Are garden seeds dangerous? If you listen to the Pennsylvania State Department of Agriculture you’re local seed library is a breeding ground for agriculture terrorist threats. They look dangerous, don’t they?
The NPR had a nice article last year on how a library in Colorado was trying to save itself by creating a seed library where you are allowed to take out seed packets, grow your produce and then return seeds back to the library at the end of the season.
NPR wrote the thoughts of the library director.
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The library’s director, Barbara Milnor, says in the age of digital, downloadable books and magazines, the tangible seed packets are another way to draw people in.
‘You have to be fleet of foot if you’re going to stay relevant, and that’s what the big problem is with a lot of libraries, is relevancy,’ she says.
Milnor says that while a library may seem like an odd location for a project like this, seeds and plants should be open to everyone. That makes a public library the perfect home for a seed collection.
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Some library systems around the country went so far as to expand the program, such as the Pima County Library System in Arizona.
[quote_box_center]The Seed Library’s mission is to help nurture a thriving community of gardeners and seed savers. In addition to providing access to free seeds, we hope to help support gardeners and seed savers, from beginner to expert, through the process of growing, harvesting, and seed saving.[/quote_box_center]
People were even putting on Webinars on how to start your own local seed library.
The Cumberland County Library System in Pennsylvania decided to launch their own seed library this April in celebration of Earth Day. They contacted the local county extension, their local Penn State Ag Extension office and worked with the Cumberland County Commission for Women to establish the seed library. Over Sixty local residents signed up for it and the library was expecting to expand the program.
Until they received a letter from the State Department of Agriculture that they were in violation of the Seed Act of 2004 that was created to deter agri-terrorism. Is that even a word?
Thank-you Pennsylvania for protecting my family in the state from a drive by cucumber.
Here is the states contact info if you would like to voice your displeasure at this.
Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture
2301 North Cameron Street
Harrisburg, PA 17110
General Information: (717) 787-4737
