A Proposed Arbitration Mechanism to Ensure Free Trade in Livestock Products

Trade negotiations between Canada and the United States are to begin in the near future. For there to be an ongoing free movement of commodities the question of nontariff barriers must be addressed in the negotiations. Livestock commodities are particularly prone to nontariff barriers due to the public health aspects of domestic regulations and the perishability of the products. Potential nontariff barriers in livestock and meat products are identified and the problems of normal negotiation procedures outlined. A proposal for an arbitration mechanism for the settlement of disputes is developed. It's essential elements are pre-approval of changes to regulations, extremely short arbitration periods and decentralized adjudication.
Les négociations de commerce entre le Canada et les États-Unis commenceront bientôt. Pour avoir un mouvement continuel des denrées, la question des barrières nontarifaires doit être adressée dans les négotiations. Les denrées bestiaux sont particulièrement portées aux barrières nontarifaires à cause des aspects de la santé publique dans les régulations domestiques et la nature périssable des produits. On identifie les barrières nontarifaires potentielles en des produits bestiaux et de viande. On indique aussi les problèmes avec les processus de négotiation normale. Une proposition pour un mécanisme d'arbitrage pour la résolution des disputes est developpée. Les elements essentiels de cette proposition sont l'approbation en avance des changements aux régulations, les périodes d'arbitration très courtes et les prononcements de jugements décentralisés.     

Canada's Agricultural Trade Policy: Choices and Challenges

As a small open economy, Canada has a considerable interest in the achievement of substantive trade liberalization for agriculture in a multilateral context. Despite the advantages of a multi lateral approach to international trade rules, there are clear economic benefits for small countries like Canada from pursuing unilateral trade liberalization. In the context of Canadian agricultural policy this would require a considerable adjustment to the high levels of protection afforded Canada's supply-managed sectors. The benefits of an open economy are often not reflected in public discussions or in the language of trade negotiations. Instead these tend to reflect a focus on rent-seeking by special interest groups. This misrepresents the concessions of reduced trade barriers as costs, rather than recognizing them as benefits. There is a challenge for agricultural and applied economists to spell out the benefits of an open economy more clearly. A related useful focus of research is to explore the conditions and the nature of compensation to producer groups that would encourage rapid unilateral trade liberalization.     

Trade Preferences for Developing Countries: An Analysis of Canada's Trade with the Caribbean Basin

This paper analyzes the potential impact of Canada's newest trade preference agreement with the Caribbean Basin. The analysis shows that overall static trade expansion gains are limited to £536,000 per year and are confined to a narrow range of commodities. Greatest potential is found to exist in fresh vegetables, cocoa and chocolate products and sauces. The analysis also shows that more than 87% of the gains from trade expansion will redound to the benefit of Jamaican entrepreneurs.     

Comparative Advantage Indices of Selected Livestock Production Sectors in Brunei Darussalam

Abstract

This study calculates the protection rates and comparative advantage indices of livestock industry in Brunei from an import substitution perspective. Four livestock sub-sectors were being evaluated: broiler, layer, goat and beef cattle. Two measures of government intervention indices were calculated, namely nominal protection rate (NPR) and effective protection rate (EPR). Domestic resource cost (DRC) and resource cost ratio (RCR) indices were computed to determine the comparative advantages of the livestock industry. In general, the results indicate that the livestock industry in Brunei was heavily protected. The study revealed the existence of comparative advantage only for very large farms producing poultry meat and eggs. Similarly in the ruminant sector, goat production appears to have comparative advantage over beef cattle. Small and medium poultry farms and large non-ruminant farms and cattle beef production possess comparative disadvantage despite being highly protected industries.     

Canada's Agricultural Trade in North America: Do National Borders Matter?

Canada and the United States are each other's largest trading partner. Trade in agricultural goods has grown continuously since the signing of the Canada–United States Trade Agreement in 1989. The trade agreement removed most tariffs on traded agricultural goods. However, many nontariff barriers remain. We estimate the border effects for a select group of agricultural commodities and find that the quantity traded is less than would be predicted under free trade.     

