The Staggers Rail Act (1980) permitted confidential railroad contracts. Legislation later required disclosure of certain contract terms to allay small shippers' claims of injury. This study uses experimental economics to analyze the effects of information disclosure. The oligoplastic market...

The Staggers Rail Act of 1980 granted railroads freedom to establish rates and enter into confidential contracts with grain shippers. Recent legislation (1986) required that certain contract terms be disclosed. This study shows rail rates in the Plains region commenced an upward trend after...

Knowledge gaps facing smaller firms in the U.S. food processing and distribution industries are discussed in the context of export decisions which these firms must make. The paper focuses on resources available for export assistance to smaller firms. It is argued that much of the assistance...

Lesser developed countries (LDCs) serve as both customers and competitors for agricultural commodities produced in the Southern region of the United States. This paper focuses on the impacts of LDCs on exports of the major agricultural commodities produced in the South (cotton, rice, tobacco,...

This paper explores the links between development assistance, agricultural output growth and imports in 56 developing economies over the period 1974-1990. The empirical model treats agricultural growth and imports, savings and aid as endogenous. The analysis also accounts for differences in...