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Organic Food Integrity Begins with Organic Seed Integrity
Organic Seed Alliance’s advocacy program pursues the implementation of ethical values in seed systems. In particular we believe that organic agriculture holds the potential for the development of a new model of decentralized seed systems that serve community needs.
While there are many risks to organic seed systems -- contamination by genetically engineered (GE) crops, concentration in the seed industry and patents, lack of infrastructure and funds for public and open-source breeding -- there are also advances and opportunities at hand. The organic seed community does not define itself by what we are not (genetically engineered) but rather by what the value and benefits we bring to organic farmers, consumers, and the environment. OSA advocates for decentralized, farmer-oriented, regional seed systems. The development of such systems will provide us with the integrity and quality of organic seed we need, and food integrity begins with seed integrity.
OSA advocacy staff are regular contributors to our Seed Broadcast blog and provide frequent public comments on timely issues that impact the availability and integrity of organic seed.
2012 Policy Comments
Oregon Department of Agriculture (Canola)
November 2012
National Organic Standards Board (Seed Purity)
September 2012
Advisory Committee on Biotechnology (AC21)
August 2012
USDA (Sign-on Letter for Public Seed Research)
August 2012
National Organic Standards Board (Seed Purity)
May 2012
Advisory Committee on Biotechnology (AC21)
May 2012
Comments to NOP on Organic Seed Availability
Comments on Draft Guidance (August 2011)
GE Alfalfa and Sugar Beets Talking Points
Ten Ways to Respond to USDA’s GE Alfalfa and Sugar Beet Decisions
Five Reasons Why GE Sugar Beets Threaten Organic
Twelve Reasons Why GE Alfalfa Threatens Organic
OSA Calls USDA's GE Alfalfa Decision a Threat to Organic Seed Integrity
January 27, 2011
View press release
OSA Submits Comments on Roundup Ready Sugar Beet Environmental Assessment
December 6, 2010
View comments (PDF)
OSA Letter to Department of Justice and US Department of Agriculture
Press Release: Organizations Ask Department of Justice to Take a Hard Look at Monsanto's Claims on Seed Industry
On June 1, 2010, nearly 40 organizations and seed and food companies sent the Departments of Justice and Agriculture a simple reminder: The seed industry demonstrates some of the most troubling concentration trends in agriculture and is in need of a serious examination.
The comments serve as a rebuttal to the Monsanto Company’s assertion that competition in the seed industry is alive and well. Download PDFs of the full press release, letter to DOJ-USDA, and rebuttal of Monsanto's claims below:
Press Release
OSA Letter to Secretary Vilsack and Attorney General Holder & Rebuttal to Monsanto's comments to Department of Justice
Roundup Ready Beet News
Open Letter to OSA Supporters from Executive Director Dan Hobbs and Director of Advocacy Matthew Dillon
Lawsuit challenging the deregulation of herbicide-tolerant “Roundup Ready” sugar beets
Roundup Ready Beet lawsuit press release
Concerns with Contamination and Coexistence: Biotechnology, organics, and the natural resouce of seed by Matthew Dillon, OSA Director of Advocacy
Farmer Response to RR Sugar Beets by Frank Morton, OSA Board Member and owner of Wild Garden Seed
RR Sugar Beet Update: June 2008 by Matthew Dillon, OSA Director of Advocacy
Advocacy Articles
And We Have the Seeds by Matthew Dillon. Article on the Monsanto purchase of Seminis, the world's largest vegetable seed company.
Follow up to Seminis article on the OSA Blog, Seed Broadcast, regarding their restrictions on saving seed.
First World Conference on Organic Seed, Rome, Italy - Can Organic andn GM Coexist? By Matthew Dillon
Community Seed Network builds international model to preserve biodiversity and protect farmer knowledge
By Matthew Dillon
The Next Great Challenge: Breeding for Organic Systems By Matthew Dillon and Micaela Colley
NOP rule seed allowances help farmers, but make bigger seed business investment more risky: Public-private partnerships, farmer-centered research and stakeholder collaboration with organic rulemakers all needed to strengthen organic genetics. By Matthew Dillon
On-farm Variety Trials - A Valuable Tool for Innovation By Matthew Dillon
Organic Food Integrity Starts with Seed Integrity by Matthew Dillon
Position Statement: Risks and Recommendations - Canola Biofuel Seed Crops in Regions of Vegetable Crucifer Seed Production by Matthew Dillon
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