Organic Seed Alliance

Organic food should begin with organic seed. Right now most organic farmers rely on seed that isn't organic. But that's changing, for the good.

Organic farmers produce food differently, and that means they need different seed for the crops they grow: seed developed to thrive without synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, and adapted to their local climate and soil conditions.

All of our programs embrace collaborative approaches to advancing our mission. We boast long-standing relationships with farmers, non-profit agricultural organizations, university plant breeders, and food and seed suppliers committed to the success of organic agriculture. Our work results in:

• More seed: Improved quality, quantity, and diversity of organic seed available
• More skilled farmers: Increased number of farmers growing seed
• Collaborative research: New models of partnership between farmers and plant breeders, as well as farmers and seed suppliers
• Resources: New publications and online resources that support farmers’ success
• Public education: Increased public knowledge of the importance of seed developed for organic agriculture and farmers’ roles as seed stewards

• Meeting farmers' needs in new regions and connecting them to more resources through a cohesive, national organic seed network
• Enhancing coordinated research, education, and advocacy to increase the professionalism, operating capacity, and success of the organic seed community
• Establishing a program for releasing commercial seed to showcase a model that provides stakeholders incentive for participating and investing in organic seed
• Expanding involvement in sustainable agriculture coalitions to give OSA a bigger voice in advancing policies for the benefit of seed
• Bringing seed education to students and the general public to build broad support for and common knowledge of seed

- Strong relationships with university researchers and seed companies nationwide
- Strong track record of successful research projects to meet USDA-recognized needs for organic
- Strong relationships with other seed and farming advocates
- Staff members recognized within the organic movement for their leadership and expertise
- Conveners of the largest national conference focused solely on organic seed issues and attended by hundreds
- A reputation as a "go to" resource through online publications and webinars used by thousands of seed growers, students and farmers from around the world.

We have made great strides in empowering farmers to grow more organic seed, and in developing organic varieties that are adaptable and have the genetic richness to perform well using organic methods and be resilient as climate conditions change.

We have succeeded in connecting farmers to seed companies and organic food distributors. We have succeeded in convening these players so that they can hear each other and work together to meet the growing demand for organic.

We have developed basic economic tools for seed growers and look forward to refining these and providing more resources to allow farmers to increase the scale of their seed operations.

We have developed a new online organic seed growers directory where seed companies and wholesale buyers can contact with growers to bring more organic seed to the commercial market.

We have sources equipment for several important seed growing regions, and are now working on a replicable model for developing and sharing infrastructure needed to increase the supply of organic seed.

We have built interest in funding a national public education campaign on organic seed and vegetable variety literacy, but have not reached the critical mass needed to move forward with the marketing and advertising work needed for this to achieve the optimal benefit.