What are local seeds? “Local” or “regional” seeds are seeds produced, adapted, and/or bred by farmers in Canada.
Why are local seeds important? Because regional seeds have been grown and saved in their specific region, they have a good chance of performing well in that region’s specific growing conditions. Many of the farmers and seed growers who are producing regionally-adapted seeds are doing so in organic or ecological farming conditions so these seed varieties can also perform well without the use of fossil-fuel based fertilizers and synthetic agrochemicals. Local organic/ecological seed growers may also provide a variety of unique seeds that aren’t available elsewhere which gives us an opportunity to participate in diversifying farms and gardens, and rebuilding seed diversity.
Are all seeds sold in Canada local? No. Not all seeds from Canadian seed companies are grown in Canada. Seed companies located in Canada may be seed farms offering their own home-grown seed; they may be companies offering seed exclusively grown in their region, by a variety of growers; or they might import and re-sell seed from the international seed market. Growing local seed is challenging, especially in the short growing seasons we have in Canada. Many companies use a combination of these strategies to offer greater variety in their catalogues.
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