1. Southeast Ohio Seed Savers
94 Columbus Rd
Athens, OH 45701
(740)593-5971
Jess Chadwell
Southeast Ohio Seed Savers Developer
94 Columbus Rd Athens, OH 45701
(740)593-5971
jess@communityfoodinitiatives.org

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Table of Contents
Section I – Executive Summary
Section II – Mission, Goals and Objectives
General Description of Business
Mission Statement
Goals and Objectives
Section III – Background Information
Industry Information
Business History
Section IV – Organizational Matters
Business Structure
Management Team and Personnel
Outside Advisors
Risk Management
Process
Section V – Marketing Plan
Products/Services
Customer Analysis
Competitive Analysis
Market Potential
Pricing
Promotional Strategies
Advertising
Public Relations
Section VI – Financial Plan
Pre-Startup Costs
3 year financial projections
Attachments
1. Three Year Projections
a. monthly sales
b. monthly operating expenses
c. monthly income statement
d. monthly cash flow statement
e. monthly balance sheet
2. SOSS Grower Agreement
3. SOSS Retail Agreement
4. SOSS Developer Job Description
5. CFI Financial Report
6. CFI Financial Report

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Section I – Executive Summary
SOSS is comprised of a network of gardeners, farmers and plant breeders that Community Food
Initiatives brings together to secure our agricultural heritage. We believe that food security is
cultivated from the ground up, with locally-sourced, regionally hardy and genetically unique
seeds.
We envision SOSS as the premier business customers patronize for regional open-pollinated
and/or heirloom seeds that reflect the unique heritage of Appalachian Ohio. We aim to
cultivate long-term relationships with both our suppliers and customers, as evidenced by our
commitment to transparency among the supply chain, excellent customer service, and
capitalizing on opportunities for expansion within our target market.
The key competitive edge of SOSS is our focus on rare varieties that are known to thrive in our
region and that all our seeds are grown and saved by our local farmers, gardeners and plant
breeders. To date, no other business operating in the areas adjacent to Athens County offers
this type of product; Southeast Ohio has a strong sense of community and we believe our
customers will be interested in supporting members of their community.
Section II – Mission, Goals and Objectives
General Description of Business
Southeast Ohio Seed Savers (SOSS) have maintained an annual inventory of regional open-
pollinated heirloom seeds, and hosted annual seed exchanges and seed saving workshops for
the past several years. In response to the growing demand for locally sourced, open-pollinated
heritage seed varieties, we are now in the planning stages of starting-up a micro-regional seed
company that will sell wholesale product to regional retailers, grocers and other specialty
markets.
SOSS is comprised of a network of gardeners, farmers and plant breeders that Community Food
Initiatives brings together to secure our agricultural heritage. We believe that food security is
cultivated from the ground up, with locally-sourced, regionally hardy and genetically unique
seeds.
SOSS is in the planning stages of development. We launched a pilot program in February 2015
to gauge community interest and support in purchasing locally saved seeds, that are exclusively
open-pollinated and/or heirloom varieties, and to gain a better understanding of operating
costs and small business operations. Pilot 2 will be launched in February 2016, with
commitments from additional suppliers thus increasing our inventory and varietal offerings. As
we continue to reach out to new and existing suppliers during Pilot 2, we will be working

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towards further assessment in regards to potential impacts from cooperative formation for
SOSS
SOSS will operate as a social enterprise of the 501(c)3 non-profit organization, Community Food
Initiatives (detailed organizational information below). Profit generated will go toward the
organization’s programming. Additional overarching benefits of SOSS will be reinvestment in
our local economy by partnering with local suppliers, increasing food security at its most basic
level, and invigorating part of our Appalachian heritage.
Community Food Initiatives (CFI) is a 22 year-old membership-based organization located in
Athens Ohio. Our belief is that by naming our assets--soil, seeds and an Appalachian heritage of
food production and preservation—everyone in Southeast Ohio can see their place in
strengthening our community. CFI’s mission is to support a local food movement that expands
access of fresh nutritious foods to all people in our region through initiatives within the
following three program areas:
The Donation Station Program: collects fresh local food at the Athens Farmers Market and the
Chesterhill Produce Auction and farms and distributes it to area food pantries and social service
agencies. Additionally, the Discovery Kitchen project teaches healthy cooking classes to food
pantry patrons using seasonal product.
The School Garden Program: offers support and provides resources, consultation, volunteer
coordination and curriculum integration resources for teachers for school and youth gardens.
The Community Garden Program: manages six community gardens, coordinates gardening and
food preservation workshops, works with the Y.E.A.H Kids program, and manages the Southeast
Ohio Seed Savers.
Mission Statement
Our mission is to strengthen our local food system and invigorate Appalachian heritage by
incentivizing regional seed saving.
Vision Statement
Our vision is to create a secure local seed system and preserve endangered heirloom seed
varieties of our region.
Goals and Objectives
We aim to cultivate long-term relationships with both our suppliers and customers, as
evidenced by our commitment to transparency among the supply chain, excellent customer
service, and capitalizing on opportunities for expansion within our target market. We hope to
be the premier business customers patronize for regional open-pollinated and/or heirloom
seeds that reflect the unique heritage of Appalachian Ohio.
Over the next three years, we aim to build relationships that will strengthen our supply chain in
order to meet anticipated demand for our products. Currently, we have commitments from 5
growers for the 2016 sales year. We are hoping to build this network to 10 growers in 2017, and

