NDA to host Native Seed Forum in Winnemucca on March 28

The Nevada Department of Agriculture will host Nevada’s first Native Seed Forum on Tuesday, March 28 with the goal of bringing producers, technical experts and land management agencies together to discuss the future of native seed production in Nevada.

Because the success of restoration and rehabilitation activities largely depends on successful reseeding efforts, the demand for viable seeds grown in this region is increasing. Currently, the majority of reseeding projects use imported native and introduced seed; initiating collection and production in Nevada would create an opportunity to allow farmers to diversify crops.

“The vision for seeding efforts nationwide is planting the right seed at the right place at the right time,” Russell Wilhelm, NDA’s seed program manager, said. “The use of native seeds is one more tool in the toolbox of land restoration and rehabilitation in Nevada.”

The Nevada Native Seed Forum, a daylong workshop, will be held on Tuesday, March 28, 2017 at the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension office at the Winnemucca Fairgrounds.

Public land management partners like the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service, along with natural resource agencies like the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Nevada Department of Wildlife and the Nevada Division of Forestry, will be in attendance. The forum is open to anyone interested including: federal land management agencies, state partners, current seed producers, potential seed producers, conservation groups and seed buyers.

The NDA recently reopened its seed lab and is re-launching the native seed certification program, safeguarding the species purity of wild-collected and agriculturally-produced native seeds. Native seed refers to seeds of plant species native to Nevada landscapes, cultivated in this climate. These seeds can adapt to Nevada’s unique landscapes, increasing the plants’ chances of survival.

The Nevada Department of Agriculture (NDA) promotes a business climate that is fair, economically viable and encourages a sustainable environment that serves to protect food, fiber and human health and safety through effective service and education. NDA includes the divisions of Administration, Animal Industry, Consumer Equitability, Food and Nutrition and Plant Industry.