Researchability of modern agricultural input markets and growing concentration.

The views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily correspond to the views or policies of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

This article was presented as a principal paper at the AAEA annual meeting (Portland. Oregon, July 2007). The articles in these sessions are not subjected to the journal's standard refereeing process. Table 1. Estimated Seed Sales and Shares for Major Field Crops, U.S. Market, 1997

Total Total (1) Corn Company $ Billion Percent

Market Pioneer Hi-bred 1.18 34 42 Monsanto/Stoneville 0.54 15 14 Novartis 0.26 8 9 Delta & Pine land 0.08 2 Dow Agrosciences/Mycogen 0.14 4 4 Others 1.31 37 31 Total 3.50 100 100 Share of four largest 61 69 firms (CR4)

Soybeans Cotton Company Share by

Acreage Pioneer Hi-bred 19 Monsanto/Stoneville 19 11 Novartis 5 Delta & Pine land 73 Dow Agrosciences/Mycogen 4 Others 53 16 Total 100 100 Share of four largest 47 92 firms (CR4) (1) Total market shares are based only on market share in corn. soybeans, and cotton. Sources: Hayenga (1998), Fernandez-Cornejo (2004). Table 2. Four-Firm Concentration in APHIS Field Release Approval, 1990-2000 Crop 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 Corn CR4 67 67 65 82 82 67 Soybeans CR4 100 100 94 68 72 94 Cotton CR4 100 100 100 89 79 85 Crop 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 Corn CR4 60 73 73 80 79 Soybeans CR4 82 82 71 87 85 Cotton CR4 91 64 98 98 96 Source: Fernandez-Cornejo (2004)