Organic Seed Alliance

Organic Seed Alliance Food integrity starts with seed integrity

After 17 years at Organic Seed Alliance, OSA’s Program Director Jared Zystro takes a new role. In August of this year, O...
06/02/2026

After 17 years at Organic Seed Alliance, OSA’s Program Director Jared Zystro takes a new role. In August of this year, OSA’s Program Director Jared Zystro will join the University of California as their new Horticulture and Specialty Crops Advisor for Humboldt and Del Norte Counties.

“We’re incredibly excited for Jared and this opportunity for him to bring the skills and knowledge he’s gained in his many years with OSA to his local farming and research community, and look forward to continued collaboration in his new role,” says Executive Director Cat McCluskey.

Read Jared’s farewell letter to the OSA community at https://ow.ly/2cv650Z6qwR

Restrictive intellectual property rights (e.g., utility patents) don't just dictate the seed market; they shape the futu...
05/27/2026

Restrictive intellectual property rights (e.g., utility patents) don't just dictate the seed market; they shape the future of our food.

Instead of encouraging agricultural innovation, aggressive seed patents actually stifle it. They create systemic barriers that prevent growers from improving the integrity of organic seed, adapting our crops to changing climates, and conserving culturally important varieties.

Our Guide to Seed Intellectual Property Rights, written by Paulina Jenney, breaks down the complexities of seed policy.

To understand the laws governing our seed supply and learn how we can advocate for a more just system, check it out at https://ow.ly/AGji50Z3PmA

May 25th - 27th, Executive Director Cat McCluskey and former Executive Director Laurajean Lewis presented at the Let’s L...
05/26/2026

May 25th - 27th, Executive Director Cat McCluskey and former Executive Director Laurajean Lewis presented at the Let’s Liberate Diversity! Forum in Scandicci, Italy. This annual gathering is dedicated to cultivating biodiversity in our food systems.

Dr. Cat McCluskey co-hosted the workshops “Affectionate Alliances and Exploratory Mindsets: Building a Global Coalition of Agroecological Seed Networks for Evolutionary Radical Futures” and “Seeds in Common: Genebanks, Breeding Innovation, and the Future of Democratic Seed Systems”.

We are thrilled to announce that the Request for Proposals is now LIVE for the 2027 Organic Seed Growers Conference.In 2...
05/22/2026

We are thrilled to announce that the Request for Proposals is now LIVE for the 2027 Organic Seed Growers Conference.

In 2027, we will have separate In-person (March 26th & 27th) and Virtual (March 30th & 31st) components, providing an interactive agenda of workshops, demonstrations, farm tours, lightning talks, art, seed swaps, affinity spaces, keynote presentations, and of course – celebration!

We welcome farmers, plant breeders, advocates, government staff, academics, and anyone with practical knowledge of organic seed systems to apply. (Note: Organic certification is not a requirement.)

2027 Conference Priorities:
- Nuts-and-bolts production sessions. (EX: seed cleaning, packing and shipping, contracting) for both beginning and advanced farmers
- Centering farmer voices
- Presenters from a diversity of agricultural backgrounds and approaches
- Meaningful inclusion of racially diverse speakers or communities (i.e. not just as administrators or subjects but as presenters and/or experts)
- Building equity and justice in organic seed work, including participatory methods for building community beyond the Conference cycle
- Interactive or audience-engaged proposals
- Presenters from the Southeast represented as experts across all tracks (seed production, plant breeding, seed stories, and advocacy & policy)

Proposals are due July 1st.

Learn more and submit yours at https://ow.ly/JKrg50Z2Yka

The Utopian Seed Project | NC Alternative Crops & Organics Program

Join us for the 2026 California Organic Seed Summit! The 2-day virtual event is a gathering for California-based people ...
05/21/2026

Join us for the 2026 California Organic Seed Summit! The 2-day virtual event is a gathering for California-based people working with seed to network, exchange knowledge, and develop collective actions to build equitable, abundant, and resilient seed systems in the state

Event Details:
- Saturday June 27 and Sunday June 28
- 10 AM - 1 PM PST (both days)
- Virtual
- Free, registration required

Register at: https://ow.ly/gUsN50Z2Mc0

Who controls the seeds that grow our food?During the Open-source Seeds Worldwide panel at the 2025 Organic Seed Growers ...
05/15/2026

Who controls the seeds that grow our food?

During the Open-source Seeds Worldwide panel at the 2025 Organic Seed Growers Conference (OSGC), global experts, including Andrew Still, explain why we must protect seed diversity and ensure farmers’ equitable access to seeds.

If you care about food sovereignty, open-source seeds, and building a resilient future, this conversation is for you. Watch the full recording of “Open-source Seeds Worldwide - Breeding, Growing, Selling, Spreading” at https://ow.ly/oOku50Z0fVB

The State of Organic Seed survey is conducted every five years to monitor organic seed availability and use, challenges ...
05/13/2026

The State of Organic Seed survey is conducted every five years to monitor organic seed availability and use, challenges in sourcing organic seed, and organic plant breeding needs, among other topics that inform our understanding of the barriers and opportunities in building the organic seed sector. By sharing your experiences, you’ll support the prioritization of organic producers’ needs in seed research and policy and help shape recommendations that strengthen access to organic seed suited to your needs.

Take the survey: https://ow.ly/mljh50YZ1Vh

We believe that seed grows an equitable, abundant, and resilient future of food, woven of technical expertise, rigorous ...
05/12/2026

We believe that seed grows an equitable, abundant, and resilient future of food, woven of technical expertise, rigorous methods, practical experience, and deep reverence for seed work. We are in awe of the processes of life, and root our organizational systems in the wisdom of ecology. We continually seek input from growers working with seed, ensuring that we are directed by, and accountable to, the people we serve.

Help build the 2027 Program! We're planning both an in-person (Asheville, NC) and online conference March 24th - 31st, 2...
05/08/2026

Help build the 2027 Program!

We're planning both an in-person (Asheville, NC) and online conference March 24th - 31st, 2027, and we need to hear from you.

Suggest a keynote speaker or nuts-and-bolts production session to help inform the agenda: https://ow.ly/Mjtc50YWhtG

The official Request for Proposals will be released later this year.

GiveBIG is TODAY - May 5Double your donation TODAY ONLY, thanks to our generous sponsor,PCC Community MarketsIt’s the of...
05/05/2026

GiveBIG is TODAY - May 5
Double your donation TODAY ONLY, thanks to our generous sponsor,PCC Community Markets

It’s the official start of Washington state's biggest single-day giving event! Your support helps OSA keep the power of seed in the hands of growers.
We are committed to cultivating a future where organic seed is the foundation of healthy, resilient communities. From on-farm research to farmer education and seed policy advocacy, your donation creates real change in our food system.

Join Organic Seed Alliance in cultivating equity, abundance, and resilience in organic seed systems. https://www.wagives.org/organization/Organic-Seed-Alliance

Address

PO Box 772
Port Townsend, WA
98368

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 4pm
Saturday 11am - 5pm
Sunday 11am - 5pm

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+13603857192

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