Save the Date
10th Organic Seed Growers Conference
February 12-15, 2020 | Corvallis, Oregon
The 9th Organic Seed Growers Conference drew more than 600 participants February 14-17, 2018, with more than 400 participants attending the event in Corvallis, Oregon, and an additional 200 people joining the conference via live webinar. You can find highlights from the conference here. With such a packed agenda, it’s no surprise that we have several follow-up resources to share as well, including: eOrganic webinar recordings, conference proceedings, and a slideshow of events. And mark your calendar for the 10th Organic Seed Growers Conference – February 12-15, 2020 – in Corvallis, Oregon.
Early Bird Sponsorship is now open!
Celebrate the 10th Organic Seed Growers Conference by becoming a conference sponsor for this special anniversary event. Becoming an Early Bird Sponsor maximizes your promotional opportunities, while helping keep registration costs affordable and supporting the scholarship fund for farmers and students. Early Bird Sponsorship is available to companies and organizations that commit funds before April 1, 2019.
Early Bird Sponsors receive one (1) additional complimentary registration for platinum, gold, and silver levels (reflected below). We are also offering the special opportunity for one platinum level early bird to sponsor the inaugural Organic Seed Growers Conference App. Contact Cathleen McCluskey to learn more and become a conference sponsor.
Find Early Bird Sponsorship benefit details here.
What is the Organic Seed Growers Conference?
The Organic Seed Growers Conference is the largest event focused solely on organic seed in North America, bringing together hundreds of farmers, plant breeders, researchers, certifiers, food companies, seed companies, and others from across the U.S. and around the world. The biennial conference has been convening the organic seed community for over a decade and includes a packed agenda of presentations, panel discussions, networking events, and celebration. Farm tours and short courses are held prior to the full two-day conference.
Who attends the conference?
- Farmers, seed producers, plant breeders, and researchers working in organic seed systems
- Seed companies selling organic seed or looking to enter the organic sector
- Organic and non-organic farmers and seed producers interested in organic seed production
- University extension looking to expand organic seed education and outreach
- Farmers interested in on-farm plant breeding
- Organic certifiers interested in learning about organic seed availability and related issues
- Government employees involved in plant breeding or related research and education
- Government employees engaged in food, farm, and rural policy
- Non-government seed advocacy, research, and education organizations
- Food companies, cooperatives, and processors in the organic sector
- Undergraduate and graduate students, and post-doctoral researchers studying organic seed
What are some examples of past presentation topics?
The conference and review committee selects presenters from a pool of farmers and other professionals in the organic seed community following a call for proposals in April 2019. Presenters are leaders in the organic seed community, ranging from farmers who produce organic seed to university breeders and seed suppliers. Our presenters represent diverse areas of expertise and regions, both in the U.S. and internationally. Past agenda items have included seed production practices and economics; breeding projects focused on organic systems and markets; creative models for regional seed networks; and timely policy topics focused on growing diverse organic seed systems. Congressman Peter DeFazio delivered the keynote address at the 2018 conference.
When does registration open?
Registration will open in October 2019.
Many thanks to our generous 2020 sponsors!
Gold Level Sponsors
Johnny’s Selected Seeds is a privately held, employee-owned seed producer and merchant headquartered in Winslow, Maine, USA. Our mission is to help families, friends, and communities feed one another by providing superior seeds, tools, information, and service. Lainie Kertesz is the Regional Sales Rep living in Olympia, WA, 207-238-5320 or cell: 207-215-3247, email: lkertesz@johnnyseeds.com.
Silver Level Sponsors
Cafe Mam coffee is 100% organic and fair trade certified, shade-grown, and roasted to-order. Cafe Mam coffee is grown in the mountains of Chiapas, Mexico by Maya-decent farmers on their own small, family-owned farms, and fresh roasted in Eugene, Oregon.
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.
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.
Bronze Level Sponsors
Hummingbird Wholesale
Mountain Rose Herbs
Pacific Botanicals
Straus Family Creamery
