Farming in the US is a high-tech business, and growing vast amounts of genetically-modified crops is becoming commonplace. These are crops with an extra gene inserted which confers "beneficial traits", such as resistance to viruses, herbicides and weather extremes.
Much of the US's world trade in the next century will be crops containing genetically-modified organisms (GMOs) generated by large multinationals such as Monsanto. In the face of significant EU resistance, there is every indication that it will vigorously defend its right to access all markets.
For Mr Mark Stephens, a feed and grain merchant in Missouri, soya bean is a big line. Most of his suppliers grow genetically-modified soya with a gene making it resistant to Round Up herbicide.
The latest prices on the commodity markets arrive by satellite and farmers coming in with soya-laden trailers get a price updated almost by the minute after an instant bean quality check.
With most of their acreage planted with "Round Up-ready soya", it is easy to see that farmers back genetically-modified crops.
Mr Stephens is a pragmatist. He will supply customers with GMO-free soya if they want it. Some in Europe make that request. But local suppliers are growing modified soya because they have to spray the crop less and "they're getting a definite yield kiss".
Mr Stephens says once the US Food and Drug Administration gave the product the OK, farmers accepted it. They insist there is no difference in varieties. So much so, he says, that it's not practical to separate them in commercial bins.
Contrast that with Europe. EU member-states have been reluctant to take on board "plant biotechnology" even if many involved in its development predict all crops will soon be modified.
This coincides with confidence in food taking hard knocks and a festering row over labelling of genetically-modified food.
Dr Arnold Foudin, deputy director of the US Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, which also has a role in vetting such crops, looks to Europe when he reiterates an often-used quote: "Any technology, sufficiently complex, appears as black magic in the short term to the public."
Ireland has so far managed to by-pass that revolution, though many hundreds of GMO foods will soon sit on supermarket shelves, some labelled as such, most not.
Unlike with crops, GMOs are routinely used in the food, drink and pharmaceutical industries, but without controversy.
This year the US planted about 30 million acres of genetically-modified crops, mostly soya, maize and cotton. In Ireland less than an acre was planted. The modified sugar beet was part of a trial but was later destroyed by environmental saboteurs.
The test on land owned by the farm research body, Teagasc, in Co Carlow was to see how Monsanto's variety of sugar beet would grow here. It is coded with an ability to resist the effects of Round Up, Ireland's most commonly used herbicide.
This Monsanto chemical has a strong safety record and is biodegradable. The sugar produced from this new variety is identical to the non-modified sugar beet, says Monsanto's.