Climatic Change and Canada's Boreal Forest: Socio-economic Issues and Implications for Land Use

This paper reviews the effect of climatic change and policies to sequester carbon on forest land use. Efficient mitigation strategies often require the conversion of agricultural land to forestry in order to sequester carbon, but such strategies could be wrong for Canada's boreal forest region if global warming is inevitable. It is argued that, from both an economic and a social perspective, conversion of the southern boreal forest to grassland or agriculture might be a better policy.
L'article passe en revue l'effet des changements climatiques et des politiques utilisées pour capter le gaz carbonique, sur l'utilisation des terres forestières. Pour être efficace, les stratégies d'atténuation nécessitent souvent la reconversion des terres agricoles à l'exploitation forestière afin de capturer le bioxyde de carbone mais, cette stratégie pourrait se révéler mauvaise pour la forêt boréale canadienne advenant l'inévitabilité d'un réchauffement planétaire. L'auteur estiment qu'autant dans la perspective économique que dans la perspective sociale, une meilleure solution serait plutôt de reconvertir le sud de la forêt boréale à la prairie ou à l'agriculture.     

Marketing Premium Food Products in Emerging Economies

Abstract

Developing branded food products, that signal higher standards, presents a challenge to processors in newly emerging markets. Many studies have been conducted to learn about consumer awareness and willingness to pay for higher quality products with particular attention to local origin, organic, or environmentally friendly products in developed countries. This study focuses on attributes that may increase demand for domestic cheese in Macedonia. We find the willingness to pay to premiums for higher quality, taste, consistency and certified “safe” cheese is relatively high, and with respect to determining target markets, income, region, shopping behavior and various other demographics all help to delineate potential consumers of premium cheese.     

澳大利亚畜产品质量保证制度及对中国畜产品质量保证制度建设的启示

中国畜产品质量和安全问题受到广泛关注 ,畜产品质量问题已成为中国畜牧业进一步扩大其国内外市场和增加农民收入的主要瓶颈。本文在考察澳大利亚畜产品质量保证制度的基础上 ,介绍了澳大利亚畜产品国家质量保证制度实施的基本情况和主要类型 ,并总结澳大利亚两类具有代表性的畜产品质量保证制度的具体功能和运作经验。本文还讨论了澳大利亚经验对中国畜产品质量保证制度建设和实施的有关启示     

我国畜产品质量安全管理存在的问题及对策

畜牧业在国民经济中的地位已经上升为主产业，我国畜产品属于劳动密集型产品，在世界贸易中具有很强的竞争优势。但是，近年来我国畜产品的出口却出现了下降趋势，我们发现畜产品的质量安全问题是主要的限制性因素。畜产品质量不仅关系到我国畜牧业与食物系统的国际竞争力，而且直接关系到人们的健康与安全。中毒事件频频发生、新技术对畜产品品质和口感的影响、环境恶化对畜产品的污染以及经济全球化过程中境外畜产品安全等问题，生产者陷入无序经营，出现“自杀性”的恶性竞争，有关畜产品安全的法律法规不健全，监管乏力、有法不依，消费者的利益得不到保障。面对这一系列问题，畜产品的质量安全问题的研究迫在眉睫。本文力图从管理的角度找出问题的症结所在，为建立适合我国国情的畜产品质量安全体系提出对策。     

Sanitary and Technical Regulations: Issues for Trade Liberalization in the Dairy Sector1

Sanitary and technical regulations can impede trade liberalization in dairy products. The World Trade Organization tackle regulatory trade barriers mainly through the Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) and the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) agreements. The SPS and TBT agreements are presented, focusing on those provisions that are relevant for the dairy sector. Arbitration of recent SPS disputes clarified the right of a country to set a particular level of protection, as well as the role of international standards. Building on the recent jurisprudence of the disputes settled under the World Trade Organization, the practical scope of the SPS and TBT agreements is explained. Empirical consequences for trade in the dairy sector are presented on the basis of three examples, the Bst issue, the controversy on mandatory pasteurization of cheese and the definition and labeling of yogurts. Les règlementations nationales sur le plan sanitaire ou technique peuvent créer des obstacles aux échanges. L'Organisation Mondiale du Commerce (OMC) traite ces problémes principalement à trovers l'Accord Sanitaire et phytosanitaire (SPS) et celui sur les Obstacles techniques aux échanges (OTE). Ces accords et leurs effets possibles sur le secteur laitier sont présentés. L'arbitrage des différends récents par l'OMC dans le domaine sanitaire et phytosanitaire a claifié le droit d'un pays àétablir son propre niveau de protection des consommateurs et a précisé la portée des normes internationales. En s'appuyant sur la jurisprudence récente, la portée pratique des accords SPS et OTE est expliquée. Les conséquences pratiques pour le commerce international des produits laitiers sont présentées sur la base de trois exemple, la Bst, la controverse sur la pasteurisation des fromages, et la définition et l'étiquetage des yaourts.     

