The Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 was passed into law on May 22, 2008 with veto override votes in the House of Representatives and the Senate (House 2008). A difference between the 2002 and the 2008 bills is the newly instituted revenue-based counter-cyclical program called the...

ECONOMIC FUNDAMENTALS – Real GDP growth is projected at -2.16% in 2009 for developed countries before it slowly recovers to about 2.3% per year. Developing economies, on the other hand, are projected to grow by 2.6% in 2009 before they recuperate to an average of 5.3% thereafter. – A more...

This study analyzes the effects of eliminating direct payments paid to cotton farmers in the U.S. Our results suggest that while the impact of eliminating direct payments on domestic production is offset to some extent by rising prices, the more significant effect is on farmers’ net income.

The 1995 Agreement on Textiles and Clothing (ATC) provided for the calculated liberalization of the textiles and apparel sectors over a 10-year period except for some safeguard measures ending on December 31, 2008. These safeguard measures allowed for import restrictions by the U.S. on certain...

Domestic subsidies for cotton and other commodities have been a major topic of interest, especially during the Doha Round of the World Trade Organization trade negotiations. Many developing countries have insisted that domestic subsidies in countries like the United States represent significant...

The Ministerial Declaration that emerged from the recently concluded World Trade Organization (WTO) ministerial conference in Hong Kong continued the efforts of members to reform and liberalize the world cotton market “…ambitiously, expeditiously, and specifically” (WTO, 2005). The special...