“The world’s food supply depends on about 150 plant species. Of those 150 just twelve provide three-quarters of the world’s food. More than half of that food energy comes from a limited number of varieties of three “mega-crops”: rice, wheat, and maize.” -- International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Ottawa
The 2025 Small Canada Seed Guide is working to expose changes that are taking place in the seed industry and how these changes are intertwined presenting both challenges and opportunities for the smallholder.
From gene editing regulations and potential organic market disruptions to market access with corresponding community responses. Regionally and climate adapted seed are in the pipeline, but seed development takes time and is costly. What role do seed banks, seed libraries and Seedy Saturdays play in seed sharing? Seed growers are exposed to risk by producing a new and unproven (non-certified seed) variety that may unexpectedly perform poorly due to agronomic or geographical fit. All is a part of the evolving seed landscape.
The basis of certified seed is verified genetic identity and purity, valuable to farmers who want additional assurance of seed quality and performance. Certified crops are inspected and produced in compliance with the Canadian Seed Growers Association (CSGA) standards.
Certified growers get recognized by a blue certified tag of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). The certification is a guarantee of purity, varietal identity and germination, as well as freedom from impurities such as weeds and other crop seed. It is a guarantee of performance that growers count on. What about growers outside the certification process what challenges and opportunities lay ahead…
On the multi-national level modern agriculture has concentrated on a small number of crop varieties designed for intensive farming. This trend, and increasing industrialization of agriculture, are factors in “genetic erosion.” What are the implications of genetic erosion on seed supply and development?
On the upside of plant and variety diversity are the sixty plus seed breeders and dealers that will also be featured in the 2025 Seed Guide. This upcoming feature will be included as a pull-out in the November-December issue of Small Farm Canada magazine.
Why is this news? We wanted you to know our Seed Guide Update Team will be contacting our current seed dealer list for update soon. If you want to be added contact us now.
If you are a seed grower or dealer that sells seed in less than bulk quantities and would like to be included in the 2025 Small Farm Canada Seed Guide Directory please contact editor@smallfarmCanada.ca.
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