转基因农产品国际贸易争端的法律规则背景及解决机制

各国基于对转基因农产品安全性的考虑采取了谨慎又有所区别的贸易管制措施。多边环境条约《生物安全议定书》支持对转基因农产品实施贸易措施，WTO有关协议中的规定是贸易措施的约束条件，它对风险预防、科学证据充分等规定和解释与《生物安全议定书》存在差距。通过对文本和案例分析发现，这些约束和差距导致冲突发生。分析表明WTO争端解决机制将可能处理转基因农产品国际贸易争端，使实施环境贸易措施的缔约方受到压力。为有效解决转基因农产品国际贸易争端，需要在贸易体制中渗透环境因素，逐步提高多边环境条约地位，最终达成贸易与环境体制的平等协调共存。     

中国农产品出口贸易结构和变化趋势

本文从中国农产品出口的现状入手,主要从农产品出口的种类结构、国外市场结构、国内区域结构3个方面分析中国农产品出口贸易结构的变化.结果表明,中国农产品出口在国内外贸易格局中仍发挥着巨大作用,但农产品出口的种类结构不太合理;农产品出口市场主要集中在亚洲,出口呈现多元化倾向;农产品出口的国内区域主要集中在东部地区,近几年中国农产品出口的省际差异有所扩大.     

中国主要家畜肉类产品国际竞争力变动分析

改革开放以来,中国肉类产品生产快速发展,从1990年起成为世界第一产肉大国,1998年中国肉类产量达5883万吨,占世界肉类总产量的26.4%,但是,中国肉类产品以本国消费为主,参与国际贸易的比例一直很小,1998年中国出口肉类产品68.6万吨,仅占当年中国肉类总产量 的1.17%,占当年世界肉类总出口量的3%,如果考虑到中国大部分肉类产品是出口到香港,则中国肉类产品真正参与国际贸易的比例更小,世界肉类产量的10%参与国际贸易,一些主要生产国和出口国如丹麦、新西兰、荷兰、澳大利亚等肉类产量的40%以上参与国际贸易、法国、加拿大、英国、美国等的肉类产品出口量也都超过其产量的10%。     

农产品行业协会的治理机制分析

本文从农产品行业协会的组织架构、决策机制、行业治理以及治理的制度性软约束几个方面探讨了农产品行业协会的治理机制的特征及其存在的问题。文章认为：（1）民间化是农产品行业协会发展的必然趋势，各地应创造条件促使农产品行业协会的民问化。（2）在不同的地区和不同的农产品行业协会，政府的退出以及退出方式应视具体情况而定，不应一概而论。（3）农产品行业协会应争取最大限度地获得会员的认可并最终获得会员的授权；政府应该由“全能政府”向“有限政府”转型，将适宜农产品行业协会行使的行业治理职能转移给协会，以使其增强行业治理能力。     

An Empirical Assessment of Endogeneity Issues in Demand Analysis for Differentiated Products

This article explores the issue of price and expenditure endogeneity in empirical demand analysis. The analysis focuses on the U.S. carbonated soft drink market. We test the null hypothesis that price and expenditures are exogenous in the demand for carbonated soft drinks. Using an almost ideal demand system (AIDS) specification, we strongly reject exogeneity for both prices and expenditures. We find that accounting for price/expenditures endogeneity significantly impacts demand elasticity estimates. We also evaluate the implications of endogeneity issues for testing weak separability.