Seeds & Research
Mission
Increase the availability of certified, non-GMO, high-performance organic seeds for organic grain producers in Quebec and Ontario, and support research projects in the sector.
Issues
The current seed offer for organic grain growers involves several challenges, which justifies our mission to provide adapted solutions:
- GMO contamination: Heavy contamination of seeds (both untreated and organic) sold to organic grain growers.*
- Insufficient research and development: Research is needed to test seeds specifically adapted to the organic management of Eastern Canada.
- Limited availability: restricted access to organic seed varieties adapted to local conditions.
*For several years now, Coop Agrobio has been working with accredited laboratories to monitor GMO contamination in locally distributed corn seed. The results of this monitoring revealed significant contamination of the seeds normally offered by seed companies to organic grain growers.
Organic variety trials for organic growers
Too often, the varieties available for the organic sector have been developed and tested for conventional management. To remedy this situation, Coop Agrobio has been organizing corn variety trials in five regions of Quebec since 2020. Carried out exclusively under organic management, these trials, open to various seed companies, enable us to better identify the hybrids best suited to the local climate and the challenges of organic management. Several dozen hybrids from six seed companies have been tested over the years, and the results made available to grower members.
Marianne Bergeron
Seed & Research Manager