Innovation / rural finance products and process

Periodical

Crop Genetic Resources: An Economic Appraisal

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Economic Information Bulletin No. 2 (EIB2), May (2005)

Crop genetic resources are the basis of agricultural production. However, crop genetic resources are largely public goods, so private incentives for genetic resource conservation may fall short of achieving public objectives. Within the U.S. germplasm system, certain crop collections lack sufficient diversity to reduce vulnerability to pests and diseases. This report examines the role of genetic resources, genetic diversity, and efforts to value genetic resources.

You can also read linked documents for this article.