Learn, connect, and grow with your organic seed community
Register today for the largest gathering in the U.S. focused solely on organic seed. Join your organic seed community at the 10th Organic Seed Growers Conference February 12-15, 2020, in Corvallis, Oregon. This special anniversary year is being hosted by more than 20 deeply thoughtful and dedicated people from throughout the organic seed community and convened by Organic Seed Alliance. The agenda may be our best yet – full of practical seed production and breeding knowledge, important policy updates and strategies, and discussions on seed ethics that aim to build allyship.
Register before year’s end to take advantage of discounted early bird rates.
Read on for more details.
Main Conference Sessions
When: Friday, February 14 & Saturday, February 15 | Cost: $375 through December 31, 2019
The main conference agenda includes two dozen sessions and 70+ speakers. Subjects range from hands-on seed production and participatory breeding, to finding a path forward on seed licenses, to seed ownership and seed commons. We’re thrilled to welcome our keynote speaker Ricardo Salvador from Union of Concerned Scientists.
Seed Ethics Participatory Intensive
When: Wednesday, February 12 | Cost: Free
This daylong intensive will bring together all corners of the organic seed community for a daylong, participatory intensive that will inspire, challenge, and practice allyship among all present. A moderated open forum will be used by the group to unpack the conversational framework of “Building Ethical Seed Networks that Support Us.” We’ll explore how our ideas and assumptions about ethics, justice, autonomy, and “the greater good” influence our work with seed and the networks in which we participate.
Organic Plant Breeding Intensive
When: Thursday, February 13 | Cost: $150
Back by popular demand! This intensive is an opportunity to gain foundational skills in organic plant breeding. The daylong crash course will provide the basic skills to initiate or advance your organic breeding projects and help you take your on-farm breeding skills and variety development projects to the next level. We’re offering focused trainings in both vegetable and grain crops of self- and cross-pollinated species.
Variety Trialing and Culinary Evaluation Intensive
When: Thursday, February 13 | Cost: $100
We know variety trials offer an important avenue for farmers to actively engage with plant breeders, seed companies, and eaters. This daylong intensive will walk participants through the basics of designing and implementing their own on-farm trials – from articulating goals and selecting varieties, through analyzing and communicating results. The training will also feature a special focus on culinary evaluation and includes chefs and researchers who have been deeply involved in developing culinary evaluation methods.
Willamette Valley Seed Tour
When: Thursday, February 13 | Cost: $150
The Willamette Valley is home to some of the world’s most sought after seed production and we’re going to meet up with a few of the seed growers who call the valley “home.” This year’s daylong tour is sponsored by Oregon Tilth and will feature seed production and cleaning on a number of different scales. The tour sells out quickly, so reserve your seat on the bus early!
Scholarships for Farmers, Interns, and Students
Deadline to apply: December 27, 2019
Need a little boost to help you get to the conference? Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, we’re able to offer a limited number of scholarships to off-set registration costs for the main conference. We invite farmers, students, and interns who net less than $50K per year to apply. The deadline is December 27, 2019.
Ride and Room Share
When: Leading up to the conference
Looking to share a room or a ride with other conference participants? We’ve set up a ride and room share site for you to connect with other attendees about what you have to offer or what you’re in need of to make it to the event. Find a roomie and set up a carpool today!
Synergy Space
When: Throughout the conference
The Synergy Space is an opportunity for participants to self-organize conversations with conference goers outside of the main sessions. This is a space for emerging ideas, issues, and organizing in the organic seed community. The Synergy Space offers a place for pre-planned meetings and organic discussions that rise out of connections throughout the event. Visit the form to see what’s being planned so far and/or recommend to host a topic.
Photo Gallery
When: Prior to the conference
Do you have photos you’d like to share for the slideshow that will run throughout the conference? We’d love to include images you’ve captured with your savvy eye! Upload photos at the button below.
¿Necesitas servicios de traducción al Español?
When: Intensives and throughout the main conference
Envía un correo electrónico a Micaela a micaela@seedallianc.org.
Many thanks to our generous 2020 sponsors!
