1980 US public sector seeds accounted for 70% of soy; 72-85% of wheat types
“Most major new crop varieties developed throughout the 20th century owe their origin to publicly funded agricultural research and breeding. In 1980, the share of overall U.S. crop acreage planted with public sector seed was 70 percent for soybeans and 72-85 percent for various types of wheat.9 The substantial yield increases in corn, cotton, and soybeans since 1930 evince the “unambiguous hegemony of public science in the field of plant breeding”10 in the 20th century.”
Source: Seed Giants vs. US Farmers, Debbie Barker, Publication Coordinator and Senior Writer/Editor, SOS Project Director, Center for Food Safety and Save Our Seeds, 2013, 3. [verified 4/15/14]