FROM SHUMEI MAGAZINE, VOL. 222, JULY/AUGUST, 1999

The following excerpt is from the Earth Origins Seeds, Inc. Vision Statement, Mission Statement, Project Description, and Goals and Objectives.

Earth Origins Seeds, Inc. (EOS) is a non-profit organization that conducts and demonstrates organic farming practices and seed banking based on a philosophy integrating ecologically, educationally and spiritually sound principles. The primary goal of Earth Origins Seeds is to collect, grow-out and create a gene pool of highly nutritional and endangered food and medicinal crops. Seeds from these crops, and information about them are made available to the public in order to forward the EOS mission to reintroduce and preserve diversity in the food chain; to perpetuate a healthy food supply; and to serve as an educational resource and model of how to do so.

Earth Origins is committed to environmental and cultural preservation by educating the public in principles of organic, sustainable farming, seed banking and ecological restoration, much of which is traditional knowledge. EOS promotes the preservation and appreciation of traditional agricultural systems and the ancient knowledge held by the indigenous peoples. EOS believes that the spiritually based, ecologically sound relationships and traditions of humans and plants evolving together must be preserved for our future survival.

In response to alarming trends in food production methodologies and controls that threaten the very existence and availability of natural, hardy and nutritious food sources, EOS is seeking to significantly expand its efforts, beginning in Crestone, Colorado and Talamanca, Costa Rica. The two projects will serve as models, for replication of all activities central to the EOS mission, in other locations. To be effective at a scale commensurate with the magnitude of the threat to the world's food supply, EOS finds it imperative to develop partners in its worldwide mission. Associations have already been established in Japan, Bhutan, the Philippines, and with two groups in Costa Rica. Communities throughout Africa, Asia and other third world countries are at the greatest risk of losing their heirloom seed, and are therefore on the EOS list for establishing future partnerships.

Since the task of conserving agricultural genetic diversity is so large, EOS will collaborate with organic growers in a variety of cultures, climates and terrain by distributing its accessions and knowledge to dedicated growers world-wide to engage them in preserving genetic purity and to prevent cross pollination, thereby maximizing the results of EOS' efforts. EOS is committed to organizing seed collection initiatives of traditional open-pollinated food crops, and to taking steps to preserve ancient crops that are known to possess special characteristics that have evolved and perfected over thousands of years.

Among the 1999 goals and objectives of EOS are the following:

* Continue the collection, growing-out and preservation of endangered, non-hybrid food crops and medicinal plant species;

* Promote educational programs aimed at enlightening agriculturists, the general public and especially youth in sustainable farming practices;

* Expand networking efforts in worldwide seed collection and exchange;

* Expand efforts to contract or otherwise engage organic growers internationally and locally to grow out endangered seed species on a large scale.

* Establish new infrastructure for seed propagation activities;

* Expand EOS' capacity for proper seed management throughout the growing cycle, including preservation.