In the past decade, there has been a significant rise in initiatives by public sector programs, independent seed companies, and farmer-breeders aimed at developing organic varieties in the United States, particularly targeting farmers engaged in direct-to-consumer sales. Flavor has emerged as a paramount trait for these farmers, driving collaborative breeding efforts involving a diverse array of stakeholders, including farmers selling to restaurants, farmers markets, and CSAs, as well as chefs at farm-to-table establishments, and plant breeders focusing on organic systems. Since seed regulations in the US allow seed to be sold without a registration process, varieties identified as well-suited and high-quality by collaborating farmers and chefs can quickly become available commercially. While diversified organic vegetable farmers often prefer not to produce their own seed, they wish to be actively engaged in the selection processes and support plant breeders focusing on organic systems (Hubbard and Zystro, 2016). The Culinary Breeding Network (CBN) strives to bridge the gap between plant breeders and consumers by facilitating unique opportunities for stakeholders to assess in-development vegetable and grain cultivars, share insights, and actively contribute to variety development. CBN's outreach events span across various regions, including Oregon, Washington, Hawaii, Wisconsin, New York, and Italy, focusing on identifying desirable traits, discerning consumer preferences, tailoring varieties to organic farms and palates, and celebrating local foods. These participatory public gatherings provide breeders with invaluable input rarely accessible otherwise. By integrating culinary professionals, farmers, and consumers into the breeding process, breeders gain deeper insights into preferred traits while also fostering broader awareness and understanding of organic plant breeding. CBN impact is evaluated through post-event surveys completed by attending farmers, chefs, distributors, retailers, and consumers. In 2020, 144 Variety Showcase surveys were collected, with 96% expressing intentions to disseminate gained knowledge, reaching an estimated >2,075 individuals in person and >258,000 through social media. Furthermore, 81% indicated that newfound knowledge would influence their work through expanded networks (34%), revised buying practices (25%), and informed decision-making (41%), among other outcomes such as forging new collaborations and partnerships. Participating breeders, seed companies, and farmers report moderate to significant positive effects to CBN, with 75% reporting impact on their business operations. Notably, CBN's most valued impact lies in "creating buzz in the community around specific vegetables and varieties" (48%) and "facilitating collaboration among breeders, growers, chefs, and consumers" (35%). Remarkably, 80% of respondents stated they had commenced growing a variety following a CBN event.
