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USDA taking steps to address seed industry consolidation

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is taking steps to address competition in the seed and ag input sectors.

Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack said Monday USDA is laser-focused on standing up for America’s farmers in part by creating fairer markets.

It’s the latest in a series of announcements by the Biden administration as it directs federal agencies to look for ways to grow competition across the U.S. economy.

U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa applauds the move and tells Brownfield his concerns go back to the acquisition of Syngenta by a Chinese company in 2017.

“And I don’t know how many other mergers there may have been in this area that I’ve written letters to either the FTC or the Justice Department to investigate to make sure the antitrust laws are enforced.”

Vilsack says USDA will collaborate with the Patent and Trademark Office, Department of Justice, and Federal Trade Commission to form a working group on intellectual property and competition in the seed industry.