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developed, and allowing them to make a profit that justifies doing the 

 research. 



Using soybeans as an example, we can illustrate the economic benefit of 

 the PVPA to U.S. farmers. As shown earlier, there has been a dramatic 

 increase in soybean yields since the enactment of the 1970 PVPA. 

 Without the PVPA to encourage private soybean research, we believe 

 yields would have increased at a slower rate. By extrapolating the 1960s 

 yield trend line out to 1992 on the U.S. Soybean Yields chart, we project 

 that soybean yields are about 20 percent higher than they would have 

 been without the increased research encouraged by the PVPA. This 20 

 percent increase in yields generated an additional $2.64 billion in income 

 to U.S. soybean farmers from just the 1992 crop. 



Wheat yields have also increased at a faster rate than we projected they 

 would have without the added incentives of the 1970 PVP Act. The 

 attached U.S. Wheat Yields chart compares the yield trend line 

 established in the 1960s to yield trends since 1970. Our projections 

 indicate yields are about 15 percent higher. This extra yield gave farmers 

 in wheat states approximately $975 million in additional income in 1992. 



The exodus of several seed companies in the late- 1980s, however, has 

 reduced the number of new wheat varieties being released. As a result, it 

 appears that wheat yields are no longer increasing and the trend line has 

 started to flatten in recent years. 



Without strong PVPA protection, there may come a time when private 

 soybean research will be cut back. We believe the effect on soybean 

 yields would parallel what is happening to wheat because there will not 

 be the incentive for companies to strive for increased yields year after 

 year. 



In conclusion, we urge the Subcommittee to make the passage of the 

 Plant Variety Protection Act amendments a priority. 



(Attachments follow:) 



