From 1862 to 1923, U.S. Congress provided tens of millions of seed packets to farmers, introducing vital crop varieties. Despite fewer Americans farming now, seeds remain essential to daily life—spanning from food staples to textiles. The need for diverse and resilient seeds is more pressing due to climate change and growing global food needs, projected to increase by 50-60% by 2050. Although politicians no longer distribute seeds, federal programs like the national seed bank in Colorado continue to support the agricultural sector's need for innovation and variety.
The congressional seed distribution program delivered over 60 million seed packets straight to farmers annually, demonstrating the importance of seed variety in American agriculture's history.
Maintaining seed diversity is essential as farmers face climate challenges and increasing food demand, requiring constant development of new varieties to ensure food security.
Collection
[
|
...
]