NS/S Receives Largest Grant to Date from Gila River

Native Seeds/SEARCH (NS/S), the 28 year-old non-profit seed conservation organization based in Tucson, has been approved for a $300,000 grant from the Gila River Indian Community. The funding comes from the State Shared Revenue Program the Tribe contributes to for services that benefit the general public in Arizona communities.

“This couldn’t come at a better time!” exclaimed Executive Director Bill McDorman. “We are so grateful to the Tribe. Regenerating the precious collection of seeds is our top priority. We will now have the funding to finish growing out the oldest and most threatened varieties in our care and increase educational programs like Seed School.” Proceeds allow NS/S to upgrade the Seed Bank system, underwrite the yearly Seedlisting catalog, increase seed offerings to the public and support new programs at the NS/S Conservation Farm in Patagonia, Arizona.

Currently, only four plants supply more than 60% of the world’s food energy needs. Worldwide, only about 150 crops are cultivated at any significant scale compared to thousands less than 50 years ago. About 96% of the crop varieties available in 1900 are no longer sold.

NS/S has championed solutions to many of these issues for almost three decades. Today the NS/S Seed Bank houses the most complete collection of biodiversity from the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. This living collection holds nearly 1,900 heirloom crop varieties, crop wild relatives, and useful wild species representing the agricultural and ethno-botanical legacy of fifty tribal groups, Spanish missionaries and other early immigrants to the region.

“Native Seeds/SEARCH is one of the most important organizations of our time. They have stewarded seeds from the Gila River Indian Community for decades. We look forward to helping them take the next step in their development with regenerating their collection to benefit the people of Arizona and to support greater educational opportunities.” stated Cheryl Pablo, Program Administrator with the Office of Special Funding.

Download the press release (PDF).