How to Pledge
It is simple. The breeder must fill out and submit the Open Source Seed Initiative Pledging Agreement. At that point, if the variety satisfies the required conditions, the variety will be pledged as an OSSI variety.
You can also contact us with questions.
The OSSI Pledge
“You have the freedom to use these OSSI- Pledged seeds in any way you choose. In return, you pledge not to restrict others’ use of these seeds or their derivatives by patents or other means, and to include this Pledge with any transfer of these seeds or their derivatives.”
What is “freed seed”?
We refer to seed of OSSI-Pledged varieties as “freed seed,” rather than “free” seed in order to emphasize that OSSI-Pledged seed is freed with respect to use, but not necessarily free in price. Seed companies can still sell OSSI-Pledged seed to their customers. OSSI also accepts certain contracts or agreements in order to facilitate seed increase and/or provide benefit sharing to breeders. OSSI permits any contract or agreement for seed increase and/or benefit sharing for OSSI-Pledged varieties in which the restrictions on the use of the seeds are limited to the two contracting parties. OSSI does not accept arrangements in which there are restrictions on the seed that extend beyond the two contracting parties. Seed companies can pass no restrictions on to breeders or customers. From the point of view of breeders or customers, OSSI-Pledged varieties must be unrestricted.
This “copyleft” commitment ensures that the Pledge is transmitted with any further distribution of the seed or the seed of any new varieties or germplasm bred from it. The Pledge has both moral and legal force. In this way, OSSI preserves the unencumbered exchange of plant germplasm for breeding purposes and guarantees the rights of farmers and gardeners to save and replant seed.
The Four Open Source Seed Freedoms:
- The freedom to save or grow seed for replanting or for any other purpose.
- The freedom to share, trade, or sell seed to others.
- The freedom to trial and study seed and to share or publish information about it.
- The freedom to select or adapt the seed, make crosses with it, or use it to breed new lines and varieties.