Supplier Codes and Sourcing Transparency at Fedco

Know where your seed comes from! This unique Fedco feature provides information about the source(s) of each seed variety. Varieties with more than one supplier may have two or more codes. We code according to our best information at press time. When seed is short we must sometimes change suppliers later in the season. With notable exceptions, we generally choose varieties based on their merits rather than on our supplier preferences. We do not offer genetically engineered varieties, although we purchase from corporations engaged in genetic engineering. Use the supplier codes to help you make your own choices about whom you are supporting and which varieties are best for your garden or farm. Codes are as follows:

  • ① Small seed farmers including Fedco staff.
  • ② Family-owned companies or cooperatives, domestic and foreign.
  • ③ Domestic and foreign corporations not part of a larger conglomerate.
  • ④ Multinationals not to our knowledge engaged in genetic engineering.
  • ⑤ Multinationals who are engaged in genetic engineering.
  • ⑥ Syngenta, manufacturer of neonicotinoids.

As of our 2024 catalog we are phasing out all supplier code 6 items. Read more about why we have decided to no longer carry seeds from Syngenta and its subsidiaries.

All of our farm seed, seed potatoes, and onion sets have supplier codes 1 or 2!

Additional Catalog Codes at Seeds

Definitions and Symbols From Our Catalog

  • Organic after cultivar name — Organically Grown, entire lot is certified-organic seed. See also our list of certifiers.
  • ECO after cultivar name — entire lot is sustainably grown seed.
  • BD after cultivar name — entire lot is biodynamically grown seed.
  • Cold Hardy (or ❄ in the paper catalog) — indicates cold-hardy through at least part of the Maine winter. Greens marked cold-hardy at the end of their descriptions are hardy through at least a portion of our winters in Zones 4 and 5, and probably with protection can survive the entire winter in Zone 6 and south. Search for cold-hardy greens
  • Especially attractive to pollinators (or ✿ in the paper catalog) — Varieties that, when planted, will attract and feed the pollinators in your community. Search for good pollinator varieties
  • Fedco Introduction (or ❧ in the paper catalog) — a variety introduced by Fedco followed by the year first offered. Search for Fedco Introductions
  • PVP — Plant Variety Protected. Unauthorized propagation of the seed is prohibited. The use of PVP in the catalog is for informational purposes only and in no way constitutes an endorsement by Fedco of plant patenting.
  • AAS — All-America Selection.
  • OSSI — Open Source Seed Initiative-pledged varieties. See the Four Seed Freedoms and OSSI website for more information.

Breeders and Keepers of Seed

  • Indigenous Royalties: Fedco pays Indigenous Royalties in recognition of the Native breeders and Seed Keepers of the past and present. Learn more about Indigenous Royalties.
  • Independent Plant breeders: Seed that was purchased directly from the independent breeder. Learn more about Independent Plant Breeders.
  • Breeder Royalties: We pay royalties to the original breeders of these varieties, even if we acquire the seed from another source. Learn more about Breeder royalties.
  • Black Benefit Sharing: We donate a portion of the proceeds from these varieties, which have roots in Black Foodways, to the Northeast Farmers of Color Land Trust. Learn more about Black Benefit Sharing.

Other Useful Growing Terms

  • Open-pollinated — Open-pollinated varieties produce seed true to type if they are allowed to cross-pollinate only with other plants of the same variety. If they cross with other varieties of the same species, their seed will not be true.
  • Hybrid — Varieties are those produced from the crossing of two different inbred lines. Seed saved from hybrid varieties will not breed true in the next generation.
  • Optimal Germination Guide — Sowing seeds at sub-optimal temperatures is the most common cause of failure. We include information in some footers about ideal germination temperatures, taken and extrapolated from tables in Knott’s Handbook for Vegetable Growers and The New Seed-Starters Handbook by Nancy Bubel.
  • Botanical nomenclature — Botanical nomenclature goes from the general to the specific. Plants are classified into kinds by genus, species, and variety. In Cucurbita pepo Sweet Dumpling, Cucurbita is the genus, pepo is the species and Sweet Dumpling is the variety.
  • Heldover Seed — Like most other seed merchants, we carry over stock from one year to the next, in any given season between 10–30% of offerings. We test all such lots for viability and discard any in doubt. We think you should know as much as possible about our seed. Heldover seed is not necessarily inferior to fresh seed; we have confidence in all lots we offer. We commission

Additional Catalog Codes at OGS

  • Organic after cultivar name — Organically Grown, entire lot is certified-organic seed.
  • Indigenous Royalties — Fedco pays Indigenous Royalties in recognition of the Native breeders and Seed Keepers of the past and present. Learn more about Indigenous Royalties.

Additional Catalog Codes at Potatoes, Onions and Exotics

  • Organic after cultivar name — Organically Grown, entire lot is certified-organic seed.
  • PVP — Plant Variety Protected. Unauthorized propagation of the seed is prohibited. The use of PVP in the catalog is for informational purposes only and in no way constitutes an endorsement by Fedco of plant patenting.
  • Indigenous Royalties — Fedco pays Indigenous Royalties in recognition of the Native breeders and Seed Keepers of the past and present. Learn more about Indigenous Royalties