Progress 10/01/08 to 09/30/09
Outputs
Progress Report Objectives (from AD-416) The objective of this cooperative research project is to develop a strong national network capable of developing and delivering quality seed of improved vegetable varieties for organic agricultural production systems. The Plant Genetic Resources Unit (PGRU) role in the project is to address the critical linkage of delivering quality organically produced seed of new improved varieties developed for production under organic conditions. PGRU will support the development of small seed companies and independent seed growers that produce quality organic seed of vegetables through our extension and education activities. Approach (from AD-416) This project will capitalize on previous investments from the Public Seed Initiative (PSI) by using the mobile seed unit developed through PSI for conducting activities to enhance seed production capabilities of organic seed producers. This will provide the necessary equipment to address a major bottleneck in small-scale seed production, access to threshing and seed processing equipment. Major efforts will be made to provide training and workshops on small-scale seed production for organic seed producers. The mobile seed unit will be enhanced with selected equipment identified through previous activities as useful and necessary to enhance vegetable seed production capabilities of organic seed producers. Efforts will be made to identify research objectives and research partners to conduct this research to address seed-health issues for organic seed producers through additional grants. Significant Activities that Support Special Target Populations The Public Seed Initiative (PSI) website continues to be a major source of information for organic farmers with close to 11,000 hits since its creation. This website supplies detailed information on pepper genomics, seed production, participatory breeding, on-farm commercial variety trials and other related projects throughout the country: www.plbr. cornell.edu/psi. The Organic Seed Partnership (OSP) website has had over 4,400 hits since it�s creation in 2005 (2000 hits occurring in 2007 alone) and has been viewed by people in over 70 countries. This site contains information about the new goals and direction of the OSP project. This website contains all the details that the PSI website had plus information about upcoming events, nationwide cooperators, updated news and events occurring around the country, and streaming video detailing on- farm vegetable breeding and seed production: www.organicseedpartnership. org. The Organic Seed Partnership will conclude by the production of a final OSP CD/DVD, which will contain detailed information about both the PSI and OSP products; including annual reports and instructional videos. This CD/DVD will be distributed to stakeholders and to the traditionally underserved markets of small-scale and organic farmers.
Impacts
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Progress 11/15/04 to 09/14/08
Outputs
Progress Report Objectives (from AD-416) The objective of this cooperative research project is to develop a strong national network capable of developing and delivering quality seed of improved vegetable varieties for organic agricultural production systems. The Plant Genetic Resources Unit (PGRU) role in the project is to address the critical linkage of delivering quality organically produced seed of new improved varieties developed for production under organic conditions. PGRU will support the development of small seed companies and independent seed growers that produce quality organic seed of vegetables through our extension and education activities. Approach (from AD-416) This project will capitalize on previous investments from the Public Seed Initiative (PSI) by using the mobile seed unit developed through PSI for conducting activities to enhance seed production capabilities of organic seed producers. This will provide the necessary equipment to address a major bottleneck in small-scale seed production, access to threshing and seed processing equipment. Major efforts will be made to provide training and workshops on small-scale seed production for organic seed producers. The mobile seed unit will be enhanced with selected equipment identified through previous activities as useful and necessary to enhance vegetable seed production capabilities of organic seed producers. Efforts will be made to identify research objectives and research partners to conduct this research to address seed-health issues for organic seed producers through additional grants. Significant Activities that Support Special Target Populations Workshops, demonstrations and community seed days were held at Shelburne Farms in Shelburne, VT on November 9, 2007 and at West Virginia State University (an 1890�s Institution) in Charleston, WV on July 30-31, 2008. The concluding workshop in West Virginia was a 2-day hands-on seed cleaning and plant breeding workshop. In addition to PGRU scientists and staff presenting; Cornell University Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, West Virginia State University, and WVSU Extension ANR Program Leader conducted lectures and workshops about plant breeding and selection techniques. FY08 OSP activities were limited by budget constraints; PGRU was involved based on a no-cost 1-year extension from the Reimbursable Cooperative Agreement. These workshops served small- scale farmer and organic grower populations. They provided essential training in small-scale seed production into their existing farm systems. These workshops also provided a means to display the mobile seed processing unit. This unit consists of various seed processing and threshing devices used in wet and dry seed processing. During the community seed day workshops, organic farmers and small-scale seed producers were trained and given the opportunity to clean their seed using the equipment provided in the mobile seed processing unit. These activities were supported by a Reimbursable Cooperative Agreement with Cornell University where the Plant Genetic Resources Unit has the lead role in the project in the extension of small-scale seed production of heirloom vegetable germplasm and new public open-pollinated varieties bred by organic farmers and small-scale seed