levels, be used for monitoring purposes and/or assist in evaluating ecosystem service public/private good trade-offs arising from agricultural intensification are presented, with a view to supporting the potential for prioritizing, designing and implementing on-farm/in situ conservation measures that actively involve farmers, support livelihoods, complement existing ex situ conservation efforts and facilitate access and benefit sharing.
Find out more about Bioversity International work on conserving crop diversity on the farm and in the wild http://www.bioversityinternational.org/research-portfolio/conservation-of-crop-diversity/
Review of Dissertation work at UC Davis
A discussion surrounding seed management and adoption processes
- The role of seed household exchange networks
- Seed security assessment
- Consequences for varietal diversity and in situ conservation
- Impact of participatory breeding on adoption and market participation
- Heuristic framework of seed exchange processes
The four-year project aims to improve common bean productivity and production in Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Uganda. Key objectives include realizing 20% higher productivity over unimproved varieties and 10% over best varieties currently in regions like Ethiopia. Activities include validating screening protocols for diseases and pests, evaluating breeding lines for traits like drought tolerance, and strengthening multi-stakeholder platforms and seed systems to aid dissemination of improved varieties to smallholder farmers. Progress highlighted includes advanced populations sent to CIAT for genotyping, new variety demonstrations conducted across locations with partners, and seed multiplication of released varieties underway by the national agricultural research institute and various cooperatives.
seed industry has focused on developing hybrid varieties and patenting new genetically engineered varieties. However, breeding crops specifically for organic production is still in its early stages. Some of the research underway includes public and participatory breeding programs to develop varieties with natural disease resistance suited to organic systems. Workshops have been educating farmers on participatory breeding. While there are still no commercially available varieties specifically bred for organics, programs are making progress in developing organic wheat, squash, and other varieties through on-farm trials and farmer collaboration. Further development of organic seed varieties will rely on participatory breeding models and addressing issues around farmer compensation and seed distribution.
Rainwater Harvesting and Utilisation Policy MakerK9T
This document provides an overview of rainwater harvesting and discusses its growing importance globally. It notes that rapid population growth and urbanization are exacerbating water scarcity issues around the world. Rainwater harvesting provides multiple benefits, such as improving groundwater quality, mitigating drought effects, and reducing erosion. It can be an ideal solution in areas with inadequate water resources. The document discusses demographic trends driving increased urbanization, especially in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. It provides examples of water access issues facing cities in different regions. The benefits of rainwater harvesting for both rural and urban communities are outlined. These include improving water access and quality as well as reducing energy use. The growing interest in rainwater harvesting globally over the past few
The document summarizes a quality assurance review of shelters that receive city funding. It discusses a 3-phase review process to ensure shelters meet standards and identify areas for improvement. The first phase was an on-site review of each shelter and this report outlines the key findings. It recommends reporting back on the second phase and authorizing officials to implement the recommendations.
Sphericos_Biotechnologies Final Report_09MAR2013Piers Rycroft
This document provides a final report on investigating the Pakistani biotech industry and mosquito control market. Regarding the biotech innovation ecosystem in Pakistan:
- There is little research and development in academia and industry within the Pakistani biotech sector. Education and biotech companies contribute little to innovation.
- Government provides most funding but offers few incentives for local companies. Intellectual property protection is also weak.
- Overall the innovation ecosystem in Pakistan is assessed to be poor at supporting innovative biotech startups.
The report also analyzes investor concerns in Pakistan such as political instability, inflation, and infrastructure issues. Finally, it examines the malaria endemic in Pakistan and potential for biopesticides, finding an opportunity in
The Principles and Practices of Organic Bean Seed Production in the Pacific N...Seeds
This document provides information on organic bean seed production in the Pacific Northwest. It discusses the basic biology and lifecycle of common beans, as well as requirements for growing bean seed such as climate, soil, fertility, planting, cultivation, flowering and pollination. It also covers isolation requirements, genetic maintenance and improvement, harvesting, and common diseases that affect bean seed crops. The overall goal is to support the ethical development and stewardship of bean seed through organic practices.
The Principles and Practices of Organic Radish Seed Production in the Pacific...Seeds
This document provides information on organic radish seed production in the Pacific Northwest. It discusses the basic biology and lifecycle of radishes and requirements for growing, selecting, isolating, harvesting, and cleaning radish seed crops. Key points covered include planting methods, spacing, selection criteria like seedling vigor and root shape/color, and maintaining a minimum population size of 120-200 plants to preserve genetic diversity. Diseases, insects, and post-harvest processing are also outlined.
New deal wikipedia, the free encyclopediaGordon Kraft
The New Deal was a series of economic programs enacted in the United States between 1933 and 1936 in response to the Great Depression. The programs focused on relief for the unemployed and poor, recovery of the economy to normal levels, and reform of the financial system to prevent another depression. Some key programs included the Social Security system, the SEC, the FDIC, and public works projects like the Tennessee Valley Authority. The New Deal helped establish the Democratic party as the majority party in the U.S. for decades.
This report summarizes recommendations for improving Stow Town Center based on research conducted by the University of Massachusetts Center for Economic Development (CED). Key recommendations include converting the fire station into a recreation center for Hale Middle School students, regulating vehicle access on Common Road, improving pedestrian infrastructure like sidewalks and crosswalks, collaborating with the library on preservation efforts, and maintaining the Crescent Street building for storage. CED also recommends conducting a community survey to gather input on uses for the fire station and historic preservation, and pursuing local or national historic district designation to protect Stow's historic character.
This document discusses the history and need for rainwater harvesting in India. It outlines that rainwater harvesting has been
practiced for thousands of years around the world, including in ancient civilizations like Ur. It was commonly used in South
India over 1000 years ago through various methods. It describes how research on rainwater harvesting increased in India from
the 1960s onward. It notes that rainwater harvesting is needed to address increasing water demands and scarcity in both rural
and urban areas of India, as water is becoming a limited resource, especially in certain states like Tamil Nadu.
The document provides guidance on artificial groundwater recharge projects. It discusses planning artificial recharge by identifying suitable areas, conducting scientific studies on hydrology and hydrogeology, and assessing available source water and subsurface storage potential. The document also covers artificial recharge techniques and designs, monitoring mechanisms, and case studies of recharge projects in India. The overall aim is to provide information to augment groundwater resources through modified movement of surface water.
Manure and fertilizers are used to replenish nutrients in soil and promote healthy plant growth. Manure is an organic substance obtained from decomposed plant and animal waste that is added to fields to improve soil texture, increase friendly microbes, and replenish nutrients. Fertilizers are chemical substances made in factories that are also rich in nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium but can pollute water sources and make soil less fertile over time. Both manure and fertilizers are beneficial for farmers but have advantages and disadvantages.
