Duluth Seed-Sharing Program Violates State Law

DULUTH (AP) - Minnesota agriculture officials say a seed-sharing program at the Duluth library is on the wrong side of the law.

The seed exchange allows members to borrow vegetable seeds from the library in the spring and later return seeds they collect from their gardens. It's one of about 300 seed-sharing programs in the U.S. Program manager Carla Powers says about 200 members borrowed 800 packets of seeds in the first year of the exchange.

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture caught wind of the program and has informed the library it is likely violating state seed law. Anyone who sells, trades or exchanges seeds in Minnesota must follow state rules and proper labeling.

They must also pay a $50 fee and have the seeds tested to make sure they germinate.