Congratulations to our host Seed Co-operative, which is one of three finalists in the BBC Future Food category of the BBC Food and Farming Awards 2017.
Seed Co-operative is a community owned seed company that is growing and selling organic and biodynamic open pollinated vegetable, herb and flower seed in the UK. Launched in 2014, this initiative is building on the work of Stormy Hall Seeds which for 20 years has been the biggest organic vegetable seed producer in the UK on just seven acres. A small farm in Lincolnshire, run by a small team of staff and volunteers, is currently in organic conversion, and provides a hub for a growing UK wide network of seed producers.
As a Community Benefit Society their financial backing is provided through donations, grants and community shares, with 220 people now being co-owners. We were pleased to feature the launch of their share offer in an earlier newsletter.
David Price of the Seed Co-operative recently wrote in an email to Scarlett Penn our Chief Exec and Co-ordinator:
‘Our story is about the wholesale reconstruction of the food system, required due to the inherently unsustainable nature of the existing structures… We are a very small team with constrained resources telling a very big story and up against massive odds; small community owned seed company v global corporations. We know we now need help from our friends… Seed sales have been fantastic and the business needed to provide a sustainable income stream is taking shape. To reach our target we still need to raise ~£300,000 (we have raised £450,000 since 2014). If you haven’t bought shares already please do consider it; there is great strength in numbers! www.seedcooperative.org.uk/support/’
photos: Seed-Co-operative