This document provides an introduction to organic farming from the Kenya Institute of Organic Farming. It discusses KIOF's activities in disseminating information about organic farming through training students and farmers. Organic farming avoids synthetic fertilizers and pesticides and relies on crop rotations, animal manures, and biological pest control. The advantages of organic farming include sustainability, efficient nutrient use, self-reliance, environmental protection, health benefits, income generation and economic viability. The principles of organic farming are diversity, maintaining living soil, cyclic nutrient flow, and keeping animals according to their needs.
This document discusses organic fertilizers. It defines organic fertilizers as soil amendments derived from natural sources that contain minimum percentages of nitrogen, phosphate and potash. Organic fertilizers include manures, composts, green manures and other plant and animal residues. They are used because they improve soil structure and fertility while protecting the environment. The document describes different types of organic fertilizers and how to prepare compost from various waste materials. It also discusses applying, storing and purchasing organic fertilizers in Pakistan.
The organic farming movement began in the 1930s-1940s as a reaction to agriculture's increasing reliance on synthetic fertilizers. Sir Albert Howard is considered the "father of organic farming". Organic farming aims to sustain soil, ecosystem and human health by relying on ecological processes rather than chemical inputs. It combines tradition, innovation and science to benefit the environment and promote fair relationships. Organic farming principles include sustaining health, working with ecological systems, ensuring fairness, and responsible management.
Seed Production and Variety Development for Organic SystemsGardening
This document summarizes the current state of breeding crop varieties specifically for organic production in the United States. While interest is growing, breeding for organics is still in its early stages. Some public universities and small companies are conducting research into developing varieties with traits suited to organic systems through participatory breeding with farmers. However, no commercially available seed varieties have been bred specifically for organic production yet. Researchers are seeking to establish new models for organic seed distribution and farmer compensation for participation in variety development.
Seed Production and Variety Development for Organic SystemsElisaMendelsohn
The document discusses seed production and variety development for organic systems. It notes that while interest is growing in developing seed varieties specifically for organic production, this area is still in its infancy. Some public universities and seed companies are beginning to breed varieties suited to organic practices through participatory breeding approaches involving farmers. However, no commercially available seed varieties have been bred specifically for organic production yet. The document outlines challenges around ensuring availability and diversity of organic seed going forward.
Seed Production and Variety Development for Organic SystemsElisaMendelsohn
This document discusses seed production and variety for organic systems. It notes that most research into developing seed varieties specifically for organic production involves public and participatory breeding, though finished varieties are not yet commercially available. It also covers two major regulatory issues around organic seed requirements and quality differences between farmer-saved, traded, and commercial seeds. The global landscape and challenges of breeding for organic systems are also summarized.
Seed Production and Variety Development for Organic SystemsElisaMendelsohn
This document discusses seed production and variety for organic systems. It notes that most research into developing seed varieties specifically for organic production involves public and participatory breeding, and useful materials from this research are increasingly available. However, in 2005 no commercially available seed varieties had yet been bred specifically for organic production, despite ongoing breeding programs. The document also discusses two major regulatory issues affecting US organic farmers regarding seed requirements, and quality differences between farmer-saved, traded, and purchased seeds.
Seed Production and Variety Development for Organic SystemsElisaMendelsohn
This document discusses seed production and variety for organic systems. It notes that most research into developing seed varieties specifically for organic production involves public and participatory breeding, and useful materials from this research are increasingly available. However, in 2005 no commercially available seed varieties had yet been bred specifically for organic production, despite ongoing breeding programs. The document also discusses two major regulatory issues affecting US organic farmers regarding seed requirements, and quality differences between farmer-saved, traded, and purchased seeds.
The document provides an overview of breeding organic vegetables, including basic seed-saving techniques. It discusses that self-pollinating crops like beans and tomatoes only need isolation distances of around 20 feet for seed production, while outcrossing crops like brassicas and cucurbits require much greater isolation of at least 1/4 mile to prevent cross-pollination between varieties. The document also notes that for seed production of outcrossing crops, growers can allow only one variety to flower if the edible portion is not the ripe fruit.
This document discusses organic herb production in the United States. It provides an overview of research into organic herb production, including projects funded by USDA SARE grants. It also summarizes regulations for organic certification and highlights some of the challenges for beginning organic herb producers, such as the years of experience needed to successfully grow and market herb crops.
Problems and Progress for Organic Seed ProductionSeeds
This document discusses problems and progress in organic seed production. It begins by defining organic seed at different levels from certified seed produced organically to cultivars bred for organic systems. Implementation of 100% organic seed faced challenges but has made progress through systems allowing limited non-organic seed initially while increasing organic seed availability and quality over time. Data collection on organic seed use is limited but surveys indicate growing use, especially for arable crops, though full targets have yet to be met.
This document summarizes a manual about small-scale organic seed production. It acknowledges those who helped fund and produce the manual. It then provides brief biographies of the author, Patrick Steiner, and the farmers interviewed for their experiences with seed production. The introduction outlines the goals of expanding local seed production to meet growing demand from organic farmers. It discusses the benefits of seed production for farm ecology, economics, and biodiversity. The first chapter shares reasons farmers choose to grow seeds and benefits it provides for their operations based on interviews. Farmers cited adapting seeds to their conditions, ensuring variety availability, and reducing costs. Seed production was also found to support farm ecology through crops in rotations and providing food for beneficial insects. The chapter closes
This document provides information on producing wheatgrass through two methods: the bed method and field method. The bed method involves growing seeds in shallow beds of soil and peat moss or vermiculite, while the field method involves growing the grass longer in soil. Proper sanitation, storage, and liability insurance are important due to food safety risks. The document also discusses marketing wheatgrass and lists resources for further information.
This document summarizes a presentation on organic seed solutions in Canada. It discusses the current plant breeding system and proposed changes to royalty collection that could generate funds for breeding programs. For organic producers, existing varieties will remain available without royalties, but developing organic varieties faces the same challenges as conventional breeding due to limited public funding. Participatory plant breeding is highlighted as an alternative that has successfully developed wheat, oat and potato lines adapted for organic conditions. International agreements support farmers' rights to save and exchange seeds and strengthen on-farm breeding that conserves diversity for farmer-developed varieties.
Economic Implications of Plant-made Pharmaceutical Production in North CarolinaRAFI-USA
Christopher F. Dumas, Troy G. Schmitz, Christopher R. Giese, Michael Sligh.
Published 2008.
Report features recommendations to help shape a full and meaningful dialogue regarding the future of pharmaceutical crops in North Carolina agriculture. Christopher F. Dumas; Troy G. Schmitz; Christopher R. Giese; Michael Sligh.
