Welcome to the Public Seed Initiative!

The Public Seed Initiative (PSI) is a joint cooperative effort between Cornell University Departments of Plant Breeding and Horticulture, the Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York, Inc, and the USDA—Agricultural Research Service’s Plant Genetic Resources Unit in Geneva, NY.

Farmers need varieties that work in their climates, soils and markets. Northeast growers are now dependent on a much narrower range of varieties produced for large farmers and average national growing conditions. Organic farmers, in particular, need varieties that do well in organic farming systems.

Cornell breeders, the USDA’s seed bank staff in Geneva, NY, and the Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York, Inc are working with farmers and seed companies to develop a vegetable breeding and seed production training program that will help improve productivity, profitability and the viability of agriculture in the northeast.