TENSION CAN BUILD BETWEENINDUSTRY AND LAND-GRANT UNIVERSITIES WHEN IT COMES TO PRODUCT CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENTS.Rubber bands can seemingly stretch and stretch and stretch. Eventually, though, the stretching stops and morphs into a stinging snap that smarts. That's akin to confidentiality agreements between industry and land-grant universities. Used properly, theycan create a symbiotic relationship beneficial to both land-grant universities and industry. When they go awry, though, they leave a sting that sours all parties.Confidentiality agreements aren't new or unique to agriculture. Other disciplines, such as engineering, use them. Under them, agricultural companies work with universities to jointly test products like biotech traits and pesticides. Done properly, they enable Extension and university scientists to get in on the ground floor of new technology.
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