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Non-Tariff Measures and U.S. Agricultural Exports

Author

Listed:
  • Yunus Emre Karagulle

    (Center for Agricultural Trade, Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, Virginia Tech)

  • Charlotte Emlinger

    (CEPII, Paris, France)

  • Jason H. Grant

    (Center for Agricultural Trade, Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, Virginia Tech)

Abstract

How much do non-tariff measures (NTMs) affect U.S. agricultural exports? While countries maintain a large and diverse set of NTMs to safeguard the health of plants, animals, and humans, policymakers and regulatory bodies may neglect the impact these measures have on international trade. This paper evaluates the impact of two broad types of NTMs important to U.S. food and agricultural exports: sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures and technical barriers to trade (TBTs). We construct a new database detailing the more prominent SPS and TBT measures impacting U.S. exports as highlighted in the Office of the United States Trade Representative's (USTR) National Trade Estimate (NTE) report from 2007 to 2021. Using a theoretically consistent gravity equation, we find that SPS and TBT measures reduce U.S. agricultural exports by 34.5%, on average, equivalent to a 16.4% ad valorem tariff. However, we find little evidence that these NTMs significantly affect the probability of U.S. exports or export survival in destination markets (i.e., the probability of export failure) suggesting that these measures primarily impact variable trade costs and the intensive margin of trade.

Suggested Citation

  • Yunus Emre Karagulle & Charlotte Emlinger & Jason H. Grant, 2025. "Non-Tariff Measures and U.S. Agricultural Exports," Papers aaecpp2025-01, AAEC Published Papers.
    • Handle: RePEc:vpi:aaecpp:aaecpp2025-01
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Li, Yuan, 2013. "The trade effects, protectionism, and political economy of non-tariff measures," ISU General Staff Papers 201301010800003995, Iowa State University, Department of Economics.
    2. Grant, Jason & Peterson, Everett & Ramniceanu, Radu, 2015. "Assessing the Impact of SPS Regulations on U.S. Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Exports," Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Western Agricultural Economics Association, vol. 40(01), pages 1-20.
    3. Jason H. Grant & Kathryn A. Boys, 2012. "Agricultural Trade and the GATT/WTO: Does Membership Make a Difference?," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 94(1), pages 1-24.
    4. Jayson Beckman & Shawn Arita, 2017. "Modeling the Interplay between Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures and Tariff-rate Quotas under Partial Trade Liberalization," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 99(4), pages 1078-1095.
    5. Hellerstein, Daniel & Vilorio, Dennis, 2019. "Agricultural Resources and Environmental Indicators, 2019," Economic Information Bulletin 288293, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    6. Julien Gourdon & Susan Stone & Frank van Tongeren, 2020. "Non-tariff measures in agriculture," OECD Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Papers 147, OECD Publishing.
    7. Robert C. Feenstra, 2015. "Advanced International Trade: Theory and Evidence Second Edition," Economics Books, Princeton University Press, edition 2, number 10615.
    8. Anne-Célia Disdier & Marco Fugazza, 2020. "A Practical Guide to the Economic Analysis of Non-Tariff Measures," PSE-Ecole d'économie de Paris (Postprint) halshs-02921617, HAL.
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