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A New Way To Release Plant Varieties To The Public
The Open Source Seed Initiative (OSSI) is unlocking access to new plant varieties. Most private companies and public university plant breeders restrict seed saving and resale of new, improved varieties. The OSSI is doing the opposite. Its new and improved varieties are available to everyone.
“Our only restricti
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A New Way To Release Plant Varieties To The Public CROPS Miscellaneous The Open Source Seed Initiative OSSI is unlocking access to new plant varieties Most private companies and public university plant breeders restrict seed saving and resale of new improved varieties The OSSI is doing the opposite Its new and improved varieties are available to everyone “Our only restriction is that these varieties can’t be patented or restricted by anyone ” says Irwin Goldman Horticulture department chair at the University of Wisconsin “Anyone can select and develop a new variety from them but the new variety can’t be patented or restricted either ” Goldman explains that OSSI seeds are both like and unlike “heritage” seed varieties Both can be planted harvested and the seed saved for replanting without restriction However if a breeder selects a new variety from a heritage variety they may be able to patent it and restrict access to it The OSSI uses what is called the “protected commons” to ensure that future generations of released varieties are kept free Long-time plant breeder Goldman is one of 20 members of the OSSI that has already released 36 varieties of 14 species including 2 carrots developed by him They include a malting barley from Oregon State University two emmer an early type of wheat from Washington State University and a sampling of other crops from other public and private breeders “More than 20 of them are courtesy of Frank Morton and his Wild Garden Seed Co ” says Goldman “Eventually we hope to have a full catalog of seed a collection of as many different crops as possible ” Goldman explains that readers can buy OSSI varieties through seed companies like Wild Garden Seed ph 541 929-4068; www wildgardenseed com and High Mowing Organic Seeds ph 802 472-6174; www highmowingseeds com An introductory collection of 15 seed packets was available for sale this past spring from the OSSI’s online store Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Irwin Goldman Dept of Horticulture University of Wisconsin – Madison
1575 Linden Dr
Madison Wis 53706
ph 608 262-7781; ilgoldma@wisc edu; www opensourceseedinitiative org
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