MEASURING RESEARCH BENEFITS FROM A REDUCTION OF PALE,SOFT AND EXUDATIVE PORK IN AUSTRALIA

In this paper, a closed-economy model is developed for evaluating the size and the distribution of benefits from research that lowers the mean incidence of pork with pale, soft and exudative (PSE) syndrome. The major finding is that the Australian pig industry has the potential to derive gross research benefits of about A$7 million per year from a one percentage point reduction in the incidence of pork with PSE conditions. About 85 per cent of the total research benefits accrue to pork producers. The implication is that it is profitable for pork producers to invest large sums in order to reduce PSE syndrome in pork.