Organic Seed Alliance (OSA) is excited to start working with the Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP) through the United States Department of Agriculture National Organic Program in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest regions. This partnership will expand OSA’s capacity to create regionally appropriate educational content and engagement with the organic community.
One of the primary goals of OSA is to grow the supply of high-quality organic seeds to support organic growers in meeting their communities’ needs for organic food. To do this, we set out to empower seed growers and plant breeders to pursue their craft skillfully and to share their knowledge with other growers. We aim to cultivate networks of learning and exchange among growers working with seed across cultures, geographies, and scales.
This partnership with TOPP will support OSA’s mission-driven work, enabling us to better support growers, make new connections with organizations that share our vision, and grow the market for organic seeds in the United States.
Here is an overview of the activities that will be supported by this partnership over the next year:
Midwest
- Continue growth and development of Organic Seed Commons, a virtual platform for networking and education. Engage regionally focused discussion space for Midwest-based organic growers, including Zoom meetings for community members to engage in real time with each other.
- Offer self-paced version of OSA’s popular Organic Seed Production Course through the Organic Seed Commons network. Support learners through course completion by answering questions, sharing resources, and creating opportunities for community building and network development.
- Plan and host the 2024 Midwest Organic Seed Summit, an in-person gathering of certified and prospective organic producers that work with seed to discuss strategies for transitioning to organic production and maintaining certification, as well as issues regarding organic supply chains, workforce development, production challenges. Opportunities for online engagement related to this event will also be offered.
- Coordinate an on-farm workshop and field day for farmers to learn about organic seeds, and to facilitate the increased use and production of high-quality organic seeds in the Midwest.
- Regular appointments for consultation will be made available to individuals and small groups of Midwest-based, prospective organic farmers to answer questions about organic seeds.
Pacific Northwest
- Plan and host six workshops at the 2025 Organic Seed Grower’s Conference, plus coordinate a one day farm tour visiting a series of 3 farms in Oregon.
- Plan and host a day-long Organic Seed Grower’s Pre-Conference in-person workshop in Spanish on topics relevant to producers transitioning or considering transitioning to organic.
- Hosting four additional in-person workshops in English (in Washington, Oregon and/or Montana).
- Host the OSA Field Day in Chimacum, WA and a winter workshop for NW Seed Growers.
- Presentations at regional conferences including Tilth Alliance, OSU Small Farms, Sagre del Radicchio and Organicology
- Provide a Grain Buyer/Grower Matchmaking Workshop at the Culinary Breeding Network Variety Showcase
More information about these programs will be made available throughout the year. To learn more about TOPP, visit the website https://www.organictransition.org. For questions about Midwest activities, contact michael@seedalliance.org. For questions about Pacific Northwest activities, contact laurajean@seedalliance.org.
