1. Results of the 2015 GEM Cooperator Survey By Candice Gardner, USDA-ARS December, 2015

2. Survey Rationale The GEM Project is 22 years young, a private-public sector collaboration dedicated to the mission of increasing the diversity of maize grown commercially in the U.S. Following its 20 year anniversary, a survey was designed in collaboration with the GEM Technical Steering Group to review the program, its objectives, and its capacity to deliver services and products that contribute to stakeholder needs.

3. Acknowledgements and Thanks Tyler Teske, Iowa State University Agronomy Department who volunteered to conduct the Qualtris survey. All GEM Cooperators for contributing responses to the survey and for helping us consider strategies and how best to fulfill GEM’s purpose The Original Framers of the GEM Project who envisioned its mission and invested their intellectual and political capital.

4. Organization Survey respondent stats Comments from Commercializers Comments from Non-Commercializers Public Sector Response Summary Private Sector (>4% market share) Response Summary Private Sector (<4% market share) Response Summary

5. Summary of Respondents Institutional Type # Respondents # US # Us & Int’l # Int’lUndeclared Public1514010 Company >4% market share168341 Company <4% market share97020 Total4029371

6. Survey Comments From Those Who Indicated They Have Commercialized Product Derived from GEM Germplasm

7. - I like GEM

8. The survey had a flaw that would not let me answer no to the question about commercializing GEM germplasm. I said "yes" to that question so I could complete the survey, but I have not actually commercialized any product containing GEM germplasm. GEM is the only way for a public breeder to get access to germplasm related to current commercial germplasm that relatively recent.

9. I do not receive any funding from GEM and have more diversity in my breeding program than probably any program in the country and maybe the world (thanks to Javier Betran). I do not really need any more germplasm or diversity. I believe GEM is very important and I hope to continue to help advance the materials and collaborate. We are currently doing testing for GEM and screen GEM in the SERAT aflatoxin project. There is a limit to how much pro-bono work I can do and the G2F project is accounting for most of this right now.

10. It became obvious years ago and by their own admission that the major companies had reduced the genetic diversity of their corn germplasm to a dangerously low level. In my own program, I started using exotic material. Then I discovered GEM. Instant access to elite by exotic germplasm from around the world. By receiving breeding populations, we are not competing against the seed stock suppliers but by breeding from GEM have the opportunity to create unique and valuable inbreds. GEM is a must have for any independent breeding program!

11. The program was run very well under Mike Blanco. The next leader has big shoes to fill. We have built GEM materials into our germplasm base. These will pay dividends soon. Can there be a push for earlier materials from GEM outside of NDSU?

12. Comments from Non-Commercializers

13. Long term I think GEM will be very valuable to US agriculture. The challenge is to continue devoting sufficient resources to this effort against other resource demands. Pros: access to germplasm that we otherwise would not have. Great potential to identify useful germplasm for grain quality, disease resistance, abiotic stress tolerance. Cons: bringing GEM germplasm up to speed to be competitive with elite US germplasm for plant / ear height, yield, early maturity / grain drydown.

14. GEM is a unique program that aims at bringing the US government, academia, and seed industry together with a long term view of maintaining a sustainable level of usable diversity for commercial maize breeding. The long term commitment of all partners has made it a model of what a PPP could be. Yet it should not become complacent with where it is at, and strive to do better. It is probably too small a program to adequately meet all of its stated goals, and need more supports, financial, in kind, and technical, while increasing the crispness of what it needs to be held accountable for, which is a hard task given the multiplicity of opinions, goals, and needs among its constituency.

15. We started the project in the days when there were many companies developing new commercial inbreds via F2 breeding populations and phenotypic selection. GEM seems to be working on that same model even as the industry has consolidated and moved heavily toward molecular breeding technologies. Meanwhile, the conventional line development resources have not been close to what would have been needed to develop competitive inbreds. So the great dreams we started with are quickly moving out of sight and GEM will need to make radical changes to survive. However, with the strong need for better graduate student educational projects, in addition to molecular level diversity information, there are many ways GEM can become a much bigger contributor to the ag community.

