Iowa State’s Seed Science Center offers help for hurricane relief in Jamaica
Source: WHO Des Moines
AMES, Iowa — A central Iowa university is offering unique assistance with relief efforts in the Caribbean after a hurricane destroyed much of the agriculture on the island nation of Jamaica.
Hurricane Melissa hit Jamaica in late October 2025 as a Category 5 hurricane, causing widespread damage. The storm had 190 mph winds and led to severe flooding.
With most of the crops on the island destroyed, farmers had limited access to seeds when trying to replant vegetables.
A seed company from Vermont, High Mowing Organic Seeds, offered to donate seeds. However, they ran into roadblocks due to concerns over introducing new pests and crop diseases to the island.
The seeds needed to be tested before they could be exported. That’s where the Seed Science Center at Iowa State University stepped in, offering their unique seed testing capabilities to get the seeds cleared for travel and planting. This was an area researchers at the Seed Science Center were uniquely positioned to help in.
Cont'd.
LINK:
https://who13.com/news/iowa-news/iowa-states-seed-science-center-offers-help-for-hurricane-relief/