state of organic seed (sos) report part 3

State of Organic Seed Report 2010: Organic Seed Survey Results

1

Q #1: In which state do you farm? 1027 responses from 45 states and territories.

3%

31%

21% 19%14%

7%4%

1%

<1 1-3 4-6 7-10 11-15 16-20 21-30 >30

Perc

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Years Certified

Q #2: How many years have you been certified organic?Figure 1.

Yes43%

No57%

Q #3: Last year, did you have any organic acres in annual vegetables? Figure 2.

50%

27%

12%3% 3% 4% 1%

0.01-3 4-10 11-50 51-80 81-160 161-480 >480

Perc

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Organic Acres in Annual Fruits and Vegetables

Q #4: Last year, how many organic acres did you have in annual vegetables?

Figure 3.


2

7%

18%

5% 6%4%

8%

4% 2%

12%8% 7%

19%

0 1-10 11-20 21-30 31-40 41-50 51-60 61-70 71-80 81-90 91-99 100

Perc

enta

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spon

dent

s

Percentage of vegetable acreage planted with organic seed

Q #5: Last year, what approximate percentage of total acreage of annual vegetables was planted with certified organic seed?

Figure 4.

Q #6: Last year, what were your top three annual vegetable crops by acreage, and what percentage of certified organic seed did you use for each?

9%5% 4% 5% 3% 5% 4% 4%

12%6% 6%

38%

0 1-10 11-20 21-30 31-40 41-50 51-60 61-70 71-80 81-90 91-99 100

Perc

enta

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Percentage of organic seed used for tomatoes

Q #6: Percent organic seed used for TOMATOES - the #1 vegetableFigure 5.

10% 12%6% 7%

4%8%

1% 1%7% 6% 4%

34%

0 1-10 11-20 21-30 31-40 41-50 51-60 61-70 71-80 81-90 91-99 100

Perc

enta

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Percentage of organic seed used for squash

Q #6: Percent organic seed used for SUMMER / WINTER SQUASH - the #2 vegetable

Figure 6.


3

1%6%

2% 4% 3% 5% 3% 1%

18%

4% 6%

49%

0 1-10 11-20 21-30 31-40 41-50 51-60 61-70 71-80 81-90 91-99 100

Perc

enta

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Percentage of organic seed used for greens

Q #6: Percent organic seed used for GREENS - the #3 vegetableFigure 7.

Yes60%

No40%

Q #7: Last year, did you have any organic acres in field crops? Figure 8.

9% 7%

26%

15% 17% 18%

9%

0.01-3 4-10 11-50 51-80 81-160 161-480 >480

Perc

enta

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spon

dent

s

Organic Acres in Field Crops

Q #8: Last year how many organic acres did you have in field crops? Figure 9.


4

10%3% 1% 4% 3%

9%3% 2%

9% 7%2%

47%

0 1-10 11-20 21-30 31-40 41-50 51-60 61-70 71-80 81-90 91-99 100

Perc

enta

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Percentage of field crop acreage planted with organic seed

Q #9: Last year, what approximate percentage (%) of total acreage of field crops was planted with certified organic seed?

Figure 10.

Q #10: Last year, what were your top 3 field crops by acreage? And what percentage of organic seed do you use for each?

8% 2% 2% 2% 2% 4% 2% 0% 5% 2% 0%

69%

0 1-10 11-20 21-30 31-40 41-50 51-60 61-70 71-80 81-90 91-99 100

Perc

enta

ge o

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spon

dent

s

Percentage of organic seed used for corn

Q #10: Percent organic seed used for CORN - the #1 field cropFigure 11.

15%3% 1% 1% 0% 3% 1% 1% 2% 1% 1%

73%

0 1-10 11-20 21-30 31-40 41-50 51-60 61-70 71-80 81-90 91-99 100

Perc

enta

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Percentage of organic seed used for soybeans

Q #10: Percent organic seed used for SOYBEANS - the #2 field cropFigure 12.


5

21%

0% 1% 0% 0% 0% 2% 0% 1% 1% 0%

73%

0 1-10 11-20 21-30 31-40 41-50 51-60 61-70 71-80 81-90 91-99 100

Perc

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Percentage of organic seed used for wheat

Q #10: Percent organic seed used for WHEAT - the #3 field cropFigure 13.

Yes48%No

52%

Q #11: Last year, did you have any organic acres in forage crops? Figure 14.

4%8%

29%

16%

25%

15%

2%

0.01-3 4-10 11-50 51-80 81-160 161-480 >480

Perc

enta

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Organic Acres in Forage Crops

Q #12: Last year, how many organic acres in a given season do you have in forage crops?

Figure 15.


