LINCOLN, Neb. -- The Organization for Competitive Markets (OCM) is sponsoring a major event to raise awareness about concentration of market power in the seed industry and the impacts on rural Iowa. The event, "Taking It Back: Bringing Fairness and Competition Back to the Seed Industry for Our Farmers," will be held from 6-8 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 11, in the 4H building at the Clay County fairgrounds in Spencer.

State Representatives Marcie Frevert (District 7) and Mark Kuhn (District 14) will co-chair the event, and Iowa Farmers Union and American Corn Growers Association are co-sponsors.

"Concentration in the U.S. crop seed industry is hurting Iowa farmers," said Randy Stevenson, OCM's president. "In the face of expensive fuel and fertilizer costs, our farmers are paying historic seed prices with less choice in the marketplace."

The keynote speaker is Fred Kirschenmann of the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture at Iowa State University. Kirschenmann is a professor and farmer who is widely recognized as a leader in promoting equitable agricultural systems for American farmers.

The lack of choice in transgenic and conventional crop seed has been costly to producers, and will become more costly in the future. "Farmers' seed options have become increasingly limited due to trade practices that drive up prices and restrain choice and innovation," explained Stevenson. "Some seed corn prices are increasing by $100 per bag this fall. This is an enormous drain on rural communities."

Regional seed companies are important distribution outlets in rural communities, yet their numbers have declined from about 600 to 150 nationally. These companies want to preserve their independence and provide their customers the best modern varieties available. The anticompetitive actions of dominant firms are a huge barrier to restoring competition for our farmers.

"We cannot ignore the consolidation of market power in the U.S. crop seed industry," said Fred Stokes, Executive Director of OCM. "Our farmers are at a disadvantage, and we owe it to them to 'Take Back' an open and fair marketplace."

Those who attend the event will be provided a complimentary Oak Tree Bar-B-Que dinner and encouraged to engage in dialogue with the political leaders and other guests.

* For more information, visit www.competitivemarkets.com or call Kristina Hubbard at 406-203-4433.