The program has helped our local farmers develop unique and beneficial products.

While American farmers are Monsanto's main customers, much of their market is also overseas, where they've helped develop crops exclusively for Third World countries, including a variety of disease-resistant sweet potato.

Farmers like Ma are actually creators of the organizations.

Local plants have netted most farmers between 10 and 15 cents more a bushel.

What helped is the suppliers all wanted to showcase their products.

Farmers don't like being told what to do. It was a volunteer program and should have stayed volunteer. I was doing it long before it was mandatory.