USA
September 10, 2014
August 17th – 21st, 2014
Over 50 students, faculty and industry professionals participated in this year’s student-organized Student Organic Seed Symposium (SOSS) hosted by Cornell University. This year’s theme was “Regional Adaptation for Sustainable Food and Seed Systems”, and the diverse list of speakers presented on alternative breeding strategies and different obstacles that breeding organic seed in organic systems for different regions raises.
The symposium showcased outstanding speakers from academia, industry, and non profit organizations including the International Center for development oriented Research in Agriculture (ICRA) and Organic Seed Alliance. Presentations ranged from using wild germplasm to produce improved cultivars for organic cotton production in North Texas to philosophical and ethical viewpoints that influence European governance of organic seed to organizing community-based breeding models and promoting sustainable agriculture. Presenters had experience working with a diverse array of not only crops but also positions in the organic seed industry, such as organic farming, seed production, non-profit organizations as well as the academics working along with them. A recurring theme was how more investment is needed in organic breeding programs since seed bred in organic systems does better in organic systems compared to conventionally bred seed.
R. Ford Denison, Professor at the University of Minnesota and author of Darwinian Agriculture, discussed in his talk how organic agriculture faces different challenges compared to conventional agriculture and ended with, “It is much harder for weeds to develop resistance to farmers with hoes [than herbicides]!” highlighting the differences in cultural practices between the two systems.
There was also emphasis on the field aspect of plant breeding and preparing plant breeders equipped to deal with the challenges of organic systems. This was highlighted by the student field plot at the Cornell University Extension, where student participants had the opportunity to send their breeding materials, have them grown, and explain what their project is and how it relates to organic agriculture.
The Ceres Trust and Seed Matters were the largest sponsors of the symposium with additional support from: Albert Lea Seed, Bejo Seeds, High Mowing Organic Seeds, Johnny’s Selected Seeds, the Organic Seed Growers and Trade Association, Organic Seed Alliance, Vitalis Organic Seeds, the Bost Family and Peter Meinig. Additional assistance was provided by the Plant Breeding and Genetics Department at Cornell University, Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, the Cornell University Cooperative Extension, and the Mazourek Lab at Cornell University. More information on the graduate student organizers, speakers and the event can be found at the symposium website at http://www.soseeds.org.
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