Rates of Assistance on U.S. Casein Imports from New Zealand and Australia

摘要

Casein imports have been criticized for displacing U.S. milk production. The report examines the policies of New Zealand and Australia for signs of economic subsidies and calculates three measures of assistance. In New