The global market for agri-food products has been divided for a decade. The division arose over the approval of biotechnology-based innovations – with the European Union temporarily suspending approvals and imports until it could devise a new approval mechanism. Other countries chose between regulatory paths. Trade was disrupted – reducing the profitability of investment. Biotechnology innovations continue to be approved. The potential for contamination of traded non-GM products has increased and the focus has shifted to contamination-based disruptions. Divergent paths were never expected to persist but institutional rigidities are likely to prevent re-synchronization of approvals. The value of forgone benefits will accelerate.