THE NATIONAL STRATEGIC GERMPLASM AND CULTIVAR COLLECTION ASSESSMENT AND UTILIZATION PLAN
The 2018 Farm Bill directed the USDA to “develop and implement a national strategic germplasm and cultivar collection assessment and utilization plan that takes into consideration the resources and research necessary to address the significant backlog of characterization and maintenance of existing accessions considered to be critical to preserve the viability of, and public access to, germplasm and cultivars.” In response, a National Strategic Germplasm and Cultivar Collection Assessment and Utilization Plan (“Plan” hereafter) was developed in the form of three documents, all of which are listed below.