AG Department: Duluth Seed Sharing Program Breaking the Law

DULUTH, Minn. - Minnesota agriculture officials say a seed-sharing program at the Duluth Public Library is on the wrong side of the law.

The seed exchange allows people to borrow vegetable seeds from the library in the spring and then return the seeds they collect from their gardens.

Library officials say everything was fine until this fall when the Minnesota Department of Agriculture noticed they weren't abiding by the state's seed law.

The law states the library must pay a $50 fee, have proper labels, and have the seeds tested to make sure they germinate.

"He could have shut us down, but he chose not to, so we've started working as sort of coming to compliance," said Duluth Public Library manager, Carla Powers. "Quite honestly, the way the law is written it makes it very difficult."

Library officials are not sure where the seed library will go because they say it's difficult to meet department standards.