We will incorporate new and desirable genes obtained from corn gathered from many countries throughout the world into inbreds that are already used commercially. The following is an excerpt from a proposal written by Dr. David Harper of Holden's Foundation Seeds to the Agriculture, Rural Development, and Related Agencies Subcommittee on Appropriations, U.S. Senate, entitled Strengthening the Germplasm Base of USA Hybrids by Enhancing Corn Germplasm . Corn is the major crop on the cultivated land of the USA where approximately 75 million acres are planted each year. Approximately 17 percent of the yearly corn crop is industrially refined. Through feeding livestock, the rest of the crop is processed into meat and dairy products that affect everyone in our society.
Corn is a key resource within our country.
This situation exists because private sector corn breeders have generally concentrated on genetically narrow based, or elite by elite, sources for their breeding efforts, since their use results in getting hybrids to the marketplace faster. Traditionally, corn has been treated as a commodity. In recent years corn grain users and processors have become more interested in the quality characteristics of the grain itself and how this affects their business. Breeders must still be concerned with breeding for higher yields so that U.S. corn farmers can remain competitive. Tapping into the broader germplasm pool could provide new sources of genes for higher yield and other performance traits, such as disease and insect tolerance or improved stalk and root strength.