Two companies accounted for more than half of corn, soybean, and cotton seed sales in 2018–20 (2024)

FAQs

Two companies accounted for more than half of corn, soybean, and cotton seed sales in 2018–20? ›

Two companies—Corteva and Bayer—provided more than half the U.S. retail seed sales of corn, soybeans, and cotton in 2018–20, the most recent period for which estimates are available. In recent decades, the U.S. crop seed industry has become more concentrated, with fewer and larger firms dominating seed supply.

Corteva and Bayer together accounted for more than half of all U.S. corn, soybean and cotton retail seed sales between 2018–20 (the most recent period for which estimates are available), according to a release from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

In 2020, the top four corporations, Bayer (formerly Monsanto), Corteva (formerly DuPont), Syngenta (part of ChemChina), and Limagrain together controlled 50% of the global seed market, with Bayer and Corteva alone claiming roughly 40%.

Monsanto and Dupont/Pioneer lead the way with over 50% of seed sales in the world. All of the top ten companies are located in the U.S.A, Japan or Europe.

This narrow range of crops could mean that biotechnology may not realize its full potential in the future. Why do soybeans, corn, cotton, and canola dominate the GM crop market? They are ingredients in processed foods, so they are more easily accepted.

In fact, just 15 crops provide 90 percent of global energy intake and “the big four” – maize, rice, wheat and potatoes – are staples for about 5 billion people. Such reliable, widespread crops are the basis of food systems and human subsistence.

The Big 4 are the four largest international accounting and professional services firms. They are Deloitte, EY, KPMG and PwC.

With over 750 companies doing seed business in the US, a commercial market value of approximately $12.0 billion (ASTA, 2009), and over 60,000 varieties of planting seed, the US is the largest and most diverse planting seed market in the world, followed by China, France, Brazil and India (ISF, 2012).

What seed company does China own? ›

Syngenta, which is headquartered in Switzerland, is owned by a Chinese parent company called ChemChina.

BASF, Bayer/Monsanto, ChemChina-Syngenta, and Corteva Agriscience are the four big corporations that currently own the rights to over two thirds of the world's seed and pesticide sales.

As the first professional seed establishment in America, Landreth's has helped grow the gardens that have fed generations. It is our sincerest pleasure to bring the joy, pride, and confidence of a crop well-tended and meal home-grown to new and experienced gardeners alike.

Legumes like soybeans have the ability to pull nitrogen from the air and store it in nodules on their roots, explaining the reason soybeans are planted the following year after corn. Soybeans are less susceptible to common corn pests and diseases, which can help to reduce pest and disease pressure on corn.

GMO foods are carefully studied before they are sold to the public to ensure they are as safe as2 the foods we currently eat. These studies1 show that GMOs do not affect you differently than non-GMO foods. Do GMOs affect your health? GMO foods are as healthful and safe to eat as their non-GMO counterparts.

Iowa is the biggest corn producer in the United States, with 90% of its land being used for agriculture. Illinois follows Iowa as the second largest corn producer, and Nebraska and Minnesota follow afterwards.

United States. The United States holds the distinction of being the top producer of corn in the world at 354.19 million tonnes and the top exporter, sending 57.79 million tonnes to overseas markets.

Iowa produced the most corn in the United States in 2020 followed by Illinois & Nebraska. Four states produced over 1 billion bushels of corn in 2020: Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska, & Minnesota.