This document summarizes research on organic herb production in the US, including production of annual and perennial herbs. It discusses the growth of the organic industry, certification requirements, and challenges for beginning organic herb producers. It also reviews research projects on organic herb production funded by USDA and outlines federal regulations regarding wild crop harvesting and organic certification.
This document summarizes information on organic herb production in the United States, including:
- The growth in organic farming and sales of organic foods in the US. Around 7,200 producers were certified organic in 2001, with 2.07 million acres under organic cultivation.
- Herb production can provide additional income for small farms, though typical herb farms are small businesses that add value through direct marketing.
- Federal regulations now require certification for organic labels and marketing. The USDA provides oversight of the National Organic Program.
Protecting Organic Seed Integrity: The Organic Farmer’s Handbook to GE Avoida...Seeds
This document provides an overview of the risks of genetic contamination to organic agriculture from genetically engineered crops. It notes that GE crops now make up the majority of certain commodity crops grown in the US, posing risks of contamination to organic and non-GE crops through cross-pollination and seed mixing. Evidence of past contamination events is discussed. The importance of maintaining the integrity of organic seed is outlined, as contaminated seed would compromise the entire organic system. Guidelines for avoidance and testing of at-risk crops are provided to help organic farmers minimize risks of GE contamination.
This document provides an overview of organic strawberry production methods, including various planting systems, integrated pest management techniques, and discussions of weeds, pests, diseases, varieties, fertility, and economics. It describes common raised bed planting systems using plastic mulch that are also used by organic growers. Alternative systems like matted rows and ribbon rows are also covered.
This document provides an overview of organic strawberry production methods. It discusses various planting systems including raised bed plasticulture, the most common system used by organic and conventional growers in warmer regions. It also covers integrated pest management techniques for controlling weeds, pests, and diseases without synthetic pesticides. The document includes information on varieties, fertility, greenhouse production, and economic considerations for organic strawberry production.
This document provides information on organic sweet corn production, including key aspects such as varieties, soil fertility, weed control, pest management, harvesting, and marketing. Organic sweet corn production differs from conventional methods in its reliance on crop rotations, cover crops, compost and manures for soil fertility and its use of mechanical cultivation and biological controls to manage pests. The document discusses organic certification requirements and considerations for seed selection, fertility management, pest control, and post-harvest handling.
This document provides information on organic sweet corn production, including key aspects such as varieties, soil fertility, weed control, pest management, harvesting, and marketing. Organic sweet corn production differs from conventional methods in its reliance on crop rotations, cover crops, compost and manures for soil fertility and its use of mechanical cultivation and biological controls to manage pests. The document discusses organic certification requirements and considerations for seed varieties, and provides details on production practices and marketing organic sweet corn.
Seed Production and Seed Sources of Organic Vegetables
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For more information, Please see websites below:
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Organic Edible Schoolyards & Gardening with Children =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851214 ~
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Double Food Production from your School Garden with Organic Tech =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851079 ~
`
Free School Gardening Art Posters =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851159 ~
`
Increase Food Production with Companion Planting in your School Garden =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851159 ~
`
Healthy Foods Dramatically Improves Student Academic Success =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851348 ~
`
City Chickens for your Organic School Garden =
http://scribd.com/doc/239850440 ~
`
Simple Square Foot Gardening for Schools - Teacher Guide =
http://scribd.com/doc/239851110 ~
Similar to Seed Production and Variety Development for Organic Systems (20)
In the midst of the toxic atmosphere of Watts, seeds are sprouting, organic gardens are thriving, young people are discovering a vocation, and healthy, whole foods are becoming part of everyday life.
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3. linated or vectored from another plant of the
same type) rather than hybrid (produced arti-ficially
by controlled cross-breeding).
Commercial-scale organic production requires
seed stocks (both open-pollinated and hybrid)
with proven reliability—especially natural
resistance to insects and diseases, as well
as natural vigor to germinate promptly and
out compete weeds. Good flavor and quality
typically are considered more important than
shippability. Additional attributes making for
successful organic propagation are beginning
to be identified.(1)
Recently, organizations such as the Organic
Seed Alliance (OSA) and the Public Seed
Initiative (Cornell) have outlined a new pub-lic
participatory model for breeding organic
seeds. The model aims to strike a middle
course between the inexperience of seed-sav-ing
farmers and any special-interest bias in
formal research. Prior to training, farmers
often lack the skills to select traits impor-tant
for enhancing organic production. They
may also lack resources to carry on multi-year
development of seed lines. Leaving
the research agenda in the hands of institu-tions
simply accelerates the movement toward
genomics and patentable outcomes.
In 1999 the Northern Plains Sustainable
Agriculture Society (NPSAS) undertook
a three-state farmer-driven, participatory
breeding program for organic varieties that
is still ongoing. See www.npsas.org/Breeding-
Club.htm for information on NPSAS’s Farmer
Breeding Project and organic variety trials,
funded by USDA’s Sustainable Agriculture
Research and Education (SARE) program
and the Organic Farming Research Foun-dation
(OFRF). Another ongoing project is
Oregon Tilth’s ambitious Farmer Cooperative
Genome Project.
Other universities and organic seed compa-nies
are beginning to work with genetically
diverse, open-pollinated plant populations, as
well as hybrids, to breed varieties with mul-tiple
traits conferring “horizontal resistance,”
ideally suited to organic production.
Workshops, many funded by USDA/SARE
grants, are reaching farmers around the
country, to explain the objectives and tech-niques
of “participatory breeding” and seed
saving. By 2004 this approach was bearing
fruit in the Pacific Northwest, led by Wild
Garden Seeds, Philomath, Oregon—one of
the more advanced among the small group of
breeders focused on re-introducing disease
resistance into popular strains of lettuce and
kale for organic production.(7) On 11 acres
of certified organic trial ground, Washing-ton
State University wheat breeder Stephen
Jones has developed wheat varieties suited
to organic production in the Pacific North-west
by drawing samples of pre-1950 wheats
from seedbanks and crossing them to mod-ern
lines, to take advantage of improvements
but retain traits important in the era preced-ing
chemical agriculture. Five varieties are
already consistently producing higher yields
for Washington state organic wheat farmers,
but release of the new varieties is still sev-eral
years off.(7, 8) The University of Min-nesota
has identified hard red spring wheat
cultivars for organic production.(9) Other
innovators include Lindsey du Toit, Washing-ton
State University horticulturist, and John
Navazio of OSA.
Seeds of Change is leading the way in devel-oping
summer squash for organic production,
especially zucchinis, emphasizing large cano-pies
to shade out weeds, resistance to weather
swings, adequate yields, and flavor. A pre-liminary
evaluation of heirloom varieties at
Cornell under organic conditions has identi-fied
a forgotten cantaloupe with superior fla-vor.
