In September 2024, Organic Seed Alliance (OSA) and our research partners launched OSPREY: Organic Seed Production Research on Economics and Yield, a multi-year project funded by the Organic Research and Extension Initiative (OREI).
OSPREY brings together a team of researchers, educators, and organic seed stakeholders from across the country to address critical needs in the organic seed sector, advance organic seed production practices, and expand the availability of high-quality organic seeds.
Despite the growing demand for organic products, the organic seed industry has been slow to catch up, in part due to a lack of research, information, and training on optimum organic seed production practices. Our project addresses these gaps by:
- Optimizing organic vegetable seed production through multi-location trials and participatory research
- Developing economic decision-making tools for organic seed producers
- Expanding seed production information exchange among organic seed stakeholders
Our valued collaborators include: Carolina Farm Stewardship Association, Colorado State University, Cornell University, Highland Economics, Oregon State University, Rhizobia, SeedLinked, Seed Savers Exchange, and University of Vermont.
For more information, please visit the press release on our website.
What We’re Currently Doing:
Welcome back with updates from the OSPREY Project. We’re about halfway through our first year together as a team since the first kick-off call in October 2024. Additionally, OSA held a hybrid OSPREY meeting at the 2025 Organic Seed Growers Conference as an opportunity to meaningfully convene with each other. It’s amazing how time flies when we’re all working together on a complex project.
Read below to see what we’re currently working on and what’s ahead!
Multi-location Replicated Seed Yield Trials
Since last year, the Field Research Team has been diligently working to prepare for the multi-location replicated seed yield trials across seven states, laying the foundation to collect robust, comparative seed yield data.
Over the course of several meetings, the team developed trial design maps, drafted and standardized field protocols, and selected the varieties to be grown. We’re gearing up for a full growing and in-field season of seed production and data collection on many vegetable seed crops.
These will include:
- Broccoli (Brassica oleracea var.):
- De Cicco
- Solstice
- Waltham 29
- Lettuce (Lactuca sativa var.):
- Black Seeded Simpson
- Green Towers
- Red Salad Bowl
- Summer Squash (Cucurbita pepo var.)
- Costata Romanesco
- Dark Star Zucchini
- Yellow Crookneck
- Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum var.)
- Amish Paste
- Brandywine (Slicer)
- Peacevine Cherry
Some locations, including OSA’s research operations at the College of the Redwoods Sustainable Agriculture Farm in Shively California (managed by College of the Redwoods), are starting their growing season very soon. Others, like Cornell University and University of Vermont, are still dealing with winter storms and snow. However, our partners at Carolina Farm Stewardship Association in North Carolina reached the low 80’s (F) in late March! This goes to show the different regional and environmental factors we’ll experience and record throughout our first growing season.
This year, Cornell University and University of Vermont will be additionally performing a separate trial of lettuce and broccoli seed crops under high tunnels, comparing seed yield in protected cultures versus under outdoor production.
Organic Seed Yield Database
Another fundamental activity within our first year is developing a comprehensive Organic Seed Yield Database to house trial results and historic seed yield data.
SeedLinked, as part of a collaborative effort, is leading the database development. Through prototypes, integrated feedback, and development of trial templates, we’ll be ready to collect submissions of participatory data on seed yield, labor and management tracking, seed cleaning, and more!
It will also compare and evaluate the multi-location replicated yield trial, participatory trial, and historic yield survey data. This will allow growers to use this data for informed decision making about what to expect when growing a crop or taking on seed contracts.
Participatory Seed Yield Research
SeedLinked, Seed Savers Exchange, and OSA are also leading the participatory seed yield research activities as part of the Historical and Participatory Research Team. We are engaging with organic seed growers nationwide, finalizing recruitment for participatory trials, and launching trials and yield surveys. Seeds have been shipped, and participants are ready to grow the varieties being grown in multi-location replicated trials and/or their own choice of varieties.
What’s Next:
Tons! When we’re not busy collecting seed yield data this upcoming growing season, we’ll be planning and organizing regional seed summits and field days for presentations, workshops, and other events that foster farmer-to-farmer knowledge exchange.
Each location will have at least one field day and workshop in 2025. We also anticipate some regional seed summits in 2025, for example, in California and Washington. Stay tuned for the announcement of upcoming events.
We’re also still recruiting for our historic yield trials, as an additional data tracking deliverable from the participatory yield trial activities. You don’t need to be involved in our participatory yield trials to sign up for historic yield and seed cleaning data collection efforts! Please visit our interest survey for more information about historic yield activities and how to sign up.
Get Involved!
For more information about the OSPREY project in general, or to participate in upcoming research and outreach activities, please visit www.seedalliance.org or contact jared[at]seedalliance.org and molly[at]seedalliance.org.
About Organic Seed Alliance
Organic Seed Alliance is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that puts the power of seed into the hands of growers. Our work ensures an abundant and diverse supply of ecologically grown seed, tended in perpetuity by skilled and diverse communities of seed stewards.
—This project was funded by the Organic Research and Extension Initiative grant, part of the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Grant number 2024-51300-43056.
