Puerto Rico has many advantages for scientific research. Not only is there a large STEM-educated workforce and a robust bioscience community, there is also a very high level of biodiversity. But Puerto Rico’s climate also makes it the perfect place to conduct research on new seed varieties. Numerous companies and academic institutions in the states rely on Puerto Rico for seed development research.
In most states, winter interrupts work on development of new seed varieties. In Puerto Rico’s warmer climate, such research can make place throughout the year. Two or more generations of genetically modified crops can be produced in a single year, turbo-charging the research process. Stateside researchers can send seeds to be planted in Puerto Rico. Puerto Rican researchers send the seeds produced by the crops back to the original senders. They can continue their work on the additional generations of seeds and thus double the progress in seed development research that they could otherwise make in a year.
The Puerto Rico Agricultural Biotechnology Industry Association (PRABIA) claims that 85% of all seeds used in the world pass through Puerto Rico at some point in their development.
The case of Bayer
Bayer Crops, formerly Monsanto, owns nearly half of all the seed patents in the world. Naturally, they take advantage of Puerto Rico’s ability to produce more generations of plants from their seeds. According to PRABIA, the company earns $22 billion a year from their efforts. They employ 2,900 people on the Island, pay $9 million in taxes, and generate $284 million in economic activity in Puerto Rico. These are not small numbers. Bayer is important to the local economy.
But the total economic benefit to Puerto Rico is dwarfed by the amount of benefit to the corporation. As with other major companies that take advantage of Puerto Rico’s generous tax deals, Bayer leaves relatively little on the table in Puerto Rico and takes most of its profits back to the states.
Bayer receives free water, subsidies for the wages paid to Puerto Ricans, and enormous tax breaks. Some observers claim that they repay this largesse with environmental damage, leading to health problems on the Island. Some say they also take up farmland which could otherwise be used to grow food for local consumption. Puerto Rico imports about 85% of all food eaten on the Island.
Other collaborations
Numerous academic programs also work with Puerto Rico’s test farms. The University of Arkansas has developed disease-resistant varieties of rice thanks to Puerto Rico. A Louisiana State University breeder said, “Without the nursery in Puerto Rico, AgCenter researchers wouldn’t have enough seed for trials.” North Dakota State University has a collaborative program with the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez for training plant breeders and geneticists.
Programs like these — and there are many — are good for all parties, including nations who are then able to feed more of their population with more productive crops. But Puerto Rico doesn’t end up owning the patents or monetizing the results.
Would statehood help?
As a state, Puerto Rico could tap the same level of USDA, NSF, and other federal research funds and extension services as rural states do, strengthening public seed banks, local universities, and farmer‑focused research instead of relying so heavily on corporate projects. In addition, statehood would provide fuller access to federal programs, stronger bargaining power on tax policy, and more leverage to capture local spillovers from the research.
Voting members in Congress and full committee representation would give Puerto Rico more say over federal ag‑research priorities, biosafety, and subsidy rules, potentially pushing for conditions that require more local hiring, training, and infrastructure investment from partner firms.
In preparation for statehood, Puerto Rico could begin restructuring arrangements, especially with corporate partners, to make them more advantageous to the Island. Changes in the policies that leave Puerto Rico in this position would be beneficial for the territory now, and would also help to forge a path to statehood, preparing Puerto Rico to take her rightful place in the Union.
Reach out to your legislators and let them know that you want to see them on the right side of history, supporting statehood for Puerto Rico.
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