16. Most of your questions are yes or no. However, for some of the new cooperators like us, a third option should be has not been known yet.

17. GEM is an important project for global corn breeding that should be continued. Even if use of the germplasm is not particularly high in some regions or by some companies, the GEM material is clearly getting better and better. Moreover, GEM is an excellent model of successful public-private collaboration over a long period of time.

18. Our interest has been concentrated in insect ECB (i.e. corn- borer) tolerance. Have used Peruvian PI's from the collection and made test crosses. Also tried to create root worm selection as goal to make our own ECB and root worm hybrids. Had to give up because of low yields. Traits since have taken over.

19. Joined GEM because there is no other source to find material that somebody else already has a "hook". Our GEM support has been through testing but gave that up this year. Still interested in GEM.

20. Our company has participated in GEM for many years and sees great value in its purpose of increasing corn genetic diversity without sacrificing performance. Just this year a GEM-derived line was promoted to company- wide advanced trials after two years of extensive testing in our yield trials and nursery. While this is a long way from a commercial product it clearly shows the value of GEM material, especially taking into account the fact that this line contributed yield superior to commercial hybrids of the same maturity as well as a high level of stalk rot resistance.

21. Public Sector Responses

22. P Entity Type # resp onde nts <5 yrs 5-10 yrs 11-15 yrs 16-20 yrs Eval GEM Germ plasm in the USA Eval GEM Germ plasm intl Tested Hybrid s with GEM germpl asm Made Hybrid s with GEM Germp lasm for own tests Made Pops with GEM Germ plasm for own testsLoc Successf ully used GEM germpla sm in breedin gLoc Com merci alized produ ctLoc US Public14635131106 9 US; 1 Intl2 USA & Intl Int’l Public1111Intl1

23. Type of Institution Identified any useful haplotype ?Location? % of GEM germplas m used in breeding Will you use less/same/ more GEM germplas m in the future? Have you contribute d in kind cooperativ e resources? Would you be willing to increase in-kind contributi ons to enable / GEM to expand its scope and beco... Have you hired any personnel who were trained using GEM germplas m / of GEM project support? Do you consider the GEM Project to be important to the US corn / industry/f ood security? Has GEM made any contributi on to internatio nal maize crop / diversity? US Public2USA & Int’l Int’l Public1Int’l1-5 %SameYes NoYes

24. Private Sector Responses – Companies with >4% Market Share

25. # respond ents< 5 yrs5-10 yrs 11-15 yrs 16-21 yrs undeclar ed USA onlyBoth Outside USA only USA / Both / Outside /undecl ared Companies with >4% market share 1522281834 8/3/4/1 <5 yrs*22 1 1 5-10 yrs2211 11-15 yrs2211 1/0/1/0 16-21 yrs88521 5/2/1/1 undeclared 111 0/0/1/1/

26. Companies with >4% market share Contributed proprietary germplasm to GEM? germplasm <5 yrs old germplasm 5-8 yrs old germplasm 9-12 yrs old germplasm 13-15 yrs old germplasm 16+ yrs old <5 yrs*No 5-10 yrsNo1 (US) 11-15 yrs2 1 (outside US) 16-21 yrs80/1/0/0 0/2/0/0 0/1/0/0 undeclared1

27. Companies with >4% market share Eval GEM Germplasm in the USA Eval GEM Germplasm Intl Tested Hybrids with GEM germplasm Made Hybrids with GEM Germplasm for own testing Made Population s with GEM Germplasm for own testingLocation Made breeding pops with GEM germplasm for own use <5 yrs*0100/1 Int’l 5-10 yrs111/01/1 USA/Int’l 11-15 yrs010/11/1 USA/Int’l0/1 16-21 yrs627776/1

