Worldwide, farmers
are still using a large percentage of farm saved seed. Does
the availability of GM seed give farmers a stronger incentive
to switch from farm saved to purchased seed than did hybrids
in the last 50 years?
As with any new
product or technology, the customer understands that they
have a choice when it comes to their purchase. This decision
is no different
in the seed industry. Monsanto and our industry partners have
seen that
growers have consistently chosen to plant crops enhanced
through
biotechnology.
Since the introduction of traits developed through
biotechnology in the
mid-1990s, growers throughout the world have steadily
increased the number
of acres planted with biotech crops.
One reason for this tremendous adoption is the benefits that
this technology
can provide growers and their operation. Growers understand
the important
role this science can play on the farm - whether it's through
a reduction in
input costs, a savings in time, pesticide reduction or the
ability to adopt
environmentally sound practices like conservation tillage.
These on-farm
benefits were recently characterized in a
report
issued by the National Center for Food and Agricultural
Policy.
While our technologies have delivered a tremendous returns for
our customers through the on-farm benefits, they have also
provided our company with an opportunity to invest in the
future of this industry.