‘Hannah’s Choice’ thrives under organic
conditions, when grown for local markets and
not for long-distance shipping.(7)
Farmer compensation
Exactly how farmers participating in breed-ing
the new organic varieties will be compen-sated
for their time is not clear, except that
the farmers will ensure organic versions of
their favorite regional varieties for their own
use. Neither has anyone offered a clear dis-tribution
model for the new varieties. One
possibility is the collaborative model (like the
California Sweet Potato Growers Group that
distributes the virus-free planting material
produced by University of California research
www.attra.ncat.org ATTRA Page 3
4. How Farmers Can Participate in Horizontal Selection and Breeding
Professional plant breeders have never focused on breeding for horizontal resistance, at least for the past 65 years.
During the 1960s, many plant breeders also began to doubt the profitability of breeding for vertical resistance (narrow
selection for one or very few specific traits). The commercial life of most vertically resistant cultivars was too short to
justify the amount of necessary work. The short market life of new introductions, combined with the development of
improved crop protection chemicals and the financial involvement of chemical industries in breeding, led to abandon-ment
of resistance breeding altogether, in favor of crop protection by chemicals. At present, the world spends about
nine billion dollars annually on pesticides. Despite this, pre-harvest crop losses due to pests and diseases are estimated
at 24 percent. In food crops alone, these losses are enough to feed about one billion people.
The only effective means of overcoming corporate and scientific opposition to horizontal resistance (broad selection
for an array of resistance traits) is to make plant breeding as public and as widespread as possible. Fortunately, breed-ing
crops for horizontal resistance can be undertaken in the public interest, according to R.A. Robinson, author of the
seminal work Return to Resistance: Breeding Crops To Reduce Pesticide Dependency.(6) Robinson envisioned breeding
groups composed of farmers, hobby gardeners, green activists, environmentalists, or university students, working with
a reasonably wide genetic base of susceptible plants. It is not necessary to find a good source of resistance, as when
breeding for vertical resistance. Transgressive segregation within a population of susceptible plants will usually accumu-late
all the horizontal resistance needed. Should this not occur, merely widening the original genetic base will probably
remedy the situation. Transgressive segregation, a common term in plant breeding, is “the segregation of individuals in
the F2 or a later generation of a cross that shows a more extreme development of a character than either parent gene.”
(See www.desicca.de/plant_breeding/Dictionary_T/dictionary-t.htm.) In other words, after the initial cross, in successive
generations desirable traits and combinations of traits tend to become more pronounced in certain individual plants.
A second step is the use of recurrent mass selection as a breeding method. Robinson originally recommended about ten
to twenty original parents. Dr. Jeff McCormick, of Garden Medicinals and Culinaries, recommends fifty to one hundred,
usually high-quality modern cultivars, but also some older landraces, for exposure to cross-pollination in all combinations.
The progeny should total some thousands of individuals that are screened for resistance by being cultivated without
any crop protection chemicals. The majority of this early screening population dies, and the insect and disease pests
do most of the work of screening. The survivors become the parents of the next generation. This process is repeated
until the research group determines that enough horizontal resistance has accumulated. Usually, 10 to 15 generations
of recurrent mass selection will produce high levels of horizontal resistance to all locally important pests. The process
could take ten to fifteen years in temperate climates, but less where more than one cycle per year could be realized.
McCormick has recently streamlined the process suggested by Robinson in 1996 to about five generations.
Recurrent mass selection must be performed “on-site”—that is, in the area of future cultivation, at the time of year of
future cultivation, and according to the future farming system (i.e., organic production). This will produce new cultivars
that are in balance with the local agro-ecosystem.
only to its members). Plant breeding clubs
share seeds among their own members, and
the membership model has emerged as the
preferred method for organic farmers to
obtain transplants. The Organic Seed Alli-ance
calls for “developing new relationships
and exploring novel avenues of collaboration
to bring quality seed to the organic move-ment.”(
10) In the U.S., plant breeding clubs
generally include a group of farmers assisted
by a university researcher or other technical
assistance provider.
The Northeast Organic Farming Association
of New York (NOFA-NY) continues to work
with Cornell University in Cornell’s Public
Seed Initiative, under a 2004 USDA organic
farm research grant, for expansion of on-farm
vegetable breeding, on-farm trials,
and farmer education to develop and deliver
improved vegetable varieties for organic sys-tems.
According to a NOFA-NY newsletter,
[A]ppropriate procedures to manage the
transfer of these materials [vegetable
germplasm] between breeders and to our
trialing network are in place that pre-serve
the originators’ rights, if desired.(11)
Page 4 ATTRA Seed Production and Variety Development for Organic Systems
5. Issues with the conventional seed
industry
Heretofore, the increasingly consolidated
seed industry has served as the main engine
of commercialization and distribution of new
introductions by producing certified (for grain
crops) and registered (for vegetable variet-ies)
seed. The industry has sought greater
returns for its crucial service by acquiring
intellectual property rights to seeds of unique
varieties, limiting the number of varieties
sold, and most significantly, finding advan-tageous
legal or legislative avenues. A main
attraction of biotechnology for seed compa-nies
is enhanced worldwide market share,
not improved yields (as the case of Bt corn
has shown). Accordingly, Gunnar Rundgren,
president of the International Federation of
Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM)
—concurring with the assessment of World-
Watch Institute— asserts that
in the case of GMOs (genetically modified
organisms) there are no benefits for either
consumers or producers—only for the
companies producing and selling them. If
farmers feel they need herbicide-resistant
varieties, that is because they are locked
into a production system that depends on
chemical inputs… [a system] that leads to
further degradation of the environment,
increased dependency of farmers and
more risks for everybody.(12)
Acquisition of exclusive ownership of seed
varieties is limited under the 1970 Plant
Variety Protection Act, which safeguards
the rights of farmers and gardeners to use
their own saved seed, and the rights of plant
breeders to use PVP varieties for breeding
new varieties, while affording seed develop-ers
a means to recoup their investment. Lob-bying
groups demanded protection for small
farmers in the PVPA legislation. Seedsav-ing
farmers and gardeners had become con-cerned
by the European ban on many tradi-tional
open-pollinated varieties as part of a
program of varietal “standardization.”
However, under an obscure 2001 U.S.
Supreme Court decision (Pioneer Hi-Bred
International vs. J.E.M. Ag Supply), com-panies
for the first time could freely patent
plant varieties under the 1795 U.S. Utility
Patent law, without any reservations to pro-tect
small growers or farmers who wished to
save (and sometimes sell) seed from their own
crops.(13) So far, this has affected mainly
U.S. commodity grain crops. At the end of
2004, owners of patents on genetically engi-neered
varieties had filed 90 lawsuits, involv-ing
147 farmers and 39 small businesses,
alleging seed patent violations.(14)
Issues in organic seed
sourcing for commercial
growers
In setting as a key goal for the future of public
breeding, “development of ‘a road map for
invigorating public domain plant and animal
breeding to meet the needs of a more sus-tainable
agriculture,’” the 2003 Seed Sum-mit
committed itself to the totally new area of
breeding for organic production. In doing so,
it shifted ground beyond increasing the sup-ply
of currently available varieties of organic
seed to developing new varieties designed
specifically for organic production.