producers. The Public Seed Initiative (PSI) website continues to be a major source of information for organic farmers with close to 11,000 hits since its creation. This website supplies detailed information on pepper genomics, seed production, participatory breeding, on-farm commercial variety trials and other related projects throughout the country: www.plbr.cornell.edu/psi. The Organic Seed Partnership (OSP) website has had over 4,400 hits since it�s creation in 2005 (2000 hits occurring in 2007 alone) and has been viewed my people in over 70 countries. This site contains information about the new goals and direction of the OSP project. This website contains all the details that the PSI website had plus information about upcoming events, nationwide cooperators, updated news and events occurring around the country, and streaming video detailing on-farm vegetable breeding and seed production: www.organicseedpartnership.org. The Organic Seed Partnership will conclude by the production of a final OSP CD/DVD, which will contain detailed information about both the PSI and OSP products; including annual reports and instructional videos. This CD/DVD will be distributed to stakeholders and to the traditionally underserved markets of small-scale and organic farmers. Component 1 of NP301 and specifically to Problem Statement 1A: Efficiently and Effectively Manage Plant and Microbial Genetic Resources.
Impacts
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Progress 10/01/06 to 09/30/07
Outputs
Progress Report Objectives (from AD-416) The objective of this cooperative research project is to develop a strong national network capable of developing and delivering quality seed of improved vegetable varieties for organic agricultural production systems. The Plant Genetic Resources Unit (PGRU) role in the project is to address the critical linkage of delivering quality organically produced seed of new improved varieties developed for production under organic conditions. PGRU will support the development of small seed companies and independent seed growers that produce quality organic seed of vegetables through our extension and education activities. Approach (from AD-416) This project will capitalize on previous investments from the Public Seed Initiative (PSI) by using the mobile seed unit developed through PSI for conducting activities to enhance seed production capabilities of organic seed producers. This will provide the necessary equipment to address a major bottleneck in small-scale seed production, access to threshing and seed processing equipment. Major efforts will be made to provide training and workshops on small-scale seed production for organic seed producers. The mobile seed unit will be enhanced with selected equipment identified through previous activities as useful and necessary to enhance vegetable seed production capabilities of organic seed producers. Efforts will be made to identify research objectives and research partners to conduct this research to address seed-health issues for organic seed producers through additional grants. Significant Activities that Support Special Target Populations This report serves to document research conducted under a reimbursable agreement between ARS and Cornell University. Additional details of this research can be found in the report for 1907-21000-016-00D entitled "Conservation and Utilization of Germplasm of Selected Vegetable Crops." The Plant Genetic Resources Unit in Geneva, NY (PGRU), the Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York and Cornell University�s Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics recognized the need for training opportunities in small-scale organic agriculture in the areas of plant breeding, seed production and on-farm organic trial evaluation. The Organic Seed Partnership (OSP) began in FY2006 with PGRU taking a lead role in seed production training. The activities are centered on increasing the accessibility of new, publicly bred, open-pollinated and heirloom vegetable varieties to small-scale organic farming populations. This nationwide program consists of the three leading agencies listed above and five hubs across the country; Alcorn State University, New Mexico State University, Oregon State University, University of California at Davis, and West Virginia State University. In FY2007 on-farm organic trials were conducted for 150 vegetable varieties on 150 farms in the Northeast and 45 farms in other areas. Vegetable selection workshops were held in conjunction with PGRU�s seed production workshops. The OSP and its predecessor the Public Seed Initiative have been responsible for the release of seven nationally recognized organic vegetable varieties (Green Finger Cucumber - multi resistant Beit Alpha Type, Sweet Reba � bush acorn squash, Romulus � Powdery Mildew Resistant (PMR) green zucchini, Success PM � PMR yellow straightneck squash, PMR Delicious 51 � cantaloupe, Peacework � Cucumber Mosaic Virus Resistant Early Bell Pepper and Hannah�s Choice � eastern cantaloupe). PGRU conducted 11 workshops, demonstrations and/or community seed days in which over 1,250 participants were given the opportunity to train in mechanical and manual seed production techniques. In addition to training events, the equipment used in small-scale seed production was made available to these traditionally underserved communities by the existence of PGRU�s Mobile Seed Processing Unit, a 7 x 12 enclosed trailer which houses various seed processing equipment. After a training workshop is completed, the used for both wet and dry seed processing is left at the host farmer�s secure location for a week to a month for the local seed-producing community to use. The OSP also offers virtual training via a PGRU-maintained web site. This website, launched in FY2006 contains information about OSP sponsored events and other organic activities across the United States, how-to guidance in seed production and plant breeding, as well as, annual reporting of events, trials and new variety selections. The web site is a key tool for many organic and small-scale seed producing farms across the world with over 4,000 unique visitors from 74 countries. This project is run by PGRU and activities are reported to Cornell University through annual meetings and annual reports for the OSP.
