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Backers Of Seed Sharing Wary Of Regulation

USDA

Gardeners tend to share.  Not just the bounty of their harvest, but different seeds.  It has gone on for generations. 

Today it often happens in seed libraries, where gardeners can take or donate seeds.  But in some other states, regulations for commercial seed companies were being applied to the small public exchanges. 

Rebecca Osland with the Illinois Stewardship Alliance says that raised concerns here.

"Seed libraries in Illinois got really nervous that a similar thing might happen here and some of them even stopped offering seeds back to their communities that community members had shared with them.  So there was a real chilling effect," Osland said.

Osland said her group pushed for a law to protect seed sharing.  It will require a seed library or public seed swap to keep detailed records about what is donated.   Osland said many of the seeds shared are heirloom varieities, passed down through the years.  

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Sean has led the NPR Illinois news operations since the fall of 2009.
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