Organic farming starts with organic seeds.
Certified organic farms must use organic seed when it is commercially available. If certified organic seed is not available, organic farmers must use seed that has not been treated with any chemicals other than certain limited antimicrobial products that are on the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Organic Program approved list. To maintain organic certification, a farmer must use organic seeds for vegetables as well as for forage and pasturage plantings. Does this Spark an idea?
Cover Crops
Cover crops are plants grown to help improve the soil between production plantings. Cover crops help keep down more aggressive weed species that might rob the soil of nutrients. They hold back erosion and can improve the soil -- by fixing nitrogen, in the case of leguminous cover crops, or by adding organic matter when turned into the soil before planting production crops. Untreated seed, acceptable for planting on organic farms that cannot readily obtain organic seed, is available for leguminous cover crops like Berseem clover, crimson clover, subterranean clover and field peas, according to the North Carolina State University Cooperative Extension. Certified organic farm cover crop seed is available from a few limited suppliers for Austrian winter peas, fava beans, field peas and hairy vetch.
Grain
Seed quality is an important issue in regard to organic farm grain seeds, according to the University of Vermont Extension. Grain seeds must be tested for genetic purity. This means ascertaining that the planted crops will grow true to type. It also means assuring that seed for crops like corn have not become contaminated with transgenes, or genetically modified matter. Corn pollen is wind-borne over long distances, so avoiding transgenes for corn seed means planting crops far away from any potential sources of contamination. Certified organic farm seed for corn, wheat, rye and other grain crops are available from a few small providers. Nonprofit and farm service organization also facilitate the exchange or sale of organic grain seed. The Michigan State University Organic Farm Exchange maintains a source list of farmers looking for or offering saved organic grain seed, while the Saving Our Seed Project gives workshops and maintains databases of available grain seed to swap or sell amongst southeast U.S. farmers.
Vegetables
Good-quality organic vegetable seeds are vigorous, with high germination rates and low levels of seedborne diseases, according to the University of Vermont Extension. Small agricultural businesses (such as small seed companies) and farmers who save seed hold most of the genetic resources for vegetable seed production, reported the Cornell University Extension's Organic Seed Partnership project. Cornell University is working in partnership with these stakeholders to develop new vegetable varieties that can yield larger quantities of commercially viable organic seed. The project was focusing initially on peas, broccoli, sweet corn, carrots and winter squash, and was engaged in farm trials of these seed crops through 2010 and 2011.
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