Discussant's Response.

The article comments on papers examining the role of entrepreneurship, technological innovation and continual adaptation for successful agricultural producers and agribusiness firms. One of the papers argues that while entrepreneurship may be, in part, genetically determined, it can be improved and encouraged through targeted education. The researchers suggest that enhancing entrepreneurship is particularly important in agriculture, and thus should be a priority in developing education programs at land-grant universities. Another paper discusses the role of universities to play in transferring technology to the private sector, but the processes and procedures for doing so are still quite immature. In one of the papers, researches are suggesting that internal analytical capabilities that drive a firm's on-going adjustments to new market/consumer realities are central to long-term success. These papers offer a starting point for continued discussions on how land-grant universities can adapt teaching, research, and outreach/technology transfer programs to better respond to the needs of entrepreneurs and, in turn, promote economic development.