diff --git a/app/resources/seed_resource.rb b/app/resources/seed_resource.rb
index 71af7d129..1323f9b7c 100644
--- a/app/resources/seed_resource.rb
+++ b/app/resources/seed_resource.rb
@@ -13,6 +13,13 @@ class SeedResource < ApplicationResource
   attribute :gmo, :string
   attribute :heirloom, :string
 
+  # What reading the photos of the packet found, written by the OCR script, which an admin runs. Not shown: it is
+  # not on any page yet. Writing it is not a member editing their own seed, so it is not theirs to do.
+  attribute :packet_text, :string, readable: false
+  before_save do |record|
+    context.authorize!(:manage, record) if written?(record) && record.packet_text_changed?
+  end
+
   attribute :crop_id, :integer, readable: false
 
   belongs_to :crop
diff --git a/spec/requests/api/v1/packet_text_request_spec.rb b/spec/requests/api/v1/packet_text_request_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0cf019544
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/requests/api/v1/packet_text_request_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+# frozen_string_literal: true
+
+require 'rails_helper'
+
+# The text read from a seed packet's photos is saved by the OCR script, with an admin's token.
+RSpec.describe 'Writing the text from a seed packet' do
+  include_context 'with an API member'
+
+  let(:owner) { create(:member) }
+  let(:seed) { create(:seed, owner:) }
+  let(:text) { "Approx 15 seeds per packet\nSow by: December 2026" }
+
+  def write(attributes, headers: auth_headers)
+    patch "/api/v1/seeds/#{seed.id}", params: { data: { type: 'seeds', id: seed.id.to_s, attributes: } }.to_json, headers:
+  end
+
+  context 'with an admin, whose seed it is not' do
+    let(:member) { create(:admin_member) }
+
+    before { write({ 'packet-text' => text }) }
+
+    it('is saved') { expect(response).to have_http_status(:ok) }
+    it('is on the seed') { expect(seed.reload.packet_text).to eq text }
+    it('is not shown in the response') { expect(json['data']['attributes']).not_to have_key('packet-text') }
+  end
+
+  context 'with the member whose seed it is' do
+    let(:member) { owner }
+
+    before { write({ 'packet-text' => text }) }
+
+    it('is forbidden') { expect(response).to have_http_status(:forbidden) }
+    it('is not saved') { expect(seed.reload.packet_text).to be_nil }
+  end
+
+  context 'with another member' do
+    before { write({ 'packet-text' => text }) }
+
+    it('is forbidden') { expect(response).to have_http_status(:forbidden) }
+    it('is not saved') { expect(seed.reload.packet_text).to be_nil }
+  end
+
+  context 'with no token' do
+    before { write({ 'packet-text' => text }, headers: write_headers) }
+
+    it('is unauthorised') { expect(response).to have_http_status(:unauthorized) }
+  end
+
+  context 'when the member whose seed it is changes something else' do
+    let(:member) { owner }
+
+    before { write({ 'quantity' => 40 }) }
+
+    it('is saved') { expect(response).to have_http_status(:ok) }
+    it('is on the seed') { expect(seed.reload.quantity).to eq 40 }
+  end
+end