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The Economics of the U.S. Ethanol Import Tariff with a Blend Mandate and Tax Credit

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  • de Gorter Harry

    (Cornell University)

  • Just David R

    (Cornell University)

Abstract

U.S. import tariffs on ethanol are designed to offset a tax credit that benefits U.S. and foreign producers alike. The tax credit is an ethanol consumption subsidy but ethanol market prices increase by almost the full amount of the credit as the impact on world oil prices is small. Therefore, removing the tariff has a small impact on U.S. ethanol prices but increases the world price by almost the full tariff. Eliminating both the tariff and tax credit has the exact opposite effect: U.S. prices decline by almost the tariff (equal to the tax credit) while world prices remain essentially unchanged. With a mandate instead, an import tariff equal to the initial premium will necessarily result in a further increase in domestic ethanol prices as the resulting decline in imports requires more domestic supply to fulfill the mandate. This moderates the world price depressing effects of the tariff. For a given import tariff and price premium of ethanol over gasoline, exporters like Brazil therefore prefer mandates over tax credits but ideally only a mandate and no tax credit or tariff.

Suggested Citation

  • de Gorter Harry & Just David R, 2008. "The Economics of the U.S. Ethanol Import Tariff with a Blend Mandate and Tax Credit," Journal of Agricultural & Food Industrial Organization, De Gruyter, vol. 6(2), pages 1-23, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:bpj:bjafio:v:6:y:2008:i:2:n:6
    DOI: 10.2202/1542-0485.1239
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Amani Elobeid & Simla Tokgoz, 2008. "Removing Distortions in the U.S. Ethanol Market: What Does It Imply for the United States and Brazil?," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 90(4), pages 918-932.
    2. de Gorter, Harry & Just, David R., 2007. "The Law of Unintended Consequences: How the U.S. Biofuel Tax Credit with a Mandate Subsidizes Oil Consumption and Has No Impact on Ethanol Consumption," Working Papers 127022, Cornell University, Department of Applied Economics and Management.
    3. Anderson, Kym & Martin, Will & Valenzuela, Ernesto, 2006. "The relative importance of global agricultural subsidies and market access," World Trade Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 5(3), pages 357-376, November.
    4. Tokgoz, Simla & Elobeid, Amani E., 2007. "Understanding the Underlying Fundamentals of Ethanol Markets: Linkages between Energy and Agriculture," 2007 Annual Meeting, July 29-August 1, 2007, Portland, Oregon 9795, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    5. de Gorter, Harry & Just, David R., 2007. "The Economics of U.S. Ethanol Import Tariffs with a Consumption Mandate and Tax Credit," Working Papers 127023, Cornell University, Department of Applied Economics and Management.
    6. Bernard Hoekman & Francis Ng & Marcelo Olarreaga, 2004. "Agricultural Tariffs or Subsidies: Which Are More Important for Developing Economies?," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank, vol. 18(2), pages 175-204.
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