Vernon W. RuttanUniversity of Minnesota A combination of population and income growth will more than double the demand for food and other agricultural commodities over the next half century. Advances in crop productivity during the twentieth century have largely been based on…

Nicholas KalaitzandonakesUniversity of Missouri A barrage of mergers and acquisitions (M&As;) in the seed industry, executed by a few large biotechnology and agrochemical companies at sensational prices, has attracted much attention over the last three years. These M&As; have coincided with the…

Marvin HayengaIowa State University In this paper, the restructuring of the seed and chemical industries is discussed. Impacts on the herbicide and insecticide markets are detailed, along with the contractual relationships between biotechnology seed suppliers and farmers. Antitrust issues raised by the…

William LesserCornell University The relationships between intellectual property rights (IPRs) and structural change are examined in this paper. Intellectual property rights are a complex, multifaceted area and one in which corporate strategies are poorly understood. Nevertheless, it is argued here that IPRs…

Sano M. ShimodaBioScience Securities, Inc. Technological innovation is creating a catalyst for new dimensions of growth and a corporate restructuring around the value creation potential of agriculture. This paper provides an overview of the recent commercialization of agricultural biotechnology. The key strategic…

Bruce BjornsonUniversity of Missouri Market values of agricultural seed and biotechnology firms have increased in recent years due to expected future growth increases from a proliferation of new genetic technologies. In this paper, a market valuation index is constructed for leading firms….

Paul E. KindingerAgricultural Retailers Association Consumer driven developments in biotechnology will create new food systems with customized food products. It is argued that a large percentage of agricultural products will be produced under strict contractual guidelines, and that relationships between farmers, manufacturers,…

Bill FreibergFreiberg Publishing In the past, farm technologies have resulted in increased commodity surpluses, reduced prices, and low profit margins for farmers. This situation could change with the development of a value-added grain production system. The impacts of such a system on…

Matt RenkoskiOptimum Quality Grains New (modified grain) technologies and systems are driving the transformation of the supply-driven commodity market to a demand-driven customized product market. It is argued that this transformation will result in a flow of value to upstream related industries,…

Pierre-Benoit Joly and Stéphane LemariéINRA/SERD & Université de Grenoble In this paper, we summarize the evolution of the plant biotechnology industry in Europe and discuss relevant competitive issues. We also comment on the rise of public opposition to the use of genetically…