Two major regulatory
issues that directly affect
U.S. organic farmers
Should U.S. organic producers be
required to use organic seed?
Seed companies complain bitterly that for
the past two years organic farmers have used
the availability exemption in the USDA/NOP
standards to avoid buying organic seed.
Organic seed may be more expensive, and
farmers may have to go outside their usual
seed sources to find it. Farmers also say
that organic seed is simply not available for
their preferred varieties. Because the rule
that encourages the planting of organic seed
is relatively new, many types of organic seed
have been in short supply. This situation is
improving, as organic production for the seed
market grows. Organic certifying agents dif-fer
in their interpretations of this regulation,
which simply states that the producer must
use organically grown seeds except “when
an equivalent organically produced variety
is not commercially available.” Some certi-fiers
require only that a farmer document
See the new
IFOAM pub-lication,
Genetic Engineering
vs. Organic Farming,
at www.ifoam.org.
www.attra.ncat.org ATTRA Page 5
6. three instances in which seed companies that
are likely sources for organic seed cannot
provide a specific variety. Where a farmer
has found organic seed of the desired vari-ety,
but it is of poor quality, some certifiers
have not required the farmer to use the low-quality
seed (i.e., seed with poor germina-tion,
low purity, low test weight, etc.). In
this instance, the certifier is interpreting the
word “equivalent” in the rule to include seed
quality characteristics. The quality prob-lem
occurs mainly when an organic farmer
attempts to use “bin-run,” on-farm produced
seed that is not certified.
However, in 2005 NOFA-NY began caution-ing
its certified organic farmers (mainly veg-etable
growers) to use organic seed. In the
fall of 2004 NOFA staff compiled an updated
organic seed list that included organic variet-ies
available in 2005 and comparable con-ventional
varieties.(11) For certified organic
farmers in the U.S. as a whole, the access
problem seems to have been solved for now
by the certified organic sourcing service the
Carolina Farm Stewardship Association’s
Save Our Seed Project has begun providing
to growers.(15)
Any grower who wants to plant certified organic seeds may sub-mit
a list of the cultivars/ varieties sought, along with the quantity
needed. CFSA’s Save Our Seed Project will then send to the grower
a list of all of the certified organic sources for every cultivar. If no
sources exist, the project will send the grower full documentation
of this circumstance, for the grower’s certification agent.
Organic cultivars are currently available for seeds, tubers, and root-stocks.
Not available for 2005 are mixtures (for example, mesclun),
trees, and seedlings. Growers can submit lists by FAX (706-788-
0071), mail (Carolina Farm Stewardship Ass’n, 49 Circle D Dr., Colbert,
GA 30628), or e-mail (sourcing@savingourseed.org).(15)
The American Seed Trade Association
(ASTA) has recently met with NOP to request
that NOP manage an organic seed database.
According to the Organic Observer:
ASTA would like to see an interactive
database established to provide real-time
access to seed suppliers and the public
regarding availability of organic seed vari-eties.
ASTA also requested that certifiers
be required to supply monthly reports
on exemptions granted for non-organic
seed. NOP indicated that they are willing
to sponsor a database, but are expecting
ASTA to provide the data. NOSB mem-bers
[present] questioned the scope of this
project.(16)
The problem of varietal “equivalence” has
emerged mainly in vegetable production.
Seed companies acknowledge that many,
practically identical vegetable varieties are
sold under different names by different sup-pliers—
in part to get around trademark
or copyright issues. Growers have appar-ently
been claiming to their certifiers that
an organic variety under a different name
is not equivalent to their preferred variety.
(Seed companies have favored interpretation
of the regulation as “kind,” rather than “vari-ety”
equivalence. For more on this question,
see the statement by Rob Johnson, at www.
johnnyseeds.com.) Other farmers argue that
high prices alone exempt them from using
organic seed.
Some farm support organizations counter
that farmers should be willing to pay higher
prices to support the efforts of seed compa-nies
to produce organic versions of the major
crops. An article in The Land asserts that
there is no shortage of any type of organic
seed for 2005 for Minnesota farmers, and
they should voluntarily use organic seed.(17)
Some farm support groups (and the Ameri-can
Seed Trade Association’s Organic Divi-sion)
have proposed an integrated national
database of organic seed availability to fore-stall
the “three-call” rule-of-thumb. The
hard question of determining “equivalence”
remains, but it should subside with increased
availability of varieties especially bred for
organic production.
Should testing be required to
insure that seed producers do not
use or distribute seed that may
contain unintended genetically
modified material?
Requiring testing for GM material is another
contentious issue. Some organic grain pro-ducers
have had export lots rejected by for-eign
buyers because the lots were contam-
Page 6 ATTRA Seed Production and Variety Development for Organic Systems
7. inated with GMOs. The sheer number of
GMOs that have migrated into U.S. food crops
leaves the organic industry in a quandary.
It’s an immediate problem for crops such as
canola, soy, and corn, where GMO variet-ies
predominate, and it threatens potential
migration of stray GMO material to related
weeds and nearby food crops. Two schools
of thought have proposed two different solu-tions.
The American Seed Testing Association
favors a system of testing organic seed to cer-tify
it as GMO-free before it can be planted
or sold. On the other hand, the American
Seed Trade Association guidelines include
this statement:
ASTA strongly supports that organic cer-tification
under the NOP is a process, not
product certification. . . . ASTA strongly
maintains that any movement toward
organic seed testing or product certifica-tion
is not only counter to USDA and NOP
policy, but also the U.S. seed industry
and organic producers at large. It is well
recognized in numerous food and agri-cultural
production standards, including
organic standards, that zero is not possi-ble.
Furthermore, any movement by seed
producers to respond to such unrealistic
market demands will not only undermine
the viability of the U.S. government’s
organic policy but could erode the U.S.
seed industry’s future participation in the
organic market.(18)
New procedures are increasingly able to iden-tify
GMOs, even in large quantities of seed,
with a high degree of accuracy. Some U.S.
export grains are tested, and many suppli-ers
of organic grain seed verify that their
stocks are free only to a certain tolerance level
(usually .05 or .01). Tolerances have yet
to be set by NOP. Monsanto recently con-ducted
a lab analysis seminar at its St. Louis
facility to demonstrate the latest methods of
detection. European scientists have detected
GMOs in 100% of samples tested.(19) Iowa
State University has developed a new soft-ware
program, using weather data and other
geographical parameters, that can predict
genetic purity at harvest for hybrid corn in
the field, to aid farmers in marketing deci-sions.(
20)
A big problem for on-farm seed producers
is that certain crops with GMO analogues
already exhibit pervasive, low-level GMO con-tamination.
