On my way to the DOJ
Today I’m attending the first in a series of workshops hosted by the Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to discuss competition and regulatory issues affecting the agriculture industry. Converging for this hallmark event in Ankeny are sure to be a host of lawyers, PR professionals, members of the media, politicians, seed company representatives, as well as crop farmers and livestock producers.
It could very well be a three-ring circus. One blogger even called today’s public hearing on the seed industry a “Big Ticket, Vegas-style showdown” with a couple of heavyweights (i.e. DuPont and Monsanto) throwing punches and advancing the antitrust issue.
At the end of the day, I’m not hoping for any knockouts or drag downs. The entire agriculture industry will be better served when more “heavyweights” enter the arena.
More technology providers means increased competition, and increased competition means more choices for everyone from seed suppliers to crop producers.
