Newswise — March 23, 2021 – Seeds are also big business. In 2018, global seed exports were worth more than $13.8 billion. Imports were worth more than $13 billion. But a risk comes with imports and exports, as seeds that move in global trade can carry pests.
This Sustainable, Secure Food blog explains how the USDA’s Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) program protects our seeds. The blog post is part of the 2021 Seed Week celebration, organized by the Crop Science Society of America.
Blogger Osama El-Lissy explains, “planting infected seeds could introduce a devastating disease once the seeds grow into plants. From there, the disease could spread to other farms, orchards, and nurseries. That could threaten entire industries and livelihoods.”
Seeds travel in a complex route before reaching their final destination. PPQ is a treaty made up of 184 countries with a goal of protecting the world’s plant resources from the spread of pests. The program provides guidance on how countries inspect, sample, test, and certify seeds. To read more about the PPQ and seed trade, read the entire blog: https://sustainable-secure-food-blog.com/2021/03/22/how-does-the-usda-help-make-global-seed-trade-safer/
About us: This blog is sponsored and written by members of the American Society of Agronomy and Crop Science Society of America. Our members are researchers and trained, certified professionals in the areas of growing our world’s food supply while protecting our environment. They work at universities, government research facilities, and private businesses across the United States and the world.
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