As I write these lines in the northern hemisphere, on the Olympic peninsula, WA, there are glimpses of sunshine that hint that spring is approaching, and before falling into the routine of a new growing season, I would like to share with all of you some reflections I did after some readings during the long nights of this winter that is ending.
One of my reflections came after a reading called “Freelance Plant Breeding” by the well-known farmer and author Mrs. Carol Deppe, a fascinating documentation of the work done by multiple on-farm plant breeders in different places of the world, including the USA, New Zealand, Australia, and Canada. The author presents with detail the motivations, goals, methodologies, economics, and accomplishments of a group of organic seed growers that have devoted their skills, time, and resources to adapt, select, and breed crops for their environmental conditions. Carol points out that “the resilience of farmers and gardeners, their communities and humanity depends upon being able to save, stockpile, store, exchange, sell and breed with food crops” and also emphasizes the dangers of corporate, academic, and other ways of restrictive intellectual property on crop germplasm, stating that this direction could be “harmful for humanity”.
As an alternative to proprietary intellectual property models on plant breeding, Carol and a group of farmers created the Open Source Seed Initiative (OSSI). As I understand it, OSSI proposes a way to recognize and, in some ways, support economically the farmers who are devoted for years to select, breed and release crop varieties adapted to their local environments, with desired culinary and agronomic characteristics.
Honestly, I think that YES, we as society should be thinking and acting seriously on exploring and implementing ways where farmers are recognized and supported so current and new generations of organic farmers unfold their careers in the fields in a dignifying and fulfilling way.
How to apply the principles of recognition and support to our local farmers? And how to apply those same principles of recognition and support to the farmers and communities where the germplasm used for our local adaptations is ultimately sourced? For example, Andean communities when working with sacred Quinoa, Mesoamerican farmers when working with sacred Corn, or African communities when working with sacred Okra?
In my opinion and experience, this is an open and legitimate question; there are controversies, and it seems to me a contested topic. That said, I intend to grow a number of OSSI-released varieties this season. I don’t have words to express my gratitude to the growers who already did the work to select low-temperature-tolerant, short-season corn and beans for the Washington weather, all growers, from the very beginning. I can’t wait to see the fruits of our work on my table, and I also hope these seeds see the dawn of the future.
How to recognize and support US, all of US? It is the question. I have no clear answer for this open dialogue, but recently I saw a clue in a billboard, which says: The only thing more powerful than hate is love. So may we be guided by love.
In addition to these winter reflections, I also want to invite the organic seed community to apply to the 2026 cohort for our Organic Seed Production Course and to the first cohort of our new On-farm Plant Breeding for Resilient Organic Systems Course. Both classes are intended to hold respectful and meaningful dialogues and expand our skills in organic seed production. See you then!
*The reflections of this piece are exclusively the position of the author and do not reflect the position of the organization.
