Shands

Henry Shands directs the National Center for Genetic Resources Preservation. He says that every year, the seed lab and its cultivation centers send out 100,000 seed samples to people who request them from around the world. Some go to countries whose crops have been devastated by flood, disease, drought or war. Some go to other seed storage centers as well as university, government and industry labs. They all get mailed out in coin-sized packets, usually 50 seeds at a time. Dr. Shands says each packet is freely given.