6

25%

4% 2% 4% 2% 6%1% 1%

6% 4% 3%

44%

0 1-10 11-20 21-30 31-40 41-50 51-60 61-70 71-80 81-90 91-99 100

Perc

enta

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Percentage of forage crop acreage planted with organic seed

Q #13: Last year, what approximate percentage (%) of total acreage of forage crops is planted with certified organic seed?

Figure 16.

38%

4% 2% 2% 1%7%

1% 1% 5% 2% 1%

36%

0 1-10 11-20 21-30 31-40 41-50 51-60 61-70 71-80 81-90 91-99 100

Perc

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Percentage of cover crop acreage planted with organic seed

Q #14: Last year, what approximate percentage (%) of total acreage of green manure and cover crops is planted with certified organic seed?

Figure 17.

17%

43%

28%

1%5% 5%

Q #15: In the last year, what percent of your seed did you get from the following sources?

Produce your own

Seed broker

Printed or internet catalogs

Garden centers

Other farmers

Other

Figure 18.


7

57%71%

24%

29%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

All respondents Respondents not using 100% OG seed for last 3 years

Q #16: Over the last 3 years have you increased the percentage of organic seed that you use?

Have been using 100% certified organic seed for at least 3 years

No

Yes

Figure 19.

20%

Yes61%

No39%

Q #17: Over the last three years has your certifier requested that you take greater steps to source organic seed?

Figure 20.

32% 33%

58%

23%

Trialing of available organic varieties

Searching OMRI seed database

Researching more than three seed

catalogs

Other

Perc

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Q #18: Check which additional steps your certifier has requested.Figure 21.


8

Not a factor Slight factor

Moderate factor

More than moderate

factor

Significant factor

Lack of seed treatments such as pelleting or priming

82% 7% 5% 3% 3%

Buyer demands varieties not available organically 68% 5% 7% 4% 16%

Insufficient quantity of seed 40% 10% 15% 12% 23%

Save my own seed 52% 11% 10% 6% 21%

Distrust of organic seed quality 71% 8% 10% 5% 6%

Price 46% 13% 16% 9% 16%

Specific variety not available 17% 3% 9% 12% 58%

Lack of desirable genetic traits 43% 9% 12% 11% 24%

Seed sizing 80% 10% 6% 2% 2%

Other 72% 1% 3% 4% 19%

Q #19: The reasons you have not purchased organic seed in the past. Figure 22.Figure 22.

11%27%

50%37%

20%

41%

79%

47%

10%26%

Lack of seed treatments

such as pelleting or

priming

Buyer demands

varieties not available

organically

Insufficient quantity of

seed

Save my own seed

Distrust of organic seed

quality

Price Specific variety not available

Lack of desirable

genetic traits

Seed sizing Other

Perc

ent r

atin

g as

mod

erat

e to

sig

nific

ant

Q #19: Factors rated moderate to significant for not purchasing organic seed Figure 23.


9

Not a problem

Slight problem

Moderate problem

More than moderate problem

Severe problem

Germination / emergence 52% 17% 17% 11% 4%

Varietal integrity (i.e. not true to type) 63% 16% 10% 7% 4%

Contamination by weed seed in seed lots 70% 15% 9% 3% 3%

Physical appearance looks suboptimal 71% 15% 9% 3% 2%

Excessive chaff and foreign matter 81% 14% 4% 1% 1%

Seedborne diseases 80% 11% 6% 2% 1%

Uneven size for seeding equipment 82% 11% 4% 3% 1%

Other 81% 3% 3% 6% 7%

Q #20: What organic seed quality issues you have experienced? Figure 24.

31%

21%

14% 13%

6%9% 7%

16%

Germination / emergence

Varietal integrity (i.e. not true to type)

Contamination by weed seed in seed lots

Physical appearance looks suboptimal

Excessive chaff and foreign matter

Seedborne diseases Uneven size for seeding equipment

Other

Perc

ent r

atin

g Is

sue

as

mod

erat

e to

sev

ere

Q #20: Problems producers have had with organic seed qualityFigure 25.


10

3%

23%

73%

Q #21: Do you have more problems with the above mentioned quality issues with untreated conventional seed or organic seed?

I have more problems with untreated conventional seed.

I have more problems with organic seed.

Problems are about the same for both untreated conventional and organic seed.

Figure 26.

Questions 22 26: How strongly do you agree or disagree with the statements:

37% 37%

21%

2% 4%

Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly DisagreePerc

enta

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pond

ents

Q #22: Seed companies should conduct testing and report rates of GE (GMO) contamination in organic seed

Figure 27.

