The big get bigger

Monsanto yesterday announced the acquisition of Seminis, a seed company based in California. According to a Food First analysis and my own reading, the most interesting point made in the GMO giant's press release was this:

From a technology perspective, Monsanto intends to continue on the path taken by Seminis for its business, which is to focus on developing products via advanced breeding techniques. Longer term, biotechnology applications could be an option, and will be evaluated in the context of Monsanto's research-and-development priorities and potential commercial business opportunities.

Seminis holds more than 20 percent of the global seed market. It seems that Monsanto is saying that it doesn't plan to explore GMO options -- for now. Still, the ever-increasing consolidation of agricultural materials into so few hands is definitely cause for alarm. Biodiversity should be the rule, not the exception.