With Host Greg Peterson and Guests Bill McDorman and Rebecca Newburn

Find our monthly Seed Chat at SeedChat.org

In This Podcast: This episode of Seed Chat explores the future of seed sovereignty through two connected lenses: grassroots seed libraries and the global seed banking system. Greg Peterson is joined by Bill McDorman and special guest Rebecca Newburn to examine how communities can steward seeds locally while industrial institutions struggle to preserve crop diversity at scale. Rebecca shares how the seed library movement has grown into a global network and why the next challenge is helping communities “close the loop” by saving and returning seeds. Bill then zooms out to explain the history, promise, and limitations of international seed banks—and why local seed stewardship may be our most resilient path forward.

Key Topics

• Seed Library Network
• Community seed libraries
• Seed saving education
• CGIAR international gene banks
• Global Crop Diversity Trust
• Svalbard Global Seed Vault
• GRIN (Genetic Resources Information Network)
• Regional seed co-ops
• Climate adaptation through seed diversity
• Snake River Seed Cooperative
• Utopian Seed Project

Key Questions Answered

How do seed libraries actually strengthen local food systems?

Seed libraries give communities free access to seeds while rebuilding the habit of growing, saving, and sharing locally adapted crops. Their long-term value is not just seed distribution, it is creating local resilience through community stewardship and regional seed knowledge.

What makes a seed library successful over time?

The strongest seed libraries are sustained by committed people, clear systems, and community participation. Whether run by one passionate organizer or a collective, successful libraries create pathways for education, local seed donations, and long-term stewardship.

What does it mean to “close the loop” in a seed library?

It means moving beyond simply borrowing and planting seeds. A resilient seed library teaches people how to save seeds, clean them, label them, and return them so the system becomes regenerative instead of extractive.

What is CGIAR and why does it matter?

CGIAR is a global agricultural research network that manages 11 major international gene banks holding hundreds of thousands of seed accessions. These collections preserve crop diversity and serve as a global backup for agriculture, but they are increasingly underfunded and difficult to access.

Why are global seed banks under pressure?

Major seed banks face chronic funding shortages, institutional bottlenecks, and climate-related risks. Even the world’s largest backup systems, including Svalbard, are vulnerable to warming temperatures, infrastructure strain, and political instability.

Why is local seed saving becoming more urgent?

As climate disruption, fertilizer shortages, and industrial fragility intensify, communities will need crops adapted to local conditions. Local seed saving builds food security, preserves biodiversity, and gives communities direct control over future growing conditions.

What role do regional seed companies and seed co-ops play?

Regional seed companies and co-ops bridge the gap between grassroots seed libraries and commercial distribution. They grow regionally adapted seed at scale, distribute locally, and help create more durable seed infrastructure.

Why does Bill argue that “nobody’s coming”?

Bill’s central argument is that communities cannot rely solely on governments, institutions, or global systems to protect seed diversity. The responsibility for preserving and adapting seeds increasingly falls to local growers, seed savers, and regional networks.

Episode Highlights

• Rebecca Newburn explains how seed libraries have evolved from a novel idea into a global movement with thousands of community-led seed libraries.
• Seed libraries succeed when they move beyond free seed distribution and teach people how to save and return seeds.
• Rebecca shares new downloadable “zines” designed to help gardeners plant, save, and return seeds with clear instructions.
• Bill outlines how CGIAR’s global gene banks were built to preserve crop diversity but now struggle with access, staffing, and long-term funding.
• The Global Crop Diversity Trust still lacks the endowment needed to sustainably maintain major international seed collections.
• Bill argues that climate resilience depends on getting seed diversity back into the hands of growers, not just preserving it in vaults.
• Regional seed banks and co-ops may offer a more resilient model than centralized institutions alone.
• Collaboration—not competition—is framed as the cultural shift needed to rebuild seed resilience at scale.

Resources

Find out about Seed libraries — Seed Library Network

Monthly Seed chat — Urban Farm Seed Chat

Podcast Archive — Urban Farm Podcast

Newsletter — Seed Library Network Substack

Regional Seed Inspiration — Snake River Seed Cooperative

Regional Seed Inspiration — Utopian Seed Project

Visit UrbanFarm.org/982 for the show notes and links on this episode!

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