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20 growers in 2018. We are anticipating SOSS to break-even by 2021, and to generate profit by
2025 (need to review financials, may be sooner than we think if personnel is paid for by outside
funding), which will be invested into CFI’s programming area described in section 1 of the plan.
Transparency among our supply chain will include maintaining compliance with government
regulations regarding seed sales, verifying all seed is open-pollinated and/or heirloom, and
compensating suppliers a fair market rate for products. In order to help us provide consistently
high-quality products to our end consumer, and excellent customer service along the value
chain, we are currently creating evaluation and feedback surveys for both our suppliers and end
consumers.
With the upsurge in consumer demand for source-identified differentiated products, we are
targeting demographics with whom our mission and values are relatable.
Millennials and other customers that value high-quality locally sourced food are perceived to be
our largest market potential, as evidenced by the data detailed in the Market Analysis portion
of the plan.
Section III – Background Information
Industry Information
Prior to 1930, seed companies were not primarily concerned with varietal production, but were
still trying to successfully commodify seeds. There was no need to protect seed breeding at that
time because there were few markets for seeds. The first priority for seed companies was
simply to establish a market, and they continued to view the congressional distribution as a
principal constraint (Jorge Fernandez-Cornejo, 2004)
Over the past three decades, the U.S. seed industry has been marked by transition. As recently
as 1970, most seed firms were independent. During the 1970s, many small seed firms vanished,
as mergers and acquisitions created a new seed industry structure dominated by large
companies with primary investments in related sectors (Jorge Fernandez-Cornejo, 2004) The
seed industry has experienced a faster rate of market concentration than any other farm input
sector as a result of numerous federal patent legislations, and the landmark Supreme Court
ruling in 1980, in the case of Diamond v. Chakrabarty which declared plant genetics could be
patented.
Currently, eight major companies control 94% of the global commercial vegetable seed market
(Shand, 2012). Despite this overwhelming concentration, industry sources put the estimated
value of farmer-saved seed at $6.1 billion in 2006 - about 21% of the total value of the
commercial proprietary seed market making farmers that are saving seed the largest
competitor to the seed industry (Shand, 2012). A growing global population and the pressure to
maintain that growth while sustaining the environment creates excitement, competition,
investment and change in the seed industry.

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Business History and Near Term Plans
In February 2015 we launched SOSS Pilot 1 to gauge consumer and community interest in
purchasing locally saved, open-pollinated seeds, learn about small business operations and to
generate funds for SOSS.
From November 2014-February 2015 we designed a logo and labels for the seed packets, an
informational pamphlet about SOSS and cultivated partnerships with three retail locations in
Athens County (The Farmacy, Village Bakery and White’s Mill) all of whom agreed sell SOSS
seeds on consignment (The Farmacy will donate all sales back to SOSS). We packaged and
labeled 998 packets of seeds (all seeds were donated to the pilot by two of our premier seed
savers).
Pilot 1 included 21 varieties of vegetable, herb and flower seeds. Community feedback on this
venture has been very positive and encouraging. As we learned more about seed selling, and
seed laws, we found out that Pilot 1 wasn’t fully compliant with federal and state seed law in so
far as we hadn’t registered or filed with the State.
Advertising for Pilot 1 was very minimal --a couple Facebook posts and word of mouth. At
present we have sold 650 seed packets at $3.00 a packet. We expect our sales to grow in 2016
as we spend more time on promoting and having display sets for the seeds at each retail
location.
Looking ahead to 2016, we will have 21+, open-pollinated varieties of vegetable, flower and
herb seed available for retail in local businesses in Athens County, Ohio.
Section IV – Organizational Matters
Business Structure
CFI is a 501 (c)3 non-profit organization, and SOSS will be operating as a social business
enterprise for CFI. SOSS will have a bank account separate from CFI for all program funding and
seed sales. Our suppliers will be paid out of the SOSS account. CFI will have ownership over the
account and can take funds from it for organizational funding at any time. We are exploring
developing a cooperative model for our growers.
Management Team and Personnel
The enterprise will be developed and managed by the Southeast Ohio Seed Savers Developer,
an employee of Community Food Initiatives. The SOSS Developer will be responsible for the
start-up management of the business including writing the business plan, seeking funding
through crowd-sourcing and grant writing, managing relationships with SOSS participating
contracted growers, testing germination, managing licensing and legal issues, coordinating
volunteers to assist in packaging and labeling, managing store inventory and display racks,
tracking sales, profits and expenses. Additionally, the Developer will evaluate and the project’s
processes, adjusting for increased efficiency and outcomes. They will report regularly to the CFI

