The Seed and Plant Market Research Working Group is a collaborative project led by Eve Allen from the Ecological Health Network, alongside Jenica Allen and Thomas Nuhfer from UMass Amherst's Spatial Ecology Lab.

 

The purpose of this working group is to carry out research in response to the findings of the 2023 National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine report, An Assessment of Native Seed Needs and the Capacity for Their Supply, which identified uncertain market demand as one of the major barriers hindering the development of a thriving seed industry. The report highlights that poor or inconsistent demand signals are “especially disadvantageous to small growers, who are important suppliers of diverse locally adapted native species” (p. 96).

 

This initiative involves analyzing over 200 survey responses from end users of native seed and plant materials across 13 states. By applying market segmentation techniques, the group aims to identify and categorize these end users based on shared behaviors, values, preferences, and other characteristics. The results will provide valuable insights to support the Northeast Seed Network and the Restorative Landscape Coalition in developing targeted outreach and educational strategies, ultimately fostering better markets for genetically diverse, source-identified native seed and plant materials.