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	Farmer-to-Farmer Seed Mentorship Program 2025 Applications have closed - thanks for your interest! This program connects experienced seed growers with farmers wanting to increase the scale, quality, and/or diversity of seed they're saving on-farm. Mentors are paid to provide 10-20 hours of one-on-one support, helping mentees reach their seed growing goals. The program is self-directed and flexible, completed between May - November. This is not a hosted internship; mentees should have an established space where they can cultivate their seed crops. For more information, please email the Regional Program Manager.
	The Atlantic Canada Regional Seed Bank The Atlantic Canada Regional Seed Bank was established in 2014 to increase access to regionally adapted, open-pollinatied crop varieties. A partnership between The Bauta Family Initiative, Dalhousie University Faculty of Agriculture, and Seeds of Diversity, the bank is supported by approximately 15 growers across the region who curate the collection -- choosing, growing out, improving, and contributing the varieties each year.
	SEED BANK GROW-OUT PROGRAM The 2025 Grow-out Program is full! Thanks to all who signed up! The 2025 program will focus on rare bean varieties, originally contributed to the seed bank 5-12 years ago. Listed varieties are in danger of losing viability and need to be re-grown. They are also rare, available from 3 or fewer commercial providers in Canada according to Seeds of Diversity's Ecological Seed Finder. Relevant forms: (1) A "Seed Intake Form" needs to be completed for each sample contributed; (2) "Quality Guidelines" give information about isolation distance, minimum population, and seed return; (3) some grow-outs require data collection via our "Crop Descriptor Form".
	Find Local Seed In partnership with the Atlantic Canadian Organic Regional Network (ACORN), our program maintains a regional database of seed sellers in Atlantic Canada. Providing information on the company, the kind of seed it sells (local, imported, etc.), and its organic status. Purchasing locally grown seed for your garden and farm is an important way to support farmers and to access high quality seed with excellent potential for regional adaptation and seed saving. Access the directory HERE. LEARN MORE about Atlantic Canada's vegetable seed industry.
	Monthly Virtual Seed Grower Check-ins These are opportunities for seed growers around the Atlantic region to log on, tune in, and catch up. This is an informal, drop-in meeting space for seed growers to chat about whatever is top of mind. Join us on Zoom! Here is the meeting schedule for 2025: February 11, March 11, April 8, and May 13 at 1:00pm atlantic time; June 12 at 6:00 pm atlantic time; July 8, August 12, September 9 at 1:00 PM; , October 14, and November 14 at 6:00 pm atlantic time; and December 9 at 1:00 pm atlantic time.
	Variety Trials and Plant Breeding Atlantic Canada farms -- like Whispering Hill Farm, NS (pictured here) -- have been engaged in trialing and plant breeding through the CANOVI program since its inception. Crops of interest for this region have included radicchio, lettuce, rutabaga, and carrots. For more information about this program, click HERE.
	Seed Libraries & Community Seed Projects This region is home to dozens of community-based seed programs which aim to share seed and educate about seed saving. If you're part of such a project, or looking to find one/start one, please visit the Community Seed Network. Add yourself to their growing membership by putting yourself on the map, and check out their long list of resources. For more information on this sector in Atlantic Canada, contact the Regional Program Manager.
	ATLANTIC CANADA REGIONAL SHOWCASE GARDENS From 2021-2023, our program worked with three sites -- Hayes Farm, NB (Hayes farmers Carol and Matt pictured here), Legacy Community Garden, PEI, and Nikian Farm, NS, to showcase the power of locally produced vegetable and grain seeds. This work was part of a national project, supported by AAFC's funding program "Canada’s Canadian Agricultural Strategic Priorities Program (CASPP)". To read the resulting report Building Climate Resilient Seed Systems in Canada, published in 2024, click HERE.