At the Bauta Family Initiative on Canadian Seed Security, we work toward a future where farmers have the power to save, improve, and share the seeds they rely on. That means building a seed system rooted in genetic diversity, regional adaptation, and collective care.

Seed systems are complex—shaped by geography, labour, economics, policy, and culture. They involve trade-offs. No single model is perfect. This series is about holding space for nuance, highlighting under-recognized work, and building shared understanding of the systems that feed us.

We invite you to join us—with curiosity and care—as we shine a light behind the packet.

Beyond the Bin: Understanding the Field Crop Seed System

Bin-run seed, the portion of the crop that farmers save for next year’s planting, remains an important part of most farm operations, but there’s a lot more to the story of where our field crop seed comes from! In this webinar, we’re turning our attention to field crops— like oats, dry-beans, and forages —to ask the question:

Where do our seeds come from?

This webinar will feature presentations from a public plant breeder, a certified seed grower and an industry leader. The conversation will provide an overview of how the formal seed system works for different field crops and dig into some of the economic factors. From breeding and variety registration to certified seed production and distribution, each step plays a critical role to supply farmers with high quality seeds.

Our seed system also faces specific economic, regulatory and technical challenges, especially when it comes to supplying seeds that are regionally-adapted, genetically diverse, that thrive in organic and regenerative systems or are meant to supply local and specialty markets.

We will discuss the tradeoffs that farmers balance when saving or sourcing their field crop seed, and explore how we can build more resilience into the seed system that is the backbone of Canadian agriculture.

Speakers:

Dr. Jamie Larsen, AAFC

Heather Kerschbaumer, Golden Acre Seeds

Scott Shiels, Grain Millers