Cottonseed is like software: The two big companies, Bayer CropScience and Monsanto, release new versions every growing season. Last year, Bayer (the same company that makes your aspirin) was the clear winner with its FiberMax line, bred to produce fluffy fibers while requiring little water. It can also be grown in tighter rows, packing more yield into each acre. Together, these two companies, along with three or four smaller developers, employ many thousands—test growers, salespeople, and administrative staff—in the search for a better cottonseed.