Gold Level Sponsors
Oregon Tilth In 1974, Oregon Tilth was founded on the idea that food and agriculture should be equitable and sustainable. Each day, we work with a community of changemakers to transform the food marketplace. We provide certification services that sustain organic agriculture and the people who support it. But we don’t stop there. From education to technical assistance, Oregon Tilth designs strategies and tools that address the challenges faced by farmers and food producers. Visit: tilth.org
Row 7 Seed Company Born from a cross-pollination of chefs and plant breeders, Row 7’s mission is to change how we eat by fixing how—and what—we grow at scale. We work together in the field and kitchen to create, trial and distribute delicious new plant varieties that make an impact in the soil and at the table. All of our seeds are certified organic, unpatented and produced in the United States.
Silver Level Sponsors
Culinary Breeding Network The Culinary Breeding Network (CBN) mission is to build communities of plant breeders, seed growers, farmers, produce buyers, chefs, and other stakeholders to improve quality in vegetables and grains. Formed in 2011, CBN strives to accomplish their goals through engaging public outreach events which are both educational and fun. The events bring many often disconnected individuals together to create change in an engaging, approachable, social format.
Equal Exchange was founded to challenge the existing trade model, which favors large plantations, agri-business, and multi-national corporations; support small farmers; and connect consumers and producers through information, education, and the exchange of products in the marketplace. Underlying our work is the belief that only through organization, can small farmers survive and thrive. The cooperative model has been essential for building this model of change.
Fedco Seeds a cooperative garden supply company focused on cold-hardy selections and dedicated to organic/sustainable agriculture, offers untreated vegetable, herb and flower seeds, soil amendments, cover crops, garden supplies, fruit trees, berries, ornamentals, seed potatoes, garlic, flower bulbs and more.
Gaia Herbs is the leading herbal brand in North America, with more than 200 patented Liquid Phyto-Caps™, liquid extracts, functional powders and herbal teas to help support and maintain optimal health. From seed to shelf, Gaia is deeply committed to the purity, integrity and potency of each product. The company uses only organic methods to cultivate more than 6.5 million plants each year (representing 21 varieties in 2017) on its farms in the US and Costa Rica, and that same organic approach continues through manufacturing, using patented technology to achieve the highest efficacy of each herb, validated by Gaia’s scientists throughout the process.
High Mowing Organic Seeds is an independently owned, farm-based seed company offering 700+ varieties of USDA Certified Organic and Non-GMO Project Verified seeds for farmers, gardeners and homesteaders. We specialize in providing professional grade organic seeds that are selected to thrive in organic conditions and varieties that are widely adapted to perform in all regions of the U.S. and Canada.
Organically Grown Company Founded in 1978, perpetual purpose trust-owned Organically Grown Company (OCG), is the largest organic produce distributor in the Pacific Northwest. For the past 40-years, the company’s progressive and entrepreneurial spirit has fueled its mission and growth, meeting the demand for organics in the marketplace while supporting its community of farmers. OGC has been recognized as a leader in sustainable business practices including sourcing 100% renewable energy in facilities, support for fair trade and charitable giving. When people in the Northwest purchase organic fruits and vegetables at their grocery store, there is a very good chance that it’s there because of OGC.
Seedshed engages communities in seed stewardship practices that strengthen agricultural, cultural, and biological diversity. Our holistic seed literacy programs protect local cultivars and are a catalyst for growing social, food, and seed justice solutions. Growing community through the wonder of seeds. Saving seeds through the power of community.
Southern Exposure Seed Exchange offers 700+ heirloom, organic, and open-pollinated vegetable, herb, and flower varieties, plus garlic, perennial onions and seed saving supplies. Our mission is to ensure that people retain control of their food supply, conserve genetic resources and offer gardeners the option of saving their own seeds.
Vitalis Organic Seeds Founded in 1994 in The Netherlands, Vitalis Organic Seeds is a global leader in organic seed production and breeding. All Vitalis varieties are certified organic for the US, Canada, Mexico and the EU. We believe in building organic production systems with organically produced seed.
Bronze Level Sponsors
Acres U.S.A.
Albert Lea Seed
Blue River Organic Seed
Clif Bar
Hummingbird Wholesale
Midwest Organic & Sustainable Education Service (MOSES)
Mountain Rose Herbs
Osborne Quality Seeds
Pacific Botanicals
PCC Community Markets
Straus Family Creamery
Welter Seed and Honey Company
