USA: Organic Seed Growers Conference

The 6th Organic Seed Growers Conference "Strengthening Community Seed Systems" will take place in Port Townsend, Washington, from 19 to 21 January 2012. Prior to the conference, a full day tour of the Skagit Valley offers participants an extraordinary opportunity to learn about organic seed research projects in a major vegetable seed production region of international importance. The all-day field tour will include major cabbage, beet and spinach growing regions; organic variety trials at Osborne Seed Company; and the Washington State University Northwest Research Center.

The conference will feature presentations, panel discussions, networking events, and entertainment. The event is the largest in North America to focus solely on organic seed systems. More than two-dozen sessions ranging from agronomic issues on the farm (seed production and disease management); breeding topics (public university projects and participatory models); economic matters (organic seed markets and marketing); and policy discussions (strategies for building the organic seed sector) are offered. Presenters are leaders in their field and represent diverse regions, crop types, and farming scales. More than 300 farmers, researchers, distribution companies, plant breeders, pathologists, university extension agents, food industry representatives, and others are expected to attend, and more than 50 experts will present at the conference.

More information is available here: www.seedalliance.org.