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Executive Director and Board of Directors. Knowledge, skills and abilities needed (KSA’s): Clear
and effective verbal and written communication skills; public speaking skills; coordination and
bridge building; training and leadership skills; strong organizational skills; fundraising and grant
writing; ability to operate and train others on the operation of Microsoft-compatible
computers, Microsoft Office Suite, and various online platforms; computer-based design
experience; experience in food handling and food safety; ability to work independently and in
groups. Marketing or Communications background preferred. Compensation for this position is
currently 15 hours per week/ $12 per hour, with 2016 payroll expenses budgeted for 20
hours/week at $12 per hour.
Our business will be located at ACEnet, 94 Columbus Rd Athens, Ohio in the Community Food
Initiatives office. ACEnet is a great location for our business as it serves as a hub for local
entrepreneurship and economic development, especially in the area of local food.
Outside Advisors
There are many community stakeholders who are supporting and guiding us through this
exciting, regionally untapped territory. Our advisory committee is comprised of representatives
from essential components of our community, whose expertise will contribute to the success of
SOSS.
Our committee is made up of Susan Young, Southeast Ohio Seed Saver; Kira Slepchenko,
Southeast Ohio Seed Saver, CFI Board Member; Mary Nally, CFI Executive Director; Jess
Chadwell, CFI Community Garden Programs Coordinator; Art Trese, Ohio University Plant
Biology Professor and Ed Brown, Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator, Ohio State
Extension Office, Athens County. CFI Board of Directors has been fully supportive of this start-
up and we have received positive, encouraging mentorship from colleagues at Ohio Heirloom
Seed Company, Southern Exposure Seed Exchange and Seed Savers Exchange. All decisions
SOSS are reviewed and decided on by the CFI Board of Directors.
Risk Management
SOSS will obtain business liability insurance to protect again general calamities and damages.
SOSS seed varieties are diverse so that if unforeseen crop maladies occur and we experience a
supply shortage for certain varieties, other seed varieties will still be in supply. Personnel hired
will be covered under worker’s compensation, in the way that parent organization CFI covers its
own employees.
Regarding quality assurance; per Ohio Revised Code Chapter 907, all seed to be sold for profit
must undergo testing for purity and germination prior to being sold. This regulation will
alleviate certain quality assurance concerns, however, packaging and other production specific
facets of the business must be considered, and protocol is in the process of being drafted for
this.

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Process
Suppliers will deliver their seeds to the CFI office, by appointment, to the SOSS Developer. All
seeds intended to be sold in the next growing season must be delivered to CFI by October 31 of
the growing year. Seeds will be tested for germination by the SOSS Developer within 30 days of
receiving the seed. CFI will provide payment to growers if germination rates are at or above the
federal regulation. Reference ‘SOSS Grower’s Agreement’ for protocol on grower and
organization guidelines.
Labels and envelopes will be ordered according to quantity of seeds supplied by the October 31
deadline, will be ordered by January 15 the following year. The SOSS Developer and members
from our advisory committee will package and label the seeds for retail.
Each retail location will receive an SOSS Kit containing: seeds, a display rack and
promotional/informational pamphlet about the seeds and SOSS. SOSS will have a kit to use for
workshops and events. See ‘SOSS Pilot Consignment’ for more details. Initial inventory quantity
available for sale will be determined by the total number of seeds and varieties we have for the
year. Retail inventory will be recorded and restocked as needed bi-monthly February-August.
Section V – Marketing Plan
Products/Services
SOSS is providing high-quality, regionally saved, open-pollinated and/or heirloom varieties of
vegetable, herb and flower seed to consumers via wholesale and direct markets.
Customer Analysis
Our target market is comprised of food gardeners and consumers interested in supporting local
economies. A recent report by the National Gardening Association (NGA) reveals 35% of all
households in America are growing food at home or in a community garden; increasing from 36
million households in 2008, to 42 million in 2013. Younger households (ages 18-34)
participating in food production rose 63% from 2008-2013.NGA’s report shows Americans
spent $3.5 billion on food gardening in 2013, up from 2.5 billion in 2008. From their data, 76%
of food gardening households were growing vegetables, a 19% increase from 2008 and the
number of households with incomes under $35,000 participating in food gardening grew to 11
million, up 38% from 2008 (National Gardening Association, 2013). Mirroring the national
increase of food gardeners, the number of people growing their own food in Athens County is
on the rise. CFI manages six community gardens in Athens County and has seen a 62% increase
in active garden participation from 2012-2015 (CFI Annual Reports, 2012-2014). Additionally,
CFI has seen over a 50% increase in attendance at monthly gardening workshops (CFI Annual
Reports, 2012-2014). The National Gardening Survey results suggest that individuals with lower
incomes are more likely to grow their own food and here in Athens County 31.7% of people
live below the poverty line (Census, 2015)
Consumers across the nation, and especially in Athens County are showing increasing support
for local food economies. The upsurge in growing food is illustrated by increased active
community garden participation as well an increase in attendance at CFI’s annual local seed

