Between 1928 and 1960 U.S. cotton production witnessed a revolution with average yields increasing roughly threefold. In addition, the average staple length of the U.S. crop increased significantly, reversing a long-run downward trend in cotton quality. Underlying these accomplishments were major innovations in cotton marketing, wholesale changes in the varieties grown, and the emergence of a vibrant commercial seed industry. This paper analyzes the key institutional and scientific developments underlying this revolution in biological technologies, pointing to the importance of two government programs—the one-variety community crusade and the Smith-Doxey Act— as catalysts for change.
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Publisher Info
Paper provided by ICER - International Centre for Economic Research in its series ICER Working Papers with number
37-2002.
Length: 61 pages Date of creation: Oct 2002 Date of revision: Handle: RePEc:icr:wpicer:37-2002
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