U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said mergers of agriculture companies shouldn’t stifle innovation among companies or limit farmers’ choices, The Des Moines Register reported. Agricultural producers will likely benefit from a number of seed traits coming off patent, Vilsack added. As a result, Vilsack said existing agribusiness companies will be eager to churn out new products. Smaller seed companies also will come on line to spur further innovation, he said. “I don’t think just because a couple of the major players are going to potentially merge or consider some other kind of arrangement that that necessarily long-term absolutely guarantees that farmers are going to have less choice,” Vilsack said. “I think there is a plausible case that we’re going to have lots of innovation and diversification within agriculture.”