Farmers brown bag by cleaning and storing a portion of their harvested grain to use as seed for the following season. This bypasses commercial seed dealers and reduces input costs. However, the practice is strictly prohibited for patented or genetically modified crop varieties, making it a legal liability if done with protected genetics.
We used to brown bag our soybeans every year until we switched to the patented traits.
Seed companies aggressively enforce patents against this practice, often relying on anonymous tips to catch violators.
Also heard as
- brown-bagging
Related terms
Seed
Any plant part intended for sowing and propagation, including true botanical seeds, tubers, or bulbs.
Seed corn
High-quality maize kernels kept specifically for planting the next season's crop.
Volunteer
A plant that grows on its own from seeds left behind by a previous crop.
Rogue
To remove inferior, diseased, or off-type plants from a crop to maintain genetic purity.