Irwin Goldman

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Free The Seed: OSSI Nurtures Growing Plants Without Patent Barriers

Nancy Owano | Phys.org | April 19, 2014

[The Open Source Seed Initiative] is concerned over restricting access to seeds through patents. They are stirring up public awareness over their mission to model a new crop system of seed-sharing in the spirit of open source software. On Thursday the OSSI group gathered at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, to give away a set of seeds that can be used by anyone. Read More »

Novel Open Source Seed Pledge Aims To Keep New Vegetable And Grain Varieties Free For All

Nicole Miller | University of Wisconsin-Madison News | April 15, 2014

This week, scientists, farmers and sustainable food systems advocates will gather on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus to celebrate an unusual group of honored guests: 29 new varieties of broccoli, celery, kale, quinoa and other vegetables and grains that are being publicly released using a novel form of ownership agreement known as the Open Source Seed Pledge. Read More »

Now Available: 29 Flavors Of Open Source Seeds, Sans Patents

Nathanael Johnson | Grist | April 19, 2014

There’s been an argument going on for at least 100 years over seeds. Should they be free? Or should the people who develop them control, and profit from, their use? If they were shared, we’d have a more fluid development of agricultural technology [...] On the other hand, maybe breeders wouldn’t want to engage in the hard work of experimenting if they couldn’t sell their inventions for lots of money. Read More »

Open Source Seeds: An Agro-Giant Alternative

Gail Sullivan | Washington Post | April 18, 2014

A group of University of Wisconsin scientists have made 29 different seed varieties available for anyone who promises not to patent them. Read More »

Open-Source Agriculture: The Sprouting Of A New Food Movement?

Jessica Leber | Fast Company | June 10, 2014

Walk through the produce aisle today and you can find labels for organic, fair trade, and local items. For shoppers who oppose the practices of seed agri-giants like Monsanto, one day there may be a new option to consider: open-source. Read More »

Open-Source Seeds Challenge Monsanto, Support International Day Of Farmers' Struggles

M. Jahi Chappell | Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy | April 16, 2014

Tomorrow, Thursday, April 17, the Open Source Seed Initiative (OSSI) will release over 29 seed varieties into the global commons and humanity's “moral economy.” This new initiative hopes to provide a counterweight to private patenting of seeds, which has undermined farmers’ rights around the world. Read More »

Seeds Of Rebellion

Stephanie Kraft | Valley Advocate | July 2, 2014

Vermont becomes a hotbed of resistance to high-tech agribiz.

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The Open-Source Seed Movement In Wisconsin

Mary Sussman | Isthmus | February 20, 2014

Farmers have traditionally gathered and saved seeds from one growing season to plant in the next. But this age-old tradition is being threatened by corporations that are increasingly restricting access to seeds through patents. Read More »

‘Open-Source’ Seeds Released to Nurture Patent-Free Food

An ‘open-source’ seed initiative has released 36 varieties of 14 food crops, which the project’s leaders say could help poor farmers get access to better quality seeds. The new seed varieties have been available for delivery globally from mid-May, says Irwin Goldman, a vegetable breeder and horticulturalist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison who was involved in the release. Read More »