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exchanges, seed giveaways and seed saving workshops. According to recent census data, in
Athens County there has been a 23% increase in the number of farms between 2007-2012 (U.S
Census of Agriculture, 2012), and between 1994 and 2013 the number of farmers markets in
the United States increased 360%, totaling 8,000 markets in 2013 and local food sales nearly
tripled (U.S Census of Agriculture, 2013).
Competitive Analysis
Our direct and indirect competitors were chosen based on their presence at our retail locations,
company mission and consumer reputation and internal business structure.
Three main direct competitors for SOSS are Seed Savers Exchange, Ohio Heirloom Seed
Company and Southern Exposure Seed Exchange. We view these companies as direct
competitors because their mission and internal structures are similar to ours. We identify
Burpee Seed Company and Johnny's Seed as two of our indirect competitors; indirect
competitors meaning they are seed companies with a different mission and internal structure
from SOSS.
Seed Savers Exchange (SSE) is a non-profit, member-supported organization, working to
preserve and promote cultural diversity among food crop by collecting, growing and sharing
heirloom seeds and plants. SSE is the company most people think of when they think about
heirloom, open-pollinated seeds, and they are the oldest member-based seed company with
the largest selection of open-pollinated seeds available for purchase. They have a membership
program which publishes an inventory each year, for members only, of all their members and
the seeds they are saving. Members receive special offers and can exchange seeds among each
other. SSE hosts workshops and a large annual seed exchange. Their seeds can be purchased
online, via their annual catalog, via their inventory (if a member of SSE), and in retail locations
internationally. SSE seed packets retail for a flat price of $2.99 and contain varying amounts of
seed based on expected use for one growing season.
Southern Exposure Seed Exchange (SESE) is a worker-run cooperative seed company located in
Virginia, offering over 700 varieties of vegetable, flower, herb, grain and cover crop seed. SESE
works directly with contracted, small farmers that grow seeds on the company farm and their
own farms. SESE sets the initial wholesale price for all their seeds based on amount of seeds
typically produced, labor required for saving and market demand per variety. A breakdown of
their seed source: 5-10% company farm, 10% neighboring farms, 10% farms within the Mid-
Atlantic region, and 10% farmers throughout the U.S; 55% U.S wholesale seed companies, 1%
Canada and 2% Israel. SESE does all of their germination testing in house. Their seed packets
are available for purchase at retail locations across the U.S, online via the company’s website
and through their annual catalog. SESE has a good reputation and is aimed towards ecologically
minded growers.
Ohio Heirloom Seed Company is a small vegetable seed company located in Columbus Ohio
that was established in 2009. All seeds are non-GMO (most are organic), and are grown on
company farms in the Columbus region. Seeds are only available for international retail