According to a 2004 study con-ducted
by the Union of Concerned Scientists
(UCS) on conventionally produced U.S. soy-beans,
canola, and corn, representing a wide
array of popular varieties with no history of
genetic engineering, “more than two-thirds
of 36 conventional corn, soy, and canola seed
batches contained traces of DNA from geneti-cally
engineered crop varieties.” The report
concluded, “The US may soon find it impos-sible
to guarantee that any portion of its food
supply is free of gene-altered elements, a situ-ation
that could seriously disrupt the export
of US foods, seeds, and oils. Many believe it
could also gravely harm the domestic market
for organic foods.” The lab tests were com-missioned
by UCS and conducted on certi-fied
seed.(21) Many scientists, universities,
farmers, and other have questioned plans
for GMO wheat. Canola is a major oilseed;
domestic corn and soybeans are major ingre-dients
in many products—including starches,
emulsifiers, and animal feeds.
Some sources have suggested that bacteria
can spread GMO material from a genetically
engineered crop to a nearby unrelated crop
or weed. In fact, this mimics the process
used in genetic engineering.(22)
These developments raise serious questions
about geographically indiscriminate on-farm
production of organic seedstocks for grains
and oilseeds. Moreover, many varieties of GE
crops—including “pharmacrops”— are being
grown as trial crops in undisclosed locations
in the U.S.(23) As a result, some western
organic growers increasingly discriminate
among seed suppliers.(24)
Industry positions on testing for
GMOs
Organic spokespeople like Jim Riddle,
recently elected to chair the National Organic
Standards Board, point out that required test-ing
for GMOs would deeply alter the concept
of organics from a process-based system to a
testing system. (This is also the position of
ASTA.) However, there is a marketing issue.
www.attra.ncat.org ATTRA Page 7
8. The public now believes organic is 100%
GMO-free. Will the public accept a chance
of pharma-crop “pig vaccines” in its organic
corn flakes? Or will it demand testing?
A system of tolerances for GMO contamina-tion
may eventually need to be established
for certified organic crops—especially wind-pollinated
crops like some grains and oil-seeds.(
25) Governmental agreements, espe-cially
on harmonization of organic standards,
would open the door for U.S. organic farmers
to participate in foreign trade. Other sugges-tions
include setting aside areas of the world
still remote enough to produce foundation
stock of wind-pollinated crops or establish-ing
a U.S. government public seed bank of
pure stock (before it is too late).
Quality issues in farmer-saved
and -traded seed
vs. purchased
commercial seed
The highest quality grain seed sold to farm-ers
is “certified,” with minimum standards
for purity, germination, test weight, true-ness
to type, and absence of physical dam-age.
Ideally, seed for planting organic grain
crops would be both “certified” and “certi-fied
organic.” Shortages of certified organic
grain seed have sometimes led farmers to
use “bin-run” seed from a nearby organic
farm or from a previous year’s harvest that
(while it is “certified organic”) may contain
light or broken seed, weed seed and other
foreign matter, or pathogens. Such seed is
also likely to germinate poorly. This is not
invariably the case, of course. According to
many certifiers’ interpretations of NOP reg-ulations,
farmers can by-pass available low-quality
organic seed in favor of untreated
conventional seed of higher quality.
Value in going back to certified
seed every few years if you save
your own
Although Canadian farmer Percy Schmeiser
asserts that he selected and saved seed most
of his 35 years of growing canola crops—
thereby developing a landrace adapted to Sas-katchewan
conditions—the unfavorable out-come
of the internationally publicized court
case in which he was involved with Monsanto
underscores the advisability of commercial
farmers going back every few years to a reli-able
source of organic seed of their preferred
variety. This practice guards against dis-ease
buildup, inadvertent contamination of
the stock, and reversion of the crop to unde-sirable
traits. This reliable source can be
certified seed from a conservator university
or commercial seed company. Jeff McCor-mick,
a pioneer new-breed seed company
owner, has suggested that vegetable farmers
growing a contract seed crop may find it to
their advantage to go back to the company
every year for “select” (certified) seed for
the vegetables they are raising for market,
as well.(5)
The global picture
While European Union (EU) and global stan-dards
are beyond the scope of this publica-tion,
there was extensive discussion of the
need for global harmonization of organic
standards at the 2004 World Seed Confer-ence
in Rome. (See Proceedings at www.
ifoam.org.) Differing standards, of course,
affect trade policy, and intense negotiations
between the U.S. and the European Union
continue. As of 2005, some GMO plantings
in Europe, as well as exports of U.S. Bt corn
to Europe, had been approved.
Another major issue at the World Seed Con-ference
was intellectual property rights, or the
implications of governmentally approved lists
of permitted varieties. This is a special con-cern
for traditional farmers in many coun-tries,
who are used to saving seed from year
to year and have over the centuries devel-oped
unique landraces. A recent example
is in Iraq, where a new report by GRAIN
and Focus on the Global South cites a U.S.
edict in occupied Iraq that “prevents farmers
from saving their seeds and effectively hands
over the seed market to transnational corpo-rations.”
(See www.grain.org/nfg/?id+253.)
This was also reported in In Good Tilth, Feb-ruary
2005.(26)
Traditional practices of indigenous farmers
are mostly compatible with organic produc-
Page 8 ATTRA Seed Production and Variety Development for Organic Systems
9. tion: planting a mix of adapted types (landra-ces)
to ensure some survivors, despite vaga-ries
of weather and insect/disease attacks; use
of older varieties geared to minimizing capital
investment; hand-harvesting and other labor-intensive
practices precluded by modern, uni-form,
machine-harvestable varieties; and use
of labor-intensive crop protection strategies
like hand weeding and watering, rather than
purchased off-farm inputs. For information
on breeding in Europe compared to the U.S,
see SeedWorld, November 2004.(27)
But can hand labor feed burgeoning urban
populations, or is it a relic of a younger, less
densely populated Earth, where 98% of peo-ple
grew their own food? In the best of all
possible worlds, a blend of traits uniquely
adapted to organic production (not only
resistance to local pests and diseases, but
improved vigor and flavor) will result from
horizontal breeding. This implies a far more
decentralized food production system than
we have at present.
For a more detailed comparison of the dif-ferent
positions taken by the European Seed
Association and the American Seed Trade
Association—especially in regard to trial-ing
and proprietary rights—see the handy
table in the November 2004 issue of Seed-
World.(27)
Geography of organic seed production has
ramifications mainly in the context of GMOs.
