2004-2005 saw an upsurge in seed industry takeovers and a shake-up in rankings. Today, the top 10 companies control half of the world’s commercial seed sales. With a total worldwide market of approximately US $21 000 (21 billion) per annum, the commercial seed industry is relatively small compared to the global pesticide market ($35 400 million), and it’s positively puny compared to pharmaceutical sales ($466 000 million). But corporate control and ownership of seeds – the first link in the food chain – has far reaching implications for global food security. This Communique examines seed industry consolidation and other recent trends in the commercial seed industry.