The New York Times Agency Photos
FARMS COMPETITION 2
During the depths of the economic crisis last year, the prices for many goods held steady or even dropped. But on American farms, the picture was far different, as farmers watched the price they paid for seeds skyrocket. Such price increases for seeds -- the most important purchase a farmer makes each year -- are part of an unprecedented climb that began more than a decade ago. (Photo Illustration by Tony Cenicola/The New York Times)