Without organic seed, we won’t have organic vegetables; it’s as simple as that. And because the “Big Seed” companies like Monsanto and Syngenta are buying up seed producers – AND organic seed producers – we will see fewer and fewer heirloom, locally developed, and “open pollinated” organic seeds for growers and gardeners.
The Northern Organic Vegetable Improvement Collaborative (NOVIC) brings together researchers and organic farmers in Northern US states to do something about it.
The collaborative includes researchers and educators from four universities, Organic Seed Alliance, and the USDA. NOVIC is partnering with organic farmers to breed new varieties, identify the best performing existing varieties for organic agriculture, and educate farmers on organic seed production and plant variety improvement.
Good news for us all!