摘要
The loan rate and target price are key ingredients in US farm policy. Empirical models of the effect of US agricultural policy are based on different degrees of decoupling between price supports and production. Theoretically, rational producers will make decisions based on the loan rate rather than the target price. Therefore, models which are estimated based on a target price specification could significantly overestimate the distortionary impact of policy on resource use and production.
The loan rate and target price are key ingredients in US farm policy. Empirical models of the effect of US agricultural policy are based on different degrees of decoupling between price supports and production. Theoretically, rational producers will make decisions based on the loan rate rather than the target price. Therefore, models which are estimated based on a target price specification could significantly overestimate the distortionary impact of policy on resource use and production.
