Contact: Brian DeVore, LSP, 612-729-6294

2/28/04
WHITE BEAR LAKE, Minn.—“Public Seeds—Public Goods,” a special report recently released by the Land Stewardship Project, describes the critical role public plant breeding plays in American agriculture and how this resource is threatened by privatization.

Some of American agriculture’s most important crop developments are the result of publicly funded university research. This type of research relies on the free and open trading of plant germplasm among institutions. However, in recent years an increasing proportion of that seed has come under control of private firms. Licensing agreements and patents are “locking up” germplasm, making it almost impossible for public plant breeders to get access to some of it. At the same time, public funding of land grant research has declined dramatically, making private funding an increasingly bigger factor at these institutions. These private funds come with significant strings attached, not the least of which is control over how seeds are distributed for research purposes.

“Public Seeds—Public Goods,” a compilation of articles that have appeared in the Land Stewardship Letter during the past few years, describes how the increased privatization of our germplasm poses a significant threat to farmers, the public and scientific research itself. As one public plant breeder says in the report: “It will eventually lead to the end of public sector plant breeding, which you could say is an end to innovation as well.”

But this report also describe how farmers, scientists and concerned citizens are coming together to protect this valuable resource, and are working to develop research models that can produce innovative advances in plant breeding while protecting the public good.

A free pdf copy of this 11-page report is available at http://www.landstewardshipproject.org. Paper copies are available for $5 (to cover postage and handling) by contacting Louise Arbuckle at 651-653-0618.

The Land Stewardship Project, founded in 1982, is a nonprofit, membership organization dedicated to fostering sustainable agricultural systems and to seeing more successful farmers on the land raising both crops and livestock.

-30-