A New Agricultural Policy for a New World Market
分析了1990年农业法案以来世界粮食市场的根本变化，指出美国农业政策需调整以抓住全球市场新机遇，对政策制定者和农业经济学家有参考价值。
Anew farm bill will be enacted in 1995, and the debate over it has already begun. With farm bills being renewed just once every five years, the 1995 bill provides a propitious opportunity to re-evaluate the current bill in light of fundamental changes to the marketplace since the adoption of the 1990 bill. One of the most important changes since then has been in the world food market. Selling successfully in world markets is vital to U.S. agriculture because it produces far more food than domestic consumers require. Thus, while the upcoming farm bill will spawn debate on many issues, few will be more important than reconciling U.S. agricultural policy with a new world food market. Recent developments in the world food market reflect basic changes in two key market features. The market for finished food products is much stronger than for bulk commodities. This trend has held down the growth in U.S. agricultural exports because bulk commodities still account for most of our foreign sales. The food market has also been growing more rapidly in Asia and North Alan Barkema is an assistant vice president and economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. Mark Drabenstott is a vice president and economist at the bank. Corey Waldinger and Deron Ferguson, research associates at the bank, helped prepare the article. America than in Europe. This trend has prompted U.S. exporters to shift their sales away from a traditional dependence on Europe, a shift that appears well under way. If these trends persist, will current farm policy be in step with the world food market of the future? This article’s examination of the factors likely to shape the world market concludes that agricultural policy must be overhauled if U.S. agriculture is to excel in tomorrow’s marketplace. The first section of the article reviews recent fundamental changes in the market for U.S. agricultural exports. The second section explores the future direction of the world food market. The final section discusses policy changes that may be needed for U.S. agriculture to take full advantage of the new opportunities emerging in the global food market.