The producer support estimate (the successor to the producer support equivalent) calculated by the OECD is widely used as an indicator of distortions created by agricultural policies. In this paper we demonstrate that changes in the relative (percentage) PSE are not an accurate indicator of the...

The producer support estimate calculated by the OECD is widely misused as an indicator of distortions created by agricultural policies. In this paper we demonstrate rigorously that a change in the relative (percentage) PSE is not an accurate indicator of the implications of policy reform for...

The debate over a new farm bill has focused on how to spend an additional $73.5 billion in funding for the agricultural budget over ten years. The House of Representatives, the Senate Agriculture Committee, and Senators Cochran and Roberts (supported by the Bush Administration) have each...

It is now common for producers (economic protectionism), consumers and social advocates (humanitarian motives) to urge for the inclusion of labour standards in international trade agreements. In spite of this, there has been little empirical work to determine whether low labour standards lead to...

Many countries around the world either tax agriculture or provide subsidies through trade and agricultural policies. This paper presents historical developments in the United States, European Union, Canada, China, India, and Thailand, which generally subsidize agriculture although the level of...

After joining the WTO in 2002, Taiwan allowed rice imports for the first time by implementing an import quota subject to a special safeguard tariff. In 2003, the import quota was expanded to a two-tier tariff rate import quota system. Although Taiwan maintained land set-asides and domestic...

We examine current rice policies in four major Asian countries (China, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan), their relationship to current WTO disciplines, and to those proposed under the Doha negotiations. WTO disciplines have prompted some changes in rice policies, but disciplines of domestic support are...