SeedChange / Sème l’avenir
56 rue Sparks St., suite/bureau 600 K1P 5B1 Ottawa, ON, Canada

What is participatory plant breeding (PPB) and why do we support farmers to do it? PPB is crop breeding with farmers in the driver’s seat. Farmers work to improve crops and develop resilient plant varieties in collaboration with researchers, scientists and other stakeholderseven eaters! Farmers know their needs best. They set breeding goals based on their local environments, conditions, tastes and culturesand then can judge a variety’s success in their own fields against th...ese real-life criteria. For example, with his region in Nicaragua's worsening droughts in mind, Santos Luis Merlo helped breed Pueblo Nuevo Santos Luis (named for his contribution) with the ability to withstand prolonged dry periods, with the support of our partner FECODESA. It means farmers are more likely to be able to bring corn to harvest, provide food for their families and make a living. The photos here show the difference this can make. These two farms are just 200 metres apart and both had not seen rain for weeks. The farm on the left is growing a local corn variety that is struggling with the drought. The farm on the right is growing Pueblo Nuevo SL, which Santos and others bred to endure the intense new climate conditionsand it is working. Learn more about PPB and Santos's work https://bit.ly/3nYfUtU

Open-pollinated, heirloom, hybrid seed lingo can be a bit daunting, especially if you’re new to gardening or growing from seed. But we’re here to help you choose seeds for your garden! Here are some things to keep in mind as you search for seeds.

In India, tens of thousands of small-scale farmers are protesting changes to some of the country's agricultural laws. These changes would exacerbate the existing power imbalance between corporate entities and the thousands of Indian farmers cultivating small plots of land, as the Scientific American article below points out. Basically, the laws would give more power to industry instead of where it needs to be: in the hands of farmers. ... "The Green Revolution [the promotion of industrial agriculture] secured cheap cereals in exchange for justice and ecological sustainability... But to actually secure a viable future for farmers, we must abandon the Green Revolution paradigm and adopt agroecological, diverse, decentralized and just agrarian and food systems." Small-scale farmers produce an estimated 70 per cent of the world's food. But a collection of laws, policies and corporate entities exert incredible power over the global food system and disadvantage the very farmers at its foundation. We work with farmers on changing this system: https://bit.ly/sc-food-sovereignty Learn more from Scientific American: http://bit.ly/2MOtXFv : Patiala, India (Getty Images)

"In terms of the work that I do, I don't think the term I would use is 'giving back.' It think it's just doing what is right." Ama Amponsah (Leticia Deawuo), our wonderful board chair and executive director of Black Creek Community Farm (BCCF), was featured on the CBC! In addition to heading up BCCF and organizing with Jane Finch Action Against Poverty (JFAAP), Ama is getting her master’s degree. Her master's project is focused on telling the stories of Black and Indigenous ...women who use small-scale agriculture to support their families and communities. Click through and watch the video to bring a little hope and joy to your day.

Santos Luis Merlo is passionate about seeds. He lives and farms in El Rosario, Pueblo Nuevo, Nicaragua. His love of seeds, coupled with his curiosity and willingness to experiment, led him to plant breeding. Santos has spent years collaborating with farmers and researchers in his region to improve bean and maize varieties, selecting for plants that grow well under traditional farming practices while holding up to the extremes climate change brings. ... Read more about his work https://bit.ly/3nYfUtU Image text: A seed is a living being that we must take care of. How could we not take care of what our grandparents passed down to us? - Santos Luis Merlo, farmer, seed saver and participatory plant breeding specialist in Nicaragua."

Thrilled to see the government recognize farmers and ranchers as key partners in our collective climate action plan. With good supports in place, farmers can lead the way to exceed our 2030 climate goals. And, as always, happy to be part of this coalition!

Sovereign Seeds' COVID-19 Indigenous Seed Crisis Response Circle is nurturing Indigenous seed varieties through and beyond the pandemic. Support the Indigenous seed keepers growing these seeds, and the community resilience they are cultivating today! https://www.gofundme.com/f/indigenousseedcircle

Tomorrow, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will lay out Canadas new agenda for pandemic recovery. Supporting farmers to address climate change must be part of the plan. Show your support for farmers and for Farmers For Climate Solutions - Fermiers pour la transition climatique by sharing this message! https://farmersforclimatesolutions.ca/policy-solutions

How has the pandemic affected seed farmers? We spoke to Kim Delaney from Hawthorn Farm Organic Seeds to find out. "The pandemic reinforced for me that what I believe is really important is in fact, quite important! People are realizing on many levels what is truly important: human contact, food and seed and community."

