Investment in research and development is bringing more innovations to market benefiting both growers and consumers. However, growers are also seeing more patents, Plant Variety Protection Certificates (PVPs) and contracts associated with innovations, especially in the vegetable industry.

Vegetable breeders are continuously working on developing new varieties that meet consumer demands. Without these efforts, seedless watermelons, grape tomatoes, baby broccoli and broccoflower — foods we take for granted now — would not exist. Neither would tomatoes such as ‘Big Beef,’ a popular market variety that combines its large size, quality and full flavor with resistance to multiple pests and diseases.

Saving seed from your crop each year seems obvious; farmers have done it for thousands of years. However, […]