28. Companies with >4% market share Successfully used GEM germplasm in breedingLocation Commercialized with GEM germplasmLocation How many products <5 yrs*NoInt’l0 5-10 yrsNo 11-15 yrsYes 1/1USA/Int’l1/1/0/0USA/Int’l2 16-21 yrs3/0USANo

29. Companies with >4% market share ID or used germplasm with leaf disease resistance? ID or used germplasm with ear rot disease resistance? ID or used germplasm with stalkrot disease resistance? ID or used germplasm with insect resistance? Used GEM lines directly or indirectly in silage products? Used GEM germplasm's grain characteristic s? Id'd any useful haplotype? <5 yrs*1Y1001 5-10 yrsNo 11-15 yrsNo YesNoYes 16-21 yrsYes222No

30. Companies with >4% market share % of GEM germplasm used in breeding Use less/same /more GEM germplas m in the future Importance to your current program Have you contributed in kind coop resources Willing to increase in- kind support to help expand scope Hired any personnel trained using GEM germplasm or project support Do you consider the GEM Project to be important to the US corn / industry/fo od security Has GEM made any contributio n to internation al maize crop / diversity <5 yrs*6-10%More NR/Moder ateNR/Yes 5-10 yrs1-5%SameLowYes/YesNo/YesNoYes/Yes 11-15 yrs1-5%SameNR/LowYes/YesNo/YesNoYes/YesNo/Yes 16-21 yrs3, 1-5%;0/4/2 3 V Low; 3 Moderate; 1 High 6 Yes; 1 NR4 Y; 2 No3 Y; 1 No4 Y; 1 No

31. Private Sector Responses – Companies With <4% Market Share

32. # respon dents<5 yrs5-10 yrs 11-15 yrs 16-21 yrs USA only USA 7 INT’L Int’l only USA / Both / Outside Companies with <4% market share91620702 <5 yrs110010/0/1 5-10 yrs66006/0/0 11-15 yrs2 1011/0/1 16-20 yrs0

33. Companies with <4% market share Contributed proprietary germplasm to GEM? germplasm <5 yrs old germplasm 5-8 yrs old germplasm 9-12 yrs old germplasm 13-15 yrs old germplasm 16+ yrs old <5 yrsNo 5-10 yrs3 Yes; 3 No12 11-15 yrsNo

34. Compa nies with <4% market share Eval GEM Germp lasm in the USA Eval GEM Germpl asm Intl Tested Hybrids with GEM germpla sm? Made Hybrids with GEM Germpl asm for own testing Made Pops with GEM Germpl asm for own testingLoc Made breedin g pops with GEM germpla sm for own use Successf ully used GEM germpla sm in breedin gLoc Commer cialized with GEM germplas mLoc Number of product s <5 yrs010/0 5-10 yrs40224USA44 USA / Int’l2 11-15 yrs1 110USA00 0

35. Companies with <4% market share ID or used germplasm with leaf disease resistance ID or used germplasm with ear rot disease resistance ID or used germplasm with stalkrot disease resistance ID or used germplasm with insect resistance Used GEM lines directly or indirectly in silage products Used GEM germplasm' s grain characteris tics Identified any useful haplotype <5 yrs 5-10 yrs442223No 11-15 yrs000100No

36. Companie s with <4% market share % of GEM germplas m used in breedingLocation Use less/same/ more GEM germplas m in the future? Importanc e to your current program? Have you contribute d in kind resources ? Willing to increase in-kind contributi ons to enable expanding scope? Hired any personnel trained using GEM germplas m / of GEM project support? Do you consider the GEM Project to be important to the US corn / industry/f ood security? Has GEM made any contributi on to internatio nal maize crop / diversity? <5 yrs1-5% Outside USAMoreVery lowNR/YesNR/YESNoNR/YesNR/YES 5-10 yrs 3, 1-5%; 1, 11-15% USA/Outsi de USASame 1 V Low; 2 Low; 1 ModerateYes 1 No/ 4 YesNo1 No/4 Yes4 Yes 11-15 yrs LessLowYes NoYes

37. Thank you for your thoughtful contributions and support!