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A newย reportย . . . from theย Organic Seed Allianceย (OSA) . . .ย found that the supply of organic seed isnโt keeping pace with the rising demand for organic products. . .
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The vast majority of commercial seed is bred to rely on high fertilizer inputs. But for organic growers, who rely on the slow release of nutrients from organic soil amendments, that can be โdisastrous,โ says Bichsel. โOur operations need plants bred to be efficient nutrient absorbers and resistant to disease,โ he says.
However, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). . .ย allows some leeway . . .ย According to theย USDAโs Agricultural Marketing Service, โOrganic seeds must be used unless they are not commercially availableโ. . . .
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It often comes down to economics, says Mac Ehrhardt, owner of Albert Lea Seed. .ย . โConventional seed is a lot cheaper to produce than organic seed,โ he says. Consequently, itโs also cheaper to buy.
. . .[O]rganic seed costs, on average, 65 percent more than conventional seed.
. . .[T]he report outlines additional challenges preventing greater adoption of organic seed including a lack of experienced producers, and strict intellectual property rights.
Read full, original post:ย A Missing Puzzle Piece For Farmers: Organic Seed