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purchase online. Seed packets range in price starting at $1.29 with a flat rate shipping cost of
$2.29 within the U.S and $8.99 outside of the U.S. The advantage of this company for Ohio food
gardeners is that all seeds are grown in Ohio and therefore are well suited to grow in our
regions climate. The target market for Ohio Heirloom Seed Company is ecologically minded
gardeners and online food garden shoppers. They have a good reputation among gardeners in
the region in terms of reliability and customer service.
We identify Burpee Seed Company and Johnny's Seed as two of our indirect competitors;
indirect competitors meaning they are seed companies with a different mission and internal
structure from SOSS.
Burpee Seed Company started in 1876 and is based out of Philadelphia. In 1915 the company
was the largest seed company in the world (Smithsonian Gardens, 2011) They have a wide
selection (500+ varieties) of vegetable, herb and flower seed offering open-pollinated and
hybrid varieties as well as a line of organic seed. Non of their seeds are genetically modified or
chemically treated. Burpee Seeds can be purchased through direct mail, commercial-nursery
and retail-store outlets nationwide.
Johnny's Seeds started business in 1973 as sole proprietorship and in 2012 became an
employee-owned company based out of Maine. Johnny’s offers a wide selection of open-
pollinated and hybrid vegetables, herbs and flower seeds. Their seeds can be purchased
through direct mail, and commercial nursery and retail store outlets nationwide.
The key competitive edge of SOSS is our focus on rare varieties that are known to thrive in our
region and that all our seeds are grown and saved by our local farmers, gardeners and plant
breeders. Southeast Ohio has a strong sense of community and we believe our customers will
be interested in supporting members of their community.
To date, no other business operating in the areas adjacent to Athens County offers this type of
product. It is important to note that while all heirloom seeds are open pollinated, not all open
pollinated seeds are of an heirloom variety. Heirloom seeds have a unique valuation in that
these seeds help conserve the biodiversity of SEO, and preserve a portion of cultural heritage,
passed down in the form of seeds.
Market Potential
Our current market share is limited to Athens County, with commitments from two area
retailers to carry our products in 2016 (participants from our 2014 pilot program).
Strengthening the supply chain will be a main focus for SOSS over the next three years, and, as
we build relationships with additional suppliers, our market share will also increase.
Additionally, the regional developer will be reaching out to regional co-ops, small grocers and
specialty retail markets in Appalachian Ohio and the metropolitan city of Columbus, Ohio.

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Pricing
Each grower (supplier) will be responsible for setting their wholesale cost. CFI will purchase the
seeds from the grower, test for germination, package and label all the seeds and distribute,
maintain and record inventory at all retail locations. We anticipate our retail customers to
mark-up approximately 30-35% from our wholesale price, and all packets will have a suggested
retail price of $3.00. Quantity of seeds per packet and cost per packet are based off of Seed
Savers Exchange.
These packets will be sold wholesale for 2.30/unit, and we anticipate to produce 83 cases of
seeds (12units/case), which will encompass 21 varieties of plants.
Cost of goods sold, per unit = $1.59
$.070 per seed envelope
$.085 printing (includes front and back label)
$.029 back label
$.24 labor
$1.16 approx. for seed
Promotional Strategies
We will use a multi-faceted approach to reach our target audience and beyond by having seed
packets and information about our business at community festivals, CFI and partner
organizations workshops and events, placing advertisements in the Athens News, and
partnering with a variety of stakeholders in the local food economy movement such as popular
bloggers, gardening organizations, community resource groups and regional conferences. The
estimated advertising and marketing cost can be located on the Operating Expenses worksheet
(attachment 1).
Our focus is wholesale markets in the Athens area. Direct selling, by SOSS Developer or member
of SOSS Steering Committee will take place at CFI and partner organization workshops and
events and appropriate community and regional events. Individuals engaging in direct selling
must know the cost of each seed packet and have general knowledge of SOSS and its network
of growers. We encourage customer feedback and questions.
Section VI – Financial Plan
Pre-Startup
Currently the SOSS Developer is funded from approved CFI general funds (through September
2015) and from the Ohio Cooperative Development Center Seed Grant. We are launching a
crowdsourcing campaign in September and we are applying for the Sugar Bush Foundation
Grant in January 2016. Legal consultation funds will come from the Ohio Cooperative
Development Center Seed Grant. Grant funding from Grow Appalachia will be used to purchase
seeds from contracted growers. During the start-up phase (2015-2018), all seed sales from
SOSS will go towards funding the business.

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Anticipated supplies list needed to start our business (valued at $300):
Germination testing: coffee filters (1 pack), quart size plastic containers with lids (10), tweezers
(2 sets)
Storage: glass pint jars (15), glass quart jars (5)
Packaging: scale (2), teaspoon set (2)
Labeling: font labels, back labels, envelopes
Inventory: paper and electronic excel document for each retail location, floor racks for seeds at
each retail location (3)
Advertising/Promotional: signage for floor racks, business pamphlets for promotional events
Anticipated supplies list needed to start our business (valued at $300):

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Attachments
1. Three Year Projections
a. monthly sales
b. monthly operating expenses
c. monthly income statement
d. monthly cash flow statement
e. monthly balance sheet
2. SOSS Growers Agreement
3. SOSS Retail Agreement
4. SOSS Developer Job Description
5. CFI Financial Report