I see LemonadeJoe as responded but let me address your questions as well.
Yes, inevitably some runs will be denied. This does not mean a user is not free to do any seed run they want to, nobody needs approval for that. What it does mean is that some runs will not qualify to use the Co-op infrastructure. A Co-op seed run can be sent to a distributor in bulk to be packaged and distributed. There will be non Co-op runs still included in the spring and fall boxes but those runs will need to be packaged by the grower and spots will be limited to keep the work load manageable.
As much as it would be great to have everyone involved it just get’s too messy. This is one of the reasons a dedicated group has been created. We have strayed from the original Co-op mission and want to get it back on track. It was always meant to be for rare and discontinued strains and not just a free distribution network for every pollen chuck created.
This is a common misconception. The Co-op was never meant to generate money, it is meant to be cash neutral. Seeds themselves have been and will continue to be free. It breaks down like this, shipping costs are just that, money to ship. There is no surplus so that money goes to a distributor and the distributor spends it on shipping. Now you are left with the $2 per strain donation. That is used to pay for packaging materials for seeds, stickers, envelopes and other supplies used by the distributors to package and send the seeds. It is also meant to reimburse breeders the cost of shipping seeds to distributors and distributors to ship boxes to other distributors. There is no loss to the server as it was never meant to finance the server, only cover the costs associated with getting seeds from breeders to users.
There are no freedoms being taken away from anyone. Growers are still free to do as they see fit. Grow what they want and pass out what they want. You don’t need approval from the action group to do a seed run, only to use the Co-op infrastructure.
It is not, it is the parameters of the Co-op and always has been. Any user is still free to do any seed run they wish and do not require approval from the action group to do so. They only need approval for it to qualify as a Co-op which is different from an individuals seed run.
That is true and one of the problems as it goes against the mission of the Co-ops. Folks always say they want breeders here on OG but that is not easy to accomplish while stepping on their toes and reproducing their strains that are currently being sold. Especially when the site itself is involved in distributing those seeds to the masses.
Absolutely correct. Co-op seeds can be sent in bulk to distributors who will individually package them and get them into the right hands to be distributed to users in the spring and fall boxes. When it comes to non Co-op runs the grower will be asked to package the seeds for individuals. As stated above some non Co-op runs will still be included in the spring and fall boxes but they will need to be approved and that approval will be based on volumes to keep the boxes manageable. If there is room the seeds will be accepted if pre packaged and shipped with Co-op boxes. Those growers will not be reimbursed the cost of shipping their seeds to distributors but will still be able to access the Co-op infrastructure to get their seeds to members.
We are not going to back track runs already in motion, that would not be fair to the growers. This will be more for new runs going forward.
Not at all, the site does not lose anything as it was never funded by the Co-ops. If this were meant as a money maker I would think the per strain donation would be higher. The $2 per strain has a purpose and is a very low fee as it’s only meant to cover the infrastructure. Think of the Co-ops as a non profit organization.
The purpose of the $155 is so the distributors have a float going forward. So for example I will keep the $155 out of the fall box so when the next box is being prepared I can purchase supplies and pay shipping costs without having to spend my own money.
I understand change is always tough but it is important for folks to realize we are not trying to reinvent the wheel but rather get the ship back on course. The Co-ops have become a dumping ground for every seed being created and that is a huge amount of work. Approved Co-op runs will still be able to take full advantage and have all the work of packaging and distribution done for them. Approved non Co-op runs will still have the opportunity to access the distribution part of the Co-ops but are asked to do the packaging themselves. There were 13 runs sent in for the last box, asking a distributor to package 2000 individual packs of seeds, collect funds, addresses and ship is just too much and those numbers are growing. Keep in mind we are volunteers doing this for the community, the only thing we get out of it is the joy of helping our fellow growers. If a grower of a non Co-op seed run is not willing to package 150 packages of their own seeds to be distributed for them they can’t really expect a distributor to package 2000?