Spain and Italy raise seed for the rest of
Europe. Traditionally U.S. garden seed has
been produced in Idaho and other arid West
Coast and Intermountain regions. Relative
severity of pest and disease pressures is a
major consideration in producing quality
seed. However, labor costs for seed produc-tion
became an issue in the 1980s, lead-ing
to seed production for commercial grow-ers
as far away as Taiwan and Argentina—a
development worrisome on several counts,
not the least of which is the newly announced
Chinese plan to invest billions of dollars in
Argentina and Brazil in return for access to
land and natural resources, an agreement
finalized at the recently concluded (Decem-ber
11, 2004) Summit in Chile. Argentina
has been identified as an emerging leader in
GMO crop production.(22)
Section from the National Organic Standards.
What the New Rule Says
a) The producer must use organically grown seeds, annual seedlings, and planting stock, Except, That,
1) Nonorganically produced, untreated seeds and planting stock may be used to produce an organic crop
when an equivalent organically produced variety is not commercially available. Except, That, organically pro-duced
seed must be used for the production of edible sprouts;
2) Nonorganically produced seeds and planting stock that have been treated with a substance included on the
National List of synthetic substances allowed for use in organic crop production may be used to produce an
organic crop when an equivalent organically produced or untreated variety is not commercially available.
3) Nonorganically produced annual seedlings may be used to produce an organic crop when a temporary vari-ance
has been granted in accordance with §205.290(a)(2);
4) Nonorganically produced planting stock to be used to produce a perennial crop may be sold, labeled, or
represented as organically produced only after the planting stock has been maintained under a system of
organic management for a period of no less than 1 year; and
5) Seeds, annual seedlings, and planting stock treated with prohibited substances may be used to produce an
organic crop when the application of the materials is a requirement of Federal or State phytosanitary regula-tions.
—National Organic Rule §205.204, Seeds and planting stock practice standard
www.ams.usda.gov/nop/
www.attra.ncat.org ATTRA Page 9
11. GMO presence. The farmer-led move toward develop-ing
specific varieties for organics through participatory
breeding, while in its infancy, is well underway.
References
(1) Colley, Michaela, and Matthew Dillon. 2004.
The next great challenge: Breeding seed
for organic systems. Organic Farming
Research Foundation Information Bulletin.
Winter. p. 1, 4, 5, 29.
(2) Dillon, Matthew. 2003. E-mail attachment.
Summit on Seeds and Breeds for 21st Cen-tury
Agriculture, Washington, DC, Septem-ber
6–8, 2003. 3 p.
(3) Kelemu, Segenet, et al. 2003. Harmonizing the
agricultural biotechnology debate for
the benefit of African farmers. African
Journal of Biotechnology. October. 50 p.
www.academicjournals.org/AJB/
manuscripts/manuscripts2003/
(4) Staff. 2003. MFAI participates in summit on
seed breeding in the public interest. MFAI
newsletter. September. p. 1.
www.michaelfieldsaginst.org
(5) McCormick, Jeff. 2005. “Saving Our Seed”
Conference, Twin Oaks, Louisa, VA, Febru-ary
24, 2005.
Dr. McCormick is founder and previous owner
of Southern Exposure Seed Exchange, and
current owner of Garden Medicinals and Culi-naries.
He has also served on the Board of
Directors of the Seed Savers Exchange.
(6) Robinson, R.A. 1996. Return to Resistance:
Breeding Crops To Reduce Pesticide Depen-dency.
AgAccess, Davis, California, and
IDRC Books, Ottawa, Canada.
(7) Rich, Deborah K. 2004. Seed crossings bring
back old traits for organic farmers. The
Chronicle. August 28. 3 p.
www.SFGate.com
(8) Jones, Stephen. 2004. Breeding resistance to
special interests. OFRF Information Bulle-tin.
Fall. p. 4–7.
(9) Kandel, Hans, and Paul Porter. 2004. Small
grain cultivar selection for organic systems.
The CornerPost. Fall. p. 11.
Includes table of varieties. For more
information, contact Hans Kandel at
kande001@umn.edu
(10) Staff. 2004. Of note. Organic Trade Associa-tion
News Flash. February 4. p. 2.
(11) NOFA certification staff. 2004. NOFA-NY Cer-tified
Organic, LLC. Organic Farms, Folks
& Foods. Mid-Fall. p. 5.
(12) Rundgren, Gunnar. 2003. EU organic seed
regulation adapts to reality. The Organic
Standard. July. p. 16.
(13) Guebert, Alan. 2001. Supreme Court blesses
plant patents; bye-bye bin-run seed. The
Land (MN). December 21. p. 3.
(14) Center for Food Safety. 2005. Monsanto vs.
U.S. Farmers.
www.centerforfoodsafety.org/
press_release1.13.05.cfm
Also: Staff. 2005. Corporate farming
notes: Monsanto vs. U.S Farmers report
released. Center for Rural Affairs.
February. p. 3.
(15) Organic Trade Association Staff. 2005. News
& Trends: Sourcing Organic Seed. The
Organic Report. p. 7.
Also: Rakita, Cricket. 2005. Seed sourc-ing.
Carolina Farm Stewardship News.
March–April. p. 4.
www.savingourseed.org
(16) Staff. 2004. Database development. The
Organic Observer. December. p. 3.
(17) King, Tim. 2004. Growing organic seed fits
farm’s rotation. The Land. December 17.
p. 9A–11A.
(18) Condon, Mark. 2003. The View of the Ameri-can
Seed Trade Association on Organic
Agriculture. p. 2.
www.amseed.com/newsDetail.asp?id+74
(19) Staff. 2004. Genetic ID Augsburg receives per-fect
scores in ISTA proficiency test. The
Non-GMO Source. August. p. 15.
(20) Brook, Rhonda J. 2002. Pollen tracker. Farm
Industry News. mid-February. p. 30–32.
(21) Mellon, Margaret, and Jane Rissler. 2004.
Gone to Seed: Transgenic Contaminants in
the Traditional Seed Supply. Union of Con-
www.attra.ncat.org ATTRA Page 11
12. cerned Scientists. Washington, DC.
p. 33, 36–47.
Also:, Phillabaum, Larry. 2005. Change
blows in on the wind: Pollen from trans-genic
grass runs amok in Oregon. In Good
Tilth. February 15. p. 12.
Transgenic effects were found outside the
genus of the test grass and 13 miles distant.
(22) Cummings, Claire Hope. 2005. Trespass.
WorldWatch. January–February.
p. 24–35.
(23) Staff. 2005. Government forced to disclose
locations of test sites of biopharmaceutical
crops [in Hawaii]. February 8.
www.centerforfoodsafety.org/
press_release2.8.05.cfm
(24) Lipson, Mark. 2005. Presentation to NCAT
staff. April 6.