6%

21%

31%

21% 22%


enta

ge o

f Res

pond

ents

Figure 28. Q #23: The regulatory framework in place is adequate to protect my organic farm product(s) from damages due to possible

contamination by GE (GMO) crops


11

How strongly do you agree or disagree with the statements (cont.):

14%

27%31%

20%

9%


enta

ge o

f Res

pond

ents

Figure 29. Q #24: My organic farm products are at risk from seed contaminated by GE (GMO) traits

44%

34%

13%6%

3%


enta

ge o

f Res

pond

ents

Figure 30. Q #25: Organic seed is important in maintaining theintegrity of organic food production

45%38%

12%

3% 2%


enta

ge o

f Res

pond

ents

Figure 31. Q #26: Varieties bred for organic system management are important to the overall success of organic agriculture


12

Yes65%

No35%

Q #27: Do you think that there are crops in need of organic breeding? Figure 32.

Q #28: The highest priority crops you feel are in need of organic breeding (crop improvement) and the most important traits to breed for in those crops. Top three crops and top three traits listed. Please see Summary for descriptions and examples of traits.

36%

20%

12%

Yield Quality VigorPerc

enta

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pond

ents

Q #28: Three most important traits to breed for in CORN - the #1 field crop in need of breeding

Figure 33.

42%

20% 19%

Yield Pest Resistance QualityPerc

enta

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pond

ents

Q #28: Three most important traits to breed for in SOYBEANS - the #2 field crop in need of breeding

Figure 34.


13

27% 27%

22%

Pest Resistance Yield Disease ResistancePerc

enta

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pond

ents

Q #28: Three most important traits to breed for in ALFALFA- the #3 field crop in need of breeding

Figure 35.

82%

12% 12%

Disease Resistance Flavor YieldPerc

enta

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f Res

pond

ents

Q #28: Three most important traits to breed for in TOMATOES- the #1 vegetable crop in need of breeding

Figure 36.

29%

23%

17%

Uniformity Disease Resistance AppearancePerc

enta

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f Res

pond

ents

Q #28: Three most important traits to breed for in BRASSICAS- the #2 vegetable crop in need of breeding

Figure 37.


14

43%

20%17%

Disease Resistance Uniformity QualityPerc

enta

ge o

f Res

pond

ents

Q #28: Three most important traits to breed for in WINTER / SUMMER SQUASH - the #3 vegetable crop in need of breeding

Figure 38.

39%

49%

9% 3%

Q #29: Do you produce organic seed?*No, I do not produce organic seed either for on-farm or commercial use.

I produce organic seed for on-farm use only.

I produce organic seed commercially.

I have produced organic seed commercially in the past but not currently.

*Total greater than 100% because more than one response may apply

Figure 39.

19%

49%

32%

Q #30: Are you interested in producing organic seed for commercial use?

Yes, definitely

No

I am interested if economic opportunity and training are available.

Figure 40.


15

21%

40%

39%

Q #31: Are you interested in conducting crop improvement/breeding on your farm?

Yes, definitely

No

I am interested if economic opportunity and training are available.

Figure 41.

Appendix A - Breakdown of specific questions by crop type (vegetable, field, forage)

437

562

431

182111

58

0100200300400500600

Vegetables and Other

Crops

Field and Other Crops

Forage and Other Crops

Vegetables Only

Field Crops Only

Forage Crops Only

Number of respondents who produce specific crop typesFigure 42.

Figures 43 52: The reasons you have not purchased organic seed in the past:

0%20%40%60%80%

100%

Not a factor Slight factor Moderate factor

More than moderate

factor

Significant factor

Lack of seed treatments such as pelleting or priming

Vegetables and Other Crops



Vegetables Only

Field Crops Only

Forage Crops Only

Growers produce:

Figure 43.


16

The reasons you have not purchased organic seed in the past (cont.):

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%


More than moderate

factor

Significant factor

Processor (buyer) demands varieties in contract that are not available organically




Vegetables Only

Field Crops Only

Forage Crops Only

Growers produce:

Figure 44.

0%10%20%30%40%50%


More than moderate

factor

Significant factor

Insufficient quantity of seed




Vegetables Only

Field Crops Only

Forage Crops Only

Growers produce:

Figure 45.

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%


More than moderate

factor

Significant factor

Save my own seed




Vegetables Only

Field Crops Only

Forage Crops Only

Growers produce:

Figure 46.


17


0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%


More than moderate

factor

Significant factor

Distrust of organic seed quality




Vegetables Only

Field Crops Only

Forage Crops Only

Growers produce:

Figure 47.

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%


More than moderate

factor

Significant factor

Price




Vegetables Only

Field Crops Only

Forage Crops Only

Growers produce:

Figure 48.

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%


More than moderate

factor

Significant factor

Specific variety not available




Vegetables Only

Field Crops Only

Forage Crops Only

Growers produce:

Figure 49.


18


0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%


More than moderate

factor

Significant factor

Lack of desirable genetic traits




Vegetables Only

Field Crops Only

Forage Crops Only

Growers produce:

Figure 50.

