887: Who Owns Our Seeds with Bill McDorman

2025-06-13

Join our monthly Seed Chat at SeedChat.orgIn This Podcast: In this discussion Greg and Bill navigate the evolution of seed ownership and its impact on biodiversity. They highlight how, historically, seeds were predominantly grown locally, fostering diversity. However, today, four major companies dominate the global seed market, resulting in a significant loss of agricultural diversity. This shift has made the food system vulnerable to diseases and climate change, which were traditionally mitigated by seed diversity. Efforts to...

Join our monthly Seed Chat at SeedChat.org

In This Podcast: In this discussion Greg and Bill navigate the evolution of seed ownership and its impact on biodiversity. They highlight how, historically, seeds were predominantly grown locally, fostering diversity. However, today, four major companies dominate the global seed market, resulting in a significant loss of agricultural diversity. This shift has made the food system vulnerable to diseases and climate change, which were traditionally mitigated by seed diversity. Efforts to preserve genetic diversity through seed banks are underfunded and face operational challenges, raising concerns about future accessibility.

The conversation emphasizes the importance of local seed saving and sharing initiatives as a means to reclaim control over seeds. Resources like Seed Up Saturday and organizations such as goingtoseed.org are promoted as vital tools for increasing seed diversity within communities. The session concludes with encouragement for individuals to actively participate in seed saving and sharing to enhance local food security and biodiversity.

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