(25) Staff. 2004. Should there be a GMO tolerance
for organic? The Non-GMO Source. April.
p. 1–2.
(26) Staff. 2005. Iraq’s patent law hurts farmers. In
Good Tilth. February 15. p. 20.
(27) Dansby, Angela. 2004. EU vs. US: Is a com-promise
position possible? Research
exemptions and patents sticking points.
SeedWorld. November. Chart. p. 9.
Further Resources
Organic seed production materials
Bean Seed Production: An Organic Seed
Production Manual
http://www.savingourseed.org/pdf/
BeanSeedProductionVer_1pt4.pdf
Isolation Distances
http://www.savingourseed.org/pdf/
IsolationDistancesVer_1pt5.pdf
Seed Processing and Storage
http://www.savingourseed.org/pdf/
SeedProcessingandStorageVer_1pt3.pdf
Tomato Seed Production: An Organic Seed
Production Manual
http://www.savingourseed.org/pdf/
TomatoSeedProductionVer_2pt6.pdf
Connolly, Bryan (with C.R. Lawn, ed.). 2005.
Organic Seed Production and Saving.
NOFA, Barre, MA.
Order handbook for $7.95 plus 2.00 s/h from
NOFA Handbooks
c/o Elaine Peterson
411 Sheldon Rd.
Barre, MA 01005
For more information visit
www.nofa.org.
Participatory breeding for organics
Pepper Genetics and Genomes
www.plbr.cornell.edu/psi/ppb.html
Selfers and Crossers
www.growseed.org/selfersandcrossers.html
Organic seed research programs
Cornell. Public Seed Initiative
www.plbr.cornell.edu/psi/ppb.html
Organic Seed Alliance
www.seedalliance.org/classes.htm
Seeds of Change
www.seedsofchange.com/market_growers/
field_report_39.asp
Washington State University
www.wsu.edu/
Other resources
If a source is not indicated, contact your local librarian to
order the publication or article through Interlibrary Loan.
Publications or articles cited in the text are not included.
Farmers Guide to GMOs
Available from
RAFI-USA
274 Pittsboro Elementary School Road
Pittsboro, NC 27312
919-542-1396
Journey to Forever.
Journeytoforever.org/seeds.html
Seed resources, library.
Moeller, David R./Farmer’s Legal Action Group, Inc.,
and Michael Sligh/Rural Advancement
Foundation International. 2004. Farmers’
Guide to GMOs. 51 p.
www.flaginc.org
Page 12 ATTRA Seed Production and Variety Development for Organic Systems
13. Books
2005 Non-GMO Sourcebook (global)
500 suppliers of non-GMO products and ser-vices,
including seeds and grains. Features
non-GMO corn, soy, and canola grains and
organic seeds. Also experts for GMO testing,
identity preservation, and organic certifica-tion.
$24.
800-854-0586
ken@non-gmosource.com
www.non-gmosource.com
National Research Council. 2004. Biological Confine-ment
of Genetically Engineered Organisms.
National Academy of Sciences. 219 p.
Tokar, Brian (ed.). 2004. Gene Traders: Biotechnol-ogy,
World Trade, and the Globalization of
Hunger. Toward Freedom, Burlington, VT.
124 p.
Genetic Engineering vs. Organic Farming
IFOAM.
New periodical.
Articles
American Seed Trade Association. 2003. News
Release: The view of the American Seed
Trade Association on Organic Agriculture.
3 p.
www.amseed.com/newsDetail.asp?id+74
Beck’s Hybrids. 2003. Final Report: Promotion of
Organic Seed and Farming Practices, USDA
Block Grant for Promotion of Agriculture
project. July. 22 p.
Bonina, Jennifer, and Daniel J. Cantliffe. 2004. Seed
Production and Seed Sources of Organic
Vegetables. University of Florida Extension.
18 p.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/HS227
Brown, Greg. 2004. Commercial organic seed grower
continues to spread the word. The Spud-man.
January. p. 28.
www.spudman.com
Colley, Micaela. 2004. Organic Seed Alliance hosts
Organic Seed Growers Conference. 2 p.
www.seedalliance.org/
newsletter_Spr_04b.htm
Condom, Mark. 2004. Can organic and biotech coex-ist?
AgBiotech Buzz: Roundtable. 4 p.
http://pewagbiotech.org/buzz/
DeVore, Brian. 2004. The secret lives of seeds.
Land Stewardship Letter. April–June.
p. 1, 14–15.
Dillon, Matthew. 2005. “We have the seeds”: Mon-santo
now the largest vegetable seed pro-ducer
[with purchase of Seminis]. The
Organic Broadcaster. March–April. p.
2–4.
Dillon, Matthew. 2004. Organic Seed Alliance hosts
Organic Seed Growers Conference. The
Seed Midden. Spring. p. 1, 5.
Dillon, Matthew. 2004. Breeding for organics. The
Seed Midden. Winter. p. 3.
www.seedalliance.org
Dillon, Matthew. 2004. First World Conference on
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Glos, Michael. 2004. Public Seed Initiative News.
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Haapala, J.J. 2004. A gardener’s guide to blocking
the bio-pirates. In Good Tilth. June 15. p.
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Hamilton, Molly. 2004. North Carolina Organic
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High Mowing Seeds. 2005. Press release: All Things
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Jensen, Erika. 2004. A model of cooperation: Public
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www.attra.ncat.org ATTRA Page 13
14. Jones, Stephen. 2004. Breeding resistance to special
interests. Organic Farming Research Foun-dation.
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Kandel, Hans, and Paul Porter. 2004. Small grain
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Kittredge, Dan, and Hali Shellhause (transcribers).
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2004 NOFA Summer Conference. The
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Lawn, C.R., and Eli Rogosa Kaufman. 2004.
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Rauch, Jonathan. 2003. Will frankenfood save the
planet? The Atlantic Monthly. p. 103–108.
Rich, Deborah K. 2004. Essay: Seed crossings bring
back old traits for organic farmers/Today’s
varieties grow poorly in natural soils.
SFGate.com. August 28. 3 p.
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Staff. 2002. Pollen tracker: New software program
predicts the genetic purity of corn hybrids.
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Staff. 2003. Sociologist surveys public attitudes on
food. The Voice of Demeter. Summer.
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Staff. 2003. Public Seed Initiative update (Summer
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Staff. 2004. News briefs: Commercial seeds of major
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Staff. 2004. Genetically engineered DNA found in
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Staff. 2004. News shorts: Sweden spreads the bur-den
of organic seed. The Organic Stan-dard.
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Staff. 2004. What’s new: Bayer withdraws GM crop.
Organic Matters. May–June. p. 6.
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seed production—more difficult than
you think. 1 p.
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Page 14 ATTRA Seed Production and Variety Development for Organic Systems