CONTACT
Cathleen McCluskey, (360) 472-0247, cathleen@seedalliance.org
Washington Organic Seed Summit to be Held in December
Port Townsend, WA – The Washington State University Food Systems Program (WSU), Viva Farms, and Organic Seed Alliance (OSA) will host the first-ever Washington Organic Seed Summit from December 6 – 8, 2021. This will be a virtual event for experienced Washington-based seed growers of specialty seed crops (vegetables, herbs, and flowers). The purpose of the Summit is to provide instruction and networking opportunities for seed growers who are interested in fostering sustainable and profitable seed systems throughout the state.
“We have heard from the many passionate seed growers, processors, and distributors in Washington State that a gathering focused solely on organic seed would benefit their professionalism, reduce risk, and increase access to regionally adapted seed,” says Micaela Colley, OSA’s program director. “While meeting virtually isn’t ideal, it will allow broader access to the online event and will help establish an online social networking platform for the state’s seed growers.”
Participants can expect to receive in-depth instruction on growing organic seed for high-value markets. Topics and opportunities will include: understanding seed quality issues, connecting with seed industry professionals, learning about trends in organic seed production and policy, and other topics informed by participants, which are being collected through the registration page here: https://seedalliance.org/events/washington-organic-seed-summit/.
Registration is free but required by December 1, 2021. Details for joining the event via Zoom will be emailed to registrants prior to the event.
“We are really excited to be hosting this bilingual event for seed producers in Washington and hope to foster culturally relevant responses to the increased seed needs that the pandemic has accelerated,” says Aba Kiser, project manager for the WSU Food Systems Program.
Funding for the Washington Organic Seed Summit was made possible by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service and the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA). Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the USDA or WSDA.
About WSU Food Systems: The Washington State University Food Systems Program delivers multidisciplinary expertise across academic, research, and extension, providing specialized resources for farmers and food systems contributors. We seek to work with communities throughout the state to foster viable farm businesses, optimize sustainable natural resource stewardship, and to promote scaled processing and distribution, always in the pursuit of access to healthy food for all.
About Viva Farms: Viva Farms is a nonprofit organization, farm business Incubator, and training program established in 2009. Viva Farms empowers aspiring and limited-resource farmers by providing bilingual training in holistic organic farming practices, as well as access to land, infrastructure, equipment, marketing, and capital.
About Organic Seed Alliance: Organic Seed Alliance (OSA) advances seed solutions to meet food and farming needs in a changing world. Each year OSA educates thousands of farmers and other agricultural community members, conducts professional organic plant breeding and other seed research, and advocates for national policies that strengthen organic seed systems. Learn more at www.seedalliance.org.
