About 20 protesters of genetically modified organisms in farm operations on Molokai were allowed into a company meeting of Monsanto Hawaiian Research on Thursday, but they left when they couldn’t get answers from executives.

the Hawaii segment of the [GMO seed crop] business has expanded by about 15 percent per year, and the total value last year was $60.2 million, employing about a thousand people.

That puts seed crops second among island diversified agriculture, about equal to fruits and vegetables but behind flowers.

The $60 million is also roughly the value of sugar cane at harvest, although once through the mills, the added value puts sugar well ahead.

It may not be too many years, though, before seed crops grown in Hawaii catch up to sugar in value. Mark Leidy, executive vice president for Monsanto’s worldwide manufacturing, says the company plans for "substantial" new investment in Hawaii in the next five years.