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Commitment and Contingencies
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016
Commitments And Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies

Note 11. Commitments and Contingencies

Leases

The Company leases office and laboratory space, greenhouse space, grain storage bins, warehouse space, and equipment under operating lease agreements having initial lease terms ranging from three to five years, including certain renewal options available to the Company at market rates. The Company also leases land for field trials on a short-term basis. Future minimum payments under non-cancelable operating leases in effect as of December 31, 2016, are presented below (in thousands):

 

Years Ending December 31,

 

Amounts

 

2017

 

$

782

 

2018

 

 

334

 

2019

 

 

5

 

Total future minimum payments under non-

   cancelable operating leases

 

$

1,121

 

 

Rent expense under all operating leases totaled $1.3 million for both years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015.

Legal Matters

From time to time, in the ordinary course of business, the Company may become involved in certain legal proceedings. As of December 31, 2016 and 2015, the Company was not involved in any legal proceedings.

Contingent Liability Related to the Anawah Acquisition

On June 15, 2005, the Company completed its agreement and plan of merger and reorganization with Anawah, Inc. ("Anawah" or "Sellers"), to purchase the Sellers’ food and agricultural research company through a stock purchase. Pursuant to the merger with Anawah, and in accordance with the ASC 805 - Business Combinations, the Company incurred a contingent liability not to exceed $5.0 million. This liability represents amounts to be paid to Anawah’s previous stockholders for cash collected on revenue recognized by the Company upon commercial sale of certain specific products developed using technology acquired in the purchase. As of December 31, 2010, the Company ceased activities relating to three of the six Anawah product programs and, as a result, reduced the contingent liability to $3.0 million. During the third quarter of 2016, one of the programs previously accrued for was abandoned and another program previously abandoned was reactivated. As of December 31, 2016, the Company continues to pursue a total of three development programs using this technology and believe that the contingent liability is probable, thus $3.0 million remains on the Consolidated Balance Sheet as an other noncurrent liability.

Contracts

The Company has entered into contract research agreements with unrelated parties that require the Company to pay certain funding commitments. The initial terms of these agreements range from one to three years in duration and in certain cases are cancelable.

The Company licenses certain technologies via executed agreements (“In-Licensing Agreements”) that are used to develop and advance the Company’s own technologies. The Company has entered into various In-Licensing Agreements with related and unrelated parties that require the Company to pay certain license fees, royalties, and/or milestone fees. In addition, certain royalty payments ranging from 2% to 15% of net revenue amounts as defined in the In-Licensing Agreements will be due.

Royalties due to both related and unrelated parties on license revenue accrued as of December 31, 2016 and 2015 were $201,000 and $177,000, respectively. Royalties are included within research and development on the Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss.

Milestone payments are contingent upon the successful development or implementation of various technologies. Payments for milestones yet to be achieved totaled $2.0 million for both years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015. The timing of the payments is not determinable at this time pending research and development currently in progress; however, no significant payments were made during the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015.

The Company could be adversely affected by certain actions by the government as it relates to government contract revenue received in prior years. Government agencies, such as the Defense Contract Audit Agency routinely audit and investigate government contractors. These agencies review a contractor’s performance under its agreements; cost structure; and compliance with applicable laws, regulations and standards. The agencies also review the adequacy of, and a contractor’s compliance with, its internal control systems and policies, including the contractor’s purchasing, property, estimating, compensation and management information systems. While the Company’s management anticipates no adverse result from an audit, should any costs be found to be improperly allocated to a government agreement, such costs will not be reimbursed, or if already reimbursed, may need to be refunded. If an audit uncovers improper or illegal activities, civil and criminal penalties and administrative sanctions, including termination of contracts, forfeiture of profits, suspension of payments or fines, and suspension or prohibition from doing business with the government could occur. In addition, serious reputational harm or significant adverse financial effects could occur if allegations of impropriety were made against the Company. There currently are routine audits in process relating to government grant revenues.