Productivity Growth and Convergence in U.S. Agriculture: New Cointegration Panel Data Results

Dynamic effects of health and inter-state and inter-industry knowledge spillovers, total factor productivity (TFP) growth and convergence in U.S. agriculture are examined using recently developed procedures for panel data and a growth accounting model. Strong evidence is found to support the hypothesis that TFP converges to a steady-state. Health care supply in rural areas and research spillovers from other states and from nonagricultural sectors are found to have significant impacts on the productivity growth rate both in the short-run and long-run. These results suggest richer opportunities for policymakers to enhance productivity growth.