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Agricultural Policies in the Presence of Distorting Taxes

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  • Parry, Ian W.H.
Abstract
This paper uses analytical and numerical general equilibrium models to assess the efficiency impacts of agricultural policies in a second-best setting with pre-existing distortionary taxes. We analyze production subsidies, production quotas, acreage controls, subsidies for acreage reductions and lump sum transfers to agricultural producers. We find that pre-existing taxes raise the cost of all these policies and by a substantial amount. Under our central estimates this increase in cost is typically at least 100-200 percent. Two effects underlie these results. First, raising the rates of distortionary taxes to finance subsidy policies leads to additional efficiency losses. Second, policies that raise (lower) the costs of producing agricultural output lead to a reduction (increase) in the economy-wide level of employment. This implies an efficiency loss (gain) in the labor market, which is distorted by taxes. The latter effect is not incorporated in earlier studies. Consequently, previous studies have significantly overstated the costs of production subsidies and understated the costs of production quotas, acreage controls and subsidies for acreage reductions.

Suggested Citation

  • Parry, Ian W.H., 1997. "Agricultural Policies in the Presence of Distorting Taxes," Discussion Papers 10905, Resources for the Future.
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:rffdps:10905
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.10905
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Ian W.H. Parry & Roberton C. Williams III & Lawrence H. Goulder, 2002. "When Can Carbon Abatement Policies Increase Welfare? The Fundamental Role of Distorted Factor Markets," Chapters, in: Lawrence H. Goulder (ed.), Environmental Policy Making in Economies with Prior Tax Distortions, chapter 25, pages 471-503, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    2. Ian W.H. Parry, 2002. "A Second-Best Analysis of Environmental Subsidies," Chapters, in: Lawrence H. Goulder (ed.), Environmental Policy Making in Economies with Prior Tax Distortions, chapter 28, pages 555-572, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    3. Giancarlo Moschini & Paolo Sckokai, 1994. "Efficiency of Decoupled Farm Programs Under Distortionary Taxation," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 76(3), pages 362-370.
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    6. Gardner, Bruce, 1981. "Efficient Redistribution in Agricultural Commodity Markets," Working Papers 20, The University of Chicago Booth School of Business, George J. Stigler Center for the Study of the Economy and the State.
    7. Ian W.H. Parry, 2002. "Environmental Taxes and Quotas in the Presence of Distorting Taxes in Factor Markets," Chapters, in: Lawrence H. Goulder (ed.), Environmental Policy Making in Economies with Prior Tax Distortions, chapter 23, pages 429-446, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    8. Browning, Edgar K, 1987. "On the Marginal Welfare Cost of Taxation," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 77(1), pages 11-23, March.
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    11. A. Lans Bovenberg & Lawrence H. Goulder, 1995. "Costs of Environmentally Motivated Taxes in the Presence of Other Taxes:General Equilibrium Analyses," NBER Working Papers 5117, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
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    15. Browning, Edgar K., 1997. "A neglected welfare cost of monopoly--and most other product market distortions," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 66(1), pages 127-144, October.
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    Cited by:

    1. de Gorter, Harry, 2008. "Explaining Inefficient Policy Instruments," Agricultural Distortions Working Paper Series 48638, World Bank.
    2. Ozana Nadoveza Jelić & Jurica Šimurina, 2020. "Evaluating sectoral effects of agricultural nitrogen pollution reduction policy in Croatia within a CGE framework," Agricultural and Food Economics, Springer;Italian Society of Agricultural Economics (SIDEA), vol. 8(1), pages 1-35, December.
    3. Jiménez Giraldo, Dora Elena & Saldarriaga-Isaza, Adrián & Cicowiez, Martin, 2019. "Distributional and economy-wide effects of post-conflict policy in Colombia," Conference papers 333124, Purdue University, Center for Global Trade Analysis, Global Trade Analysis Project.
    4. Sarah E. West & Roberton C. Williams III, 2004. "Empirical Estimates for Environmental Policy Making in a Second- Best Setting," Public Economics 0402005, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. West, Sarah E. & Williams III, Roberton C., 2007. "Optimal taxation and cross-price effects on labor supply: Estimates of the optimal gas tax," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 91(3-4), pages 593-617, April.
    6. Nurul Atiqah Binti Mohd Suib & Norlida Hanim Mohd Salleh & Mohd Fazim Ahmad, 2023. "The economic well-being of smallholders and challenges during COVID-19 pandemic: A review," Agricultural Economics, Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 69(1), pages 35-44.
    7. Aldanondo, Ana Maria & Puertolas, Javier, 2002. "International Quota Transfer and Intermediate Goods," 2002 International Congress, August 28-31, 2002, Zaragoza, Spain 24851, European Association of Agricultural Economists.
    8. Baffes, John & De Gorter, Harry, 2005. "Disciplining agricultural support through decoupling," Policy Research Working Paper Series 3533, The World Bank.

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    Agricultural and Food Policy;

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