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%


More than moderate

factor

Significant factor

Seed sizing




Vegetables Only

Field Crops Only

Forage Crops Only

Growers produce:

Figure 51.

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%



priming

buyer demands varieties not

available organically


seed

Save my own seed


quality


Lack of desirable

genetic traits

Seed sizing

Reasons rated moderate to significant for not purchasing organic seed in the past




Vegetables Only

Field Crops Only

Forage Crops Only

Growers produce:

Figure 52.


19

Figures 53 - 60. What organic seed quality issues you have experienced?

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%

Not a problem

Slight problem

Moderate problem


Severe problem

Germination/emergence




Vegetables Only

Field Crops Only

Forage Crops Only

Growers produce:

Figure 53.

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

Not a problem Slight problem Moderate problem


Severe problem

Varietal integrity (i.e. not true to type)




Vegetables Only

Field Crops Only

Forage Crops Only

Growers produce:

Figure 54.

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

Not a problemSlight problem Moderate problem


Severe problem

Contamination by weed seed in seed lots




Vegetables Only

Field Crops Only

Forage Crops Only

Growers produce:

Figure 55.


20

Organic seed quality issues (cont.):

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

Not a problemSlight problem Moderate problem


Severe problem

Physical appearance looks suboptimal




Vegetables Only

Field Crops Only

Forage Crops Only

Growers produce:

Figure 56.

0%20%40%60%80%

100%



Severe problem





Vegetables Only

Field Crops Only

Forage Crops Only

Growers produce:

Figure 57.

0%20%40%60%80%

100%



Severe problem

Seedborne diseases




Vegetables Only

Field Crops Only

Forage Crops Only

Growers produce:

Figure 58.


21

Organic seed quality issues (cont.):

0%20%40%60%80%

100%



Severe problem

Uneven size for seeding equipment




Vegetables Only

Field Crops Only

Forage Crops Only

Growers produce:

Figure 59.

0%10%20%30%40%50%

Germination / emergence

Varietal integrity (i.e. not true to

type)

Contamination by weed seed in seed

lots

Physical appearance looks

suboptimal


Seedborne diseases

Uneven size for seeding equipment

Seed quality problems rated moderate to severe




Vegetables Only

Field Crops Only

Forage Crops Only

Growers produce:

Figure 60.

Do you have more problems with the above mentioned quality issues with untreated conventional seed or organic seed?

0%20%40%60%80%

100%

I have more problems with organic seed.

I have more problems with untreated conventional seed.

Problems are about the same for both untreated conventional and

organic seed.

Do you have more quality issues with untreated conventional seed or organic seed?




Vegetables Only

Field Crops Only

Forage Crops Only

Growers produce:

Figure 61.


22

Figures 62 - 64. How strongly do you agree or disagree with the following statements:

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

Strongly disagree

Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly agree

Seed companies should conduct testing and report rates of GE (GMO) contamination in organic seed.




Vegetables Only

Field Crops Only

Forage Crops Only

Growers produce:

Figure 62.

0%5%

10%15%20%25%30%35%40%

Strongly disagree


The regulatory framework in place is adequate to protect my organic farm product(s) from damages due to possible contamination by GE (GMO) crops.

Vegetables

Field Crops

Forage Crops

Vegetables Only

Field Crops Only

Forage Crops Only

Growers produce:

Figure 63.

0%5%

10%15%20%25%30%35%

Strongly disagree


My organic farm product(s) are at risk from seed contaminated by GE (GMO) traits.

Vegetables

Field Crops

Forage Crops

Vegetables Only

Field Crops Only

Forage Crops Only

Growers produce:

Figure 64.


23

Appendix B Additional Graphs

78%

22%

59%41%

0%20%40%60%80%

100%

Yes No

Over the last three years have you increased the percentage of certified organic seed that you use?

Comparison of increased organic seed use and certifier requesting more steps to source organic seed

Certifier requested more steps to source organic seed

Certifier did not request more steps

Figure 65.

020406080

100

0.01-3 4-10 11-50 51-80 81-160 161-480 >480

Perc

ent o

rgan

ic s

eed

used

Organic acreage

Organic seed use by crop type and acreage

VegetablesField CropsForage Crops

Figure 66.

29

70

5463

Vegetables Field Crops Forage Crops OverallPerc

ent o

rgan

ic s

eed

used

Percent of total acreage by crop planted with organic seedFigure 67.


24

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%



priming

Buyer demands

varieties not available

organically


seed

Save my own seed


quality


Lack of desirable

genetic traits

Seed sizing Other

Reasons rated moderate to significant for not purchasing organic seed in the past

Growers with > 40 acres of vegetables and < 30% organic seed for those acres

All vegetable growers

Figure 68.

state of organic seed (sos) report part 3

Education