Impacts
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Progress 10/01/05 to 09/30/06
Outputs
Progress Report 4d Progress report. This report serves to document research conducted under a specific cooperative agreement between ARS and Cornell University. Additional details of this research can be found in the report for the parent project 1910-21000-016-00 D 'Conservation and Utilization of Germplasm of Selected Vegetable Crops'. Workshops: Workshops on seed saving, seed production and/or the economics of seed production were conducted at the Black Kettle Farm in Essex, NY on October 5, 2005; the Connecticut Agricultural Experimental Stations Valley Laboratory in Windsor, CT on October 20, 2005; the NOFA Winter Pre-Conference in Syracuse, NY on January 27, 2006; the Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA) Annual Summer Conference in Amherst, MA on August 11-12, 2006; and the Common Ground Country Fair in Unity, ME on September 22-23, 2006. Demonstrations: Displays and demonstrations of the mobile seed processing unit and/or Organic Seed Partnership
outreach material were held at the NOFA-MA Summer Conference in Amherst, MA on August 11-12, 2006; the Common Ground Fair in Unity, ME on September 22-23, 2006; and the NOFA-NY Annual Pre-Conference in Syracuse, NY on January 27, 2006. Community Seed Days: The mobile seed processing unit was set up at several locations for wet and dry seed processing during weeklong community seed days. The community seed days were held in, Essex, Newark, Moravia, Peru, Norwich, Poughkeepsie and Cochecton Center, NY; Sheffield, MA and in Windsor, CT. In addition to workshops, demonstrations and community seed days, PGRU maintains and updates the Organic Seed Partnerships (OSP) website (www. OrganicSeedPartnership.org). This website contains updated news and events about the OSP and other news related to organic farming, goals for the program, cooperator information and links to their websites, organic resources available worldwide, detailed information for seed production (including 2 videos
totaling 14-minutes describing and demonstrating wet and dry seed processes), detailed information about current organic breeding projects underway in the OSP (including a 20-minute video describing breeding techniques for 5 major crops), and information about the numerous on-farm organic vegetable variety trials. In addition to the wealth of information offered on the OSP website, there is also an updated calendar of events and links to related projects throughout the world.
Impacts
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Progress 10/01/04 to 09/30/05
Outputs
4d Progress report. This report serves to document research conducted under a Reimbursable Cooperative Agreement between ARS and Cornell University. Additional details of this research can be found in the report for the parent CRIS 1907-21000-016-00D entitled Conservation and Utilization of Germplasm of Selected Vegetable Crops. Workshops. Workshops on seed saving, seed production and/or the economics of seed production were conducted at the USDA-ARS, PGRU in Geneva, NY on 23 August 2005; at the PSI On-Farm Seed Production Workshop at the NOFA- NY Annual Winter Conference in Syracuse, NY on January 28, 2005; the NOFA- MA Summer Conference in Amherst, Massachusetts on August 13, 2005, and the Common Ground Fair in Unity, Maine September 23 - 24, 2005. These training workshops were attended by over 800 people. Demonstrations: Displays and demonstrations of the mobile seed processing unit and/or PSI outreach material were held at the NOFA-MA Summer Conference in
Amherst, MA on August 13, 2005; and at the Common Ground Fair in Unity, ME on September 24 and 25, 2004. Community Seed Days. The mobile seed processing unit was set up at several locations for wet and dry seed processing during weeklong community seed days. The community seed days were held in Geneva, Newark, Moravia and Cochecton Center, NY; and in Hamden, CT.
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