Celebrate Crop Diversity: Donate $21 for 21 Years of the Crop Trust
Celebrate Crop Diversity: Donate $21 for 21 Years of the Crop Trust
For 21 years, the Crop Trust has worked to safeguard the seeds that sustain the world's food supply. This Giving Tuesday, we invite you to join us in celebrating this milestone by donating $21 to help protect the crops that connect us to our history, culture and future.
We are spotlighting nine beloved crops – okra, corn, pumpkin, tomato, beet, potato, coffee, banana, and pea – each with deep roots in American gardens, kitchens and traditions.
- Corn is a symbol of harvest and abundance, central to Native American agriculture and Thanksgiving celebrations. It's used in everything from cornbread to popcorn and remains a staple in U.S. farming and cuisine.
- Pumpkin evokes fall traditions, from pies to porch decorations. It's a nutrient-rich crop with cultural ties to early American settlers and Indigenous communities.
- Okra, often associated with Southern cooking, has African origins and is a key ingredient in gumbo and other heritage dishes.
- Tomatoes are a backyard favorite, grown in millions of U.S. gardens. They're essential to American summer meals and sauces.
- Beets offer vibrant color and nutrition, with historical use in both food and natural dyes.
- Potatoes are a classic comfort food, from mashed potatoes at Thanksgiving to fries and chips enjoyed year-round.
- Coffee fuels daily life across the U.S., but its genetic diversity is under threat, making conservation critical.
- Bananas, though tropical, are a household staple. Safeguarding their diversity ensures future availability and resilience.
- Peas are among the earliest cultivated crops in the U.S., valued for their versatility and role in soil health.
These crops face increasing threats from pests, diseases and shrinking genetic diversity. Your donation helps conserve their seeds in genebanks, ensuring they remain available to plant breeders and researchers who can use their genetic diversity to develop new, resilient varieties.
Seed Saving: A Proud American Tradition
Seed saving has long been a cornerstone of American gardening culture. Organizations like Seed Savers Exchange have helped conserve heirloom varieties and empower gardeners to protect crop diversity. Across the country, individuals and communities have passed down seeds through generations, keeping stories, flavors and resilience alive.
Garden Clubs: Champions of Crop Diversity
Members of the National Garden Clubs of America and local gardening communities play a vital role in protecting biodiversity. Through education, seed exchanges and advocacy, these passionate growers help ensure that traditional crops continue to thrive in backyards, botanical gardens and community plots.
Donate $21 to protect the seeds that feed us.
Join gardeners, seed savers, and biodiversity champions across the U.S. in celebrating 21 years of crop conservation – give today and grow tomorrow.
Giving Tuesday is a global movement! Please click here if you are donating from Germany or another country.
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