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The Socially Optimal Import Tariff and Tax Credit for Ethanol with Farm Subsidies

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  • de Gorter, Harry
  • Just, David R.
  • Tan, Qinwen

Abstract

We determine how the U.S. ethanol tax credit and import tariff affect the corn-ethanol-gasoline markets and how farm subsidies interact with these policies. We show how the ethanol tax credit and import tariff each uniquely affect the ethanol and gasoline prices. The ethanol import tariff alone increases the terms of trade in ethanol imports and corn exports, but decreases the terms of trade in gasoline imports and the tax costs of farm price supports. With price-contingent farm subsidies in place, the optimal tariff and tax credit will depend on the price level. When farm subsidy expenditures are high, import subsidies for ethanol may increase social welfare due to the substantial size of the fuel market relative to the corn market.

Suggested Citation

  • de Gorter, Harry & Just, David R. & Tan, Qinwen, 2009. "The Socially Optimal Import Tariff and Tax Credit for Ethanol with Farm Subsidies," Agricultural and Resource Economics Review, Northeastern Agricultural and Resource Economics Association, vol. 38(01), pages 1-13, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:arerjl:49865
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.49865
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    1. McPhail, Lihong Lu & Babcock, Bruce A., 2012. "Impact of US biofuel policy on US corn and gasoline price variability," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 37(1), pages 505-513.
    2. Devadoss, Stephen & Kuffel, Martin, 2010. "Ethanol Trade between Brazil and the United States," 2010 Annual Meeting, July 25-27, 2010, Denver, Colorado 60889, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    3. Sunil P. Dhoubhadel & Azzeddine M. Azzam & Matthew C. Stockton, 2017. "Does the USA have market power in importing ethanol from Brazil?," International Journal of Trade and Global Markets, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 10(2/3), pages 251-266.
    4. Stephen Devadoss & Jude Bayham, 2013. "US Ethanol Trade Policy: Pollution Reduction or Domestic Protection," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 21(3), pages 568-584, August.
    5. Lade, Gabriel & Lin, C.-Y. Cynthia & Smith, Aaron, 2014. "Policy Uncertainty under Market-Based Regulations: Evidence from the Renewable Fuel Standard," 2014 Annual Meeting, July 27-29, 2014, Minneapolis, Minnesota 170673, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    6. Virginie Doumax, 2010. "The French Biodiesel Production: An Assessment of the Impacts and Interaction Effects of Policy Instruments," CAE Working Papers 87, Aix-Marseille Université, CERGAM.
    7. Sparks, G.D. & Ortmann, Gerald F. & Lagrange, L., 2010. "An Economic Evaluation of Soybean-Based Biodiesel Production on Commercial Farms in the Soybean-Producing Regions of KwaZulu-Natal: Some Preliminary Results," 2010 AAAE Third Conference/AEASA 48th Conference, September 19-23, 2010, Cape Town, South Africa 95980, African Association of Agricultural Economists (AAAE).
    8. Mazumder, Diya B., 2014. "Biofuel subsidies versus the gas tax: The carrot or the stick?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 361-374.
    9. Devadoss, Stephen & Kuffel, Martin, 2010. "Is the U.S. Import Tariff on Brazilian Ethanol Justifiable?," Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Western Agricultural Economics Association, vol. 35(3), pages 1-13, December.
    10. Bullock, David S. & Couleau, Anabelle, 2012. "The U.S. Ethanol and Commodity Policy Labyrinth: Looking into Welfare Space to Analyze Policies that Combine Multiple Instruments," 2012 Conference, August 18-24, 2012, Foz do Iguacu, Brazil 126901, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    11. Ziolkowska, Jadwiga & Simon, Leo K. & Zilberman, David, "undated". "Capturing Uncertainties in Evaluation of Biofuels Feedstocks: A Multi-Criteria Approach for the US," 2011 International Congress, August 30-September 2, 2011, Zurich, Switzerland 115980, European Association of Agricultural Economists.
    12. Doumax, Virginie, 2010. "The French Biodiesel Production: An Assessment of the Impacts and Interaction Effects of Policy Instruments," 2010 Annual Meeting, July 25-27, 2010, Denver, Colorado 61698, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.

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