This week, the federal government will lay out a new agenda containing its priorities for pandemic recovery. Supporting farmers to address climate change must be part of the plan. As part of Farmers For Climate Solutions - Fermiers pour la transition climatique, were asking Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and Ministers Marie-Claude Bibeau and Jonathan Wilkinson to make farmers a priority. Here are five ways Canada can help farmers take climate action: 1. Make farms green ene...rgy powerhouses. 2. Provide incentives for climate-friendly farming. 3. Help innovative farmers mentor other farmers. 4. Reward farmers who reduce climate risk. 5. Support new and young farmers. Share if you agree!

Shout out to all the farmers and gardeners who are saving seeds right now! We're right in the midst of harvest season and that means folks are harvesting seeds, too. And these seed savers are keeping biodiversity alive at a time when the is rapidly losing it.

It's the most wonderful time of the year... Seed saving season! Whether you're a long-time seed saver or dreaming of saving your first seed, the Community Seed Network (CSN) has resources to help you. Sourced from our buds at Seeds of Diversity Canada, Seed Savers Exchange, Native Seeds/SEARCH, and a few from yours truly, these resources can help you make sure your harvest this year includes good quality seeds! Enjoy! https://www.communityseednetwork.org/resources

Members of our community have asked us about the recent packages of unknown seeds that have been showing up in mailboxes. If you have received seeds that did not order, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is advising you to place the entire package in a sealed bag and report these seeds to a regional CFIA office. For more information and guidelines: https://bit.ly/35KNUEt Seed sourcing is important, and we encourage you to know where your seed comes from! Here is a gr...eat list of resources of where to find local seed sellers and support locally-grown seeds! https://bit.ly/2ySfiSA // Certains membres de notre communauté nous ont approché pour se renseigner au sujet des enveloppes de semences non sollicitées qui sont apparues dans certaines boîtes aux lettres à travers du pays. Si vous avez reçu des semences d'une source inconnue, l'Agence canadienne d'inspection des aliments (ACIA) vous conseille de placer l'enveloppe complète dans un sac scellé et de signaler ces semences à un bureau régional de l'ACIA. Pour plus d'informations sur ces directives: https://bit.ly/3mvl159 L'approvisionnement en semences est important, et nous vous encourageons à savoir d'où viennent vos semences! Voici une excellente liste de ressources où trouver des vendeurs de semences locaux et soutenir les semences cultivées localement ! https://bit.ly/32Hpz0y ( from CFIA Twitter)

Support Indigenous seed keepers! Through Sovereign Seeds, the COVID-19 Indigenous Seed Crisis Response Circle is keeping ancestral seed alive, asserting Indigenous sovereignty, and (re)claiming ancestral food relationships. Join us in supporting their efforts! Donate today: https://www.gofundme.com/f/indigenousseedcircle

"Farmers assume virtually all the risk when it comes to putting food on our table," the director of our Canadian program told the National Observer. "They do the majority of the work. Theyre the most impacted by all kinds of decisions related to agriculture. To exclude them from all of the essential production processes of agriculture just doesnt make sense. Some big decisions were recently made in the world of Canada's seed regulations. Read more about them in the article below!

Kim Delaney has been growing, saving and selling seeds at Hawthorn Farm Organic Seeds for more than a decade. But no amount of experience prepared her for the intense 2020 season. During a rare break from tending her crops and packing up seed orders, we spoke with Kim about the pandemic, why it spurred so many people to buy seeds, and how this unprecedented year will impact next year: https://bit.ly/3hGzBTy

Indigenous people experience ongoing impacts of colonialism, environmental racism and climate change. Now COVID-19 has heightened the injustices Indigenous communities face as a result of these systems. Through it all, seed keeping has been a celebration of resilience and joy. But the pandemic has brought significant new challenges for Indigenous seed keepers too: huge demand for seeds from community members wanting to grow food and keep seed. This growing passion for food ...sovereignty is exciting, but has also exceeded Indigenous seed keepers seed supply, putting communities' already precarious seed stocks at risk. Many Indigenous seed keepers have been faced with the decision to gift seed for food at the risk of losing an ancestral variety. Sovereign Seeds has responded to the challenge by facilitating the COVID-19 Indigenous Seed Crisis Response Circle to support seed keepers this growing season. You can support this vital work! Donate today!

After a long summer of bean harvests you may realize that you havent given any thought to saving your bean seeds until now. That's ok! It's not too late to get seed saving! We can help. Click the link to get started.

Join us in supporting this critical work! Donate today!

The COVID-19 Indigenous Seed Crisis Response Circle is strengthening communities preparedness for future pandemics and the impacts of the climate crisis. You can support this critical work. Support Indigenous seed keepers and donate today: https://www.gofundme.com/f/indigenousseedcircle Then be sure to check out Sovereign Seeds, the facilitator of this work!

Did you know that almost half of the worlds carrot seeds are produced in Oregon? Though they're a staple food across the country, evaluating, breeding, and saving carrot seed comes with a set of unique challenges in many Canadian climates. Please join us next Wednesday, September 16 for a webinar that will get to the root of these challenges.* We'll be discussing carrot variety trials, participatory plant breeding and seed saving with Petra Page-Mann (Fruition Seeds), Clair...e Luby (University of Wisconsin-Madison), Helen Jensen (CANOVI with SeedChange // ALÉBIO avec Sème lavenir), Charlotte Giard-Laliberté (CETAB+). Register now to secure your spot! *pun intended

COVID-19 has intensified food insecurity for many. In response, Sovereign Seeds is facilitating the COVID-19 Indigenous Seed Crisis Response Circle, an Indigenous seed stewardship collective nurturing Indigenous seed varieties. The Circle works for improved seed health and seed access through and beyond the pandemic. Dedicated Indigenous seed leaders in territories within and across the colonial borders of Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick have come together to gr...ow Indigenous seed varieties to improve seed supply. Seeds grown through the Circle will be lovingly redistributed to Indigenous individuals and initiatives who need access to their ancestral seeds for food and seed saving next year. Join us in supporting their efforts and donate today! https://www.gofundme.com/f/indigenousseedcircle Your donation to the Circle will go directly towards supporting these seed leaders and the people and communities who will receive the seeds they are cultivating. By supporting the Circle, you are supporting a more just and resilient future for generations of seeds and seed keepers to come.

The second edition of Organic Science Canada magazine is all about farmer participation and leadership in crop breeding! It's also packed with familiar faces of folks involved in our Canadian program, The Bauta Family Initiative on Canadian Seed Security! We believe that good organic food should come from good organic seed. For varieties to reflect farmers priorities, farmers need to be in the drivers seat. Dig into the science of what is going on in farmers' fields as they lead crop breeding projects: https://bit.ly/3bsPiwj

Lasting COVID-19 recovery means supporting new and young farmers. The average age of a Canadian farmer is 55. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of agricultural jobs go unfilled every year. And the pandemic has highlighted systemic injustices and vulnerabilities of a food system that relies heavily on migrant workers. Removing barriers for young people to enter farming protects our future food supply and increases access to green rural jobs. And for a future of farming that is t...ruly diverse, inclusive and climate-resilient, Canada needs to support new and young farmers in ways that also acknowledge and respond to the added barriers Black, Indigenous and people of colour face in entering the sector. Plus, these supports foster innovation, since young farmers tend to be some of the most innovative in the field, farming in ways that benefit the climate and environment. As part of the Farmers For Climate Solutions - Fermiers pour la transition climatique coalition, we have five recommendations for green recovery from COVID-19 in Canadian agriculture. Learn about all five! https://farmersforclimatesolutions.ca/policy-solutions

A forward-thinking COVID-19 recovery means rewarding farmers who reduce climate risk. The Canadian government spends more than 60 per cent of agriculture funding on crop insurance and risk reduction programs for farmers. Programs should reward farmers for taking concrete steps to make their farms more resilient to climate change, rather than only compensate them in the case of loss. As part of the Farmers For Climate Solutions - Fermiers pour la transition climatique coalition, we have five recommendations for green recovery from COVID-19 in Canadian agriculture. Learn about all five! https://farmersforclimatesolutions.ca/policy-solutions

COVID-19 recovery means helping farmers mentor farmers to spread climate-friendly practices. Thousands of innovative farmers across Canada are reducing their emissions and storing carbon in their soil. Now they need support to share their experiences with their fellow farmers. Farmer-to-farmer training breaks down isolation, rewards farmers for taking the risk of testing out practices in their fields, and compensates them for sharing their first-hand experience for the benefi...t of the whole sector. Supporting farmer mentors helps climate solutions spread! As part of the Farmers For Climate Solutions - Fermiers pour la transition climatiquecoalition, we have five recommendations for green recovery from COVID-19 in Canadian agriculture. Learn about all five! https://farmersforclimatesolutions.ca/policy-solutions

In an effort towards Indigenous solidarity action and food justice, we are supporting Sovereign Seeds, a decolonially-driven, Indigenous-led seed sovereignty initiative. Right now, you can join us in supporting the essential work they do! https://www.gofundme.com/f/indigenousseedcircle COVID-19 has intensified preexisting food insecurities for many. In response, Sovereign Seeds is facilitating the COVID-19 Indigenous Seed Crisis Response Circle, an Indigenous seed stewardshi...p collective nurturing Indigenous seed varieties. The Circle works for improved seed health and seed access through and beyond the pandemic. Dedicated Indigenous seed leaders in territories within and across the colonial borders of Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick have come together to grow Indigenous seed varieties to improve seed supply. Seeds grown through the Circle will be lovingly redistributed to Indigenous individuals and initiatives who need access to their ancestral seeds for food and seed saving next year. Through our partnered fundraiser for the Circle, we are striving to honour these seed keepers' vital work, and to reciprocate their community care through stipends and funding support for their gardening and seed initiative costs. We hope youll join us and donate today https://www.gofundme.com/f/indigenousseedcircle Your donation to the Circle will go directly towards supporting these seed leaders and the people and communities who will receive the seeds they are cultivating. By supporting the COVID-19 Indigenous Seed Crisis Response Circle, you are supporting a more just and resilient future for generations of seeds and seed keepers to come.

A smart COVID-19 recovery must encourage climate-friendly farming! When farmers reduce their emissions, increase biodiversity and improve the health of their local environment, everyone in Canada benefitsincluding farmers. By scaling-up green incentives, the COVID-19 recovery plan will create new jobs in agriculture, provide capital to farmers during a time of tight margins, and make our food supply more resilient to climate change.... As part of the Farmers For Climate Solutions - Fermiers pour la transition climatique coalition, we have five recommendations for green recovery from COVID-19 in Canadian agriculture. Learn about all five! https://farmersforclimatesolutions.ca/policy-solutions

A COVID-19 recovery that builds climate resilience will help farms become green energy powerhouses! With the right incentives, farms can generate energy using solar, wind and biogas. This creates savings for farmers, supports the green rural economy, and benefits the environment. As part of the Farmers For Climate Solutions - Fermiers pour la transition climatique coalition, we have five recommendations for green recovery from COVID-19 in Canadian agriculture. ... Learn about all five! https://farmersforclimatesolutions.ca/policy-solutions

The privatization and consolidation of seed production over time has driven down seed diversitywhich in turn threatens food sovereignty and resilience to climate change. One way to turn back the tide: seed libraries! Seed libraries combine preserving seeds and meeting the momentous changes that the climate is going through right now. Seeds that are grown out every single year by gardeners are adapting." - Adam Schick, Linnaea Farm Take a look at some of the great work done at Linnaea Farm, and learn about how our partner, FarmFolkCityFolk, is supporting the growth of seed systems in B.C.!

The timeline is setwe have one month to contribute to the government's plan to #BuildBackBetter. Last night Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that the government will spend the next month developing a post-COVID-19 recovery plan. Farmers have bold solutions and can help build a more resilient Canada. We're excited to be part of this coalition and present Farmers For Climate Solutions - Fermiers pour la transition climatique's five recommendations:... 1. Make farms green energy powerhouses 2. Provide incentives for climate-friendly farming 3. Help innovative farmers mentor other farmers 4. Reward farmers who reduce their climate risk 5. Support new and young farmers Get the full report here https://farmersforclimatesolutions.ca/policy-solutions

Farmers in Canada are on the front lines of climate change and its devastating impacts. COVID-19 recovery plans need to build long-term resilience by facing climate change head on. With the right support, farmers can be part of the climate solution! Were excited to help launch FIVE recommendations for recovery from COVID-19 in agriculture in Canada with Farmers For Climate Solutions - Fermiers pour la transition climatique. Show your support for climate-friendly farming. Dig... into the recommendations and give them a share! https://farmersforclimatesolutions.ca/policy-solutions // Les agriculteurs et agricultrices sont les premiers à subir les changements climatiques et leurs impacts dévastateurs. Les plans de relance post COVID-19 doivent instaurer une résilience à long terme en sattaquant de front aux changements climatiques. Avec le soutien approprié, les fermiers peuvent contribuer à la solution climatique! Voilà pourquoi nous sommes fiers de dévoiler CINQ recommandations pour la relance post COVID-19 pour lagriculture canadienne avec Farmers For Climate Solutions - Fermiers pour la transition climatique. Démontrez votre appui en partageant ces recommandations dès aujourdhui! https://fermierspourlatransitionclimatique.ca/solutions-pol

Farmers in Canada are facing multiple crises, including the short-term shocks of COVID-19 and the long-term impacts of climate change. What if the plan to recover from the pandemic could help farmers take on the climate crisis, too? As a member of Farmers For Climate Solutions - Fermiers pour la transition climatique, weve been working to identify solutions. Stay tuned to our pagewere excited to share our recommendations with you! In the meantime, check out the Farmers for Climate Solutions website to learn about this coalition we're stoked to be a part of! https://farmersforclimatesolutions.ca/

We're still looking for a few talented folks to join our board of directors! Get those nominations in by Friday, August 7!

Thanks for including us, Food Tank: The Food Think Tank! Honoured to be listed in such good company.

"Our commitment is to working with rare varieties and trying to help preserve certain varieties that are pretty rare and special." Chris Sanford, works with more than 150 seed varieties using ecological, Earth-friendly practices on Yonder Hill Farm in Laconia, Nova Scotia! We're proud to work with Chris and 200 other farmers across the country to grow a more diverse, resilient seed system. Read more from Chris in this article from LighthouseNOW https://bit.ly/3fMyCkK... Photos by Yonder Hill Farm