Message-ID: <s53de91a.026@crs.loc.gov> Date: Wed, 22 Apr 1998 12:56:37 -0400 From: Jonathan Sanford <mailto:JSANFORD@CRS.LOC.GOV> Subject: Re: A Seedy Business -Reply To: mailto:DEVEL-L@AMERICAN.EDU
Dear Mukul,Thank you for your interesting and informative comments. You are correct. I had not noticed that the Mother Jones article (which was only summarized for the list) did not address hybrid seeds per se. I assumed it. However, there is still an issue to be addressed. If traditional farmers can save some of their seeds from each year to sow next year, and they pay no cost (other than forgoing meals or sales from those seeds) for this practice, then why would they want to buy seeds from a commercial house using the USDA one-generation technology? I think they are willing to buy seeds because they find the increase in output is greater than the cost of the purchase. Otherwise, why bother? (I presume the seed companies are not hiring Joe Camel now to help them sell seeds.)
The increase in seed purchases may raise numerous concerns. However, I don't think that economic exploitation of the purchaser is one of them. If monoculture and a lack of genetic variety are a serious concern, then presumably the seed company could sell a pre-mixed seed that includes some genetic variation in the package. If the loss of traditional varieties is a concern, then -- presuming the traditional seeds are hardy but lacking in productivity -- seed houses could do research to incorporate the strong points of traditional seed into their new varieties. I don't see why the peasant farmer should be expected to forgo more productive seeds just to help the world maintain genetic variety and to preserve traditional varieties. Others more able to bear the cost should perform those functions.
I have no problem with the idea that USDA is sponsoring research that commercial seed houses may capitalize on to build sales. I presume that USDA is licensing the intellectual property, not giving it away. Anyway, there are numerous instances throughout US economic history where government-sponsored research broke new ground that commercial firms later developed. The jet airplane and computer come to mind. Maybe even the internet. The issue is not whether government action helps facilitate commercial activity but rather whether it exhibits favoratism and provides subsidies for particular firms that are not available to other competitors.
Jon Sanford