Organic Seed Alliance hosted the 3rd annual California Organic Seed Summit last month in Montara. The retreat provided an intimate and informal environment for seed producers, breeders, and seed company representatives to connect, share information, and discuss collective actions to advance ethical seed systems in California.
The 34 summit participants engaged in many ways. Growers helped each other troubleshoot production challenges; seed buyers and producers shared their expectations and processes around seed contracts; and plant breeders from OSA, university programs, and private efforts discussed their projects in California. Participants brought small-scale seed cleaning equipment acquired or built by regional tool-sharing hubs supported by OSA.
The Summit brought together dedicated participants from previous years, and new colleagues in the expanding network of regional seed hubs OSA has been cultivating across the state. The group discussed salient issues, including fair contracting and compensation for public plant breeders, scale and viability in seed businesses, and how to engage stakeholders across the food system. Interest groups will continue the work of previous years to develop collective marketing efforts and networking tools to strengthen regional and organic seed systems.
Join us on August 10, 2017, for an Organic Seed Intensive training, in Davis, California. Learn more.
Click here for more information, or to connect with a regional seed hub near you.
