What’s going on at the Duluth Public Library? “In September, the library got a surprise visit from a Minnesota Department of Agriculture seed inspector,” Dan Kraker writes. Kraker, of MPR News, reported on the turn of events earlier this month. The library’s seed-sharing program “allows members to borrow vegetable seeds from the library in the spring and later return seeds they collect from their gardens.” The program, however, violates Minnesota state law because it doesn’t test the seeds that are distributed. Libraries across the country have found themselves in similar positions, but Steve Malone, a supervisor of the Plant Protection Division of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, wants to work with the library. “Our enforcement of this is to try to coach and bring them along, rather than just come in and blast them,” Malone said.
You can check out Kraker’s full article here.
UPDATE: Duluth council calls for free seed exchanges
More on seed libraries: Not Your Garden-Variety Library
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