A lack of competition is boxing farmers and small agricultural companies into decisions some would rather not make — including what kind of seeds to plant, an agribusiness executive told lawmakers Tuesday.
John Latham, president of Latham Quality in Alexander, Iowa, said he worries about the weed killer dicamba — which EPA may soon allow to be used more widely — but wouldn’t have much choice other than to sell seeds engineered for its use if Biden-era restrictions on the chemical are loosened.
“I think I should be able to sell what our customers want and the best value for them,” Latham told the Senate Judiciary Committee at a hearing on market concentration in the seed and fertilizer industries.
Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) drew attention to dicamba, which has a history of drifting off the fields where it’s intended and killing other crops.
