Bred in Nature, Perfected by Science.
For over two decades, Humboldt Seed Company has defined cannabis excellence from the heart of Northern California’s legendary growing region.
What Sets Us Apart
About Us
At Humboldt Seed Company, quality isn’t just a priority—it’s a promise. Founded in 2001 by scientists in California, we began by breeding seeds for patients under Prop. 215 and have since expanded to serve both recreational and medical growers worldwide. With over 20 years of expertise, we are proud to be California’s largest licensed cannabis seed provider, offering a diverse selection of feminized, autoflower, triploid, and regular seeds. Our products undergo rigorous lab testing and extensive annual phenotype hunts, vetted by California’s top cannabis farmers, ensuring stable genetics, high germination rates, and exceptional performance.
From our roots in environmental and social justice to our expansion into global markets—including Spain, Canada, Jamaica, and Thailand—Humboldt Seed Company remains committed to blending the best of nature and science. When you choose our seeds, you’re planting decades of research, innovation, and a deep respect for the land.
Our Mission
We believe in empowering cultivators at every level—from first-time growers to commercial operations. Through our commitment to:
- Develop innovative award-winning genetics.
- Focus on stability and potency.
- Preserve precious Landrace strains.
- Advance sustainable cultivation practices.
Customer reviews
Our Management Team
Nathaniel Pennington
Co-Founder & CEO
Nathaniel Pennington, Founder and CEO at Humboldt Seed Company has been breeding cannabis and working to restore rivers and salmon populations in Humboldt County for over 20 years. Prior to taking on his role at Humboldt Seed Company, Pennington worked in salmon genomics, which gave him the background to understand the need for unbiased cannabis genomics research. Pennington founded Humboldt Seed Company in 2001 to provide strong cannabis genetics to the community, that wouldn’t require pesticides or fungicides. With a deep foundation in Humboldt County and a strong affinity for community he has founded several nonprofit organizations, most recently Nature Rights Council, an environmental organization led by Humboldt’s indigenous youth. Pennington was instrumental in the negotiations that led to the agreement to remove four dams that blocked salmon runs on the Klamath River, thought to be the largest river restoration project in the world. He believes creative breeding is the way forward for craft farmers, and is passionate about ensuring that cannabis remains a plant for the people and not a corporate commodity. Pennington’s hope is that Humboldt Seed Company’s Pheno Hunt Program will deliver the strains of the future, providing medicinally valuable stable seed lines, and specialty strains that will invigorate the market.
Ben Lind
Co-founder & Chief Science Officer
Ben Lind, Co-founder & Chief Science Officer of Humboldt Seed Company grew up immersed in the cannabis industry. His early interest in cannabis genetics was passed down from within his family who taught him the importance of breeding seeds to ensure the next year’s harvest. He first became interested in preserving ancient landrace genetics after working as a paleoecologist in Mongolia with the Smithsonian, while at the University of Pennsylvania. Through his research on prehistoric Siberian burial rituals he learned how these early populations grew, stored and revered cannabis. This stoked his passion for preserving indigenous varieties and using landrace genetics as a foundation for developing the strains of the future. Traveling the world and collecting heritage genetics from unique bioregions, such as Jamaica, Colombia and Africa has become a particular area of interest. Creating stable, award-winning seed lines that push the boundaries of what we thought possible is his primary focus. He dreams of a day when cannabis is globally recognized for its role in shaping cultures past, present and future.
Halle Pennington
Products Executive
Halle Pennington, Products Executive at Humboldt Seed Company has been involved in all facets of the business since the beginning. Her educational and occupational background includes non-profit work, fisheries biology, botany and business. Learning about breeding from her father, Nathaniel Pennington, and having grown up gaining firsthand knowledge of the seed selection process through her participation in numerous phenotype hunts, she now helps to identify the strains of the future. Halle directs operations at the Eureka, California seed distribution hub, handles dispensary and licensed farm orders, oversees the Metrc seed-to-sale traceability system, as well as designing the company’s seed catalogs. With deep roots in Humboldt County, she is passionate about environmental justice and indigenous rights, and is very active with Humboldt Seed Co’s non-profit arm Nature Rights Council, a 501c3.
Supporting Local Tribal Partnerships
Since 2019, Humboldt Seed Company has proudly partnered with the Yurok Tribe, through its Yurok Agricultural Corporation, to produce high-quality seeds rooted in care for the environment and respect for Indigenous traditions. Located in Humboldt County within the Emerald Triangle, the Yurok Tribe brings generations of stewardship for the land, particularly the Klamath River, which flows through their homeland. Together, we prioritize sustainable practices, employing tribal members, utilizing organic methods, and implementing advanced water conservation techniques. By choosing these seeds, you support a collaboration that values community, responsibility, and the preservation of natural resources.
