Disappearing diversity:  A mere century ago, 15,000 kinds of apples were grown in America.   Today there are 1,500.

Vanishing vegetables:  Ninety-six percent of all corn varieties grown here are gone, as are 95 percent of cabbages and 81 percent of tomatoes.

A seedy business takeover:  At present, four huge companies control more than half of the domestic seed market.

Water market beginning to dry up:  Americans drank 8.7 billion gallons of bottled water last year, a decline of 100 million since 2007 and the first decrease of the decade.

But still thirsty:  Seventy percent of U.S. consumers drink bottled water; per capita consumption was 28.5 gallons.

Number three and flowing to the top:  After soda and milk, bottled water is America€™s third most popular beverage, moving ahead of juice in 2008.