By Andi Anderson
Puerto Rico’s fertile land has quietly become essential to America’s booming corn industry. To meet global demand, seed companies established hybrid research centers along the island’s south coast, helping create high-yield corn varieties used across the U.S. Midwest.
More than a third of the world’s corn supply comes from America’s Corn Belt, stretching from Nebraska to Ohio. Yet, as organic farmer Magha Garcia notes, “They don’t produce food, but they are using the resources that we need to produce food.” Her comment reflects growing frustration among local farmers who see limited benefits from these corporate operations.
Over the past three decades, global agribusiness leaders like Bayer, Corteva Agriscience, Syngenta, and BASF have opened test farms across Puerto Rico. Together, these corporations control more than half of the world’s seed market.
In 2024, the total economic output of corn to the U.S. economy reached $123 billion, according to the National Corn Growers Association. Many of the seed varieties responsible for that success were first tested and developed in Puerto Rican soil.
Seed companies use Puerto Rico’s tropical climate to breed and genetically engineer high-yielding, pest-resistant, and herbicide-tolerant seeds year-round. The Puerto Rico Agricultural Biotechnology Industry Association (PRABIA) reports that 85% of all seeds used in the global seed chain pass through the island at some stage of production.
However, some Puerto Ricans argue that this system is unfair. They believe multinational seed firms exploit the island’s natural and human resources without offering significant economic returns, despite receiving generous tax incentives and regulatory flexibility from the government.
The growing debate highlights the tension between agricultural innovation and local sustainability, as Puerto Rico continues to power global food systems while struggling to secure its own food independence.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-dszc
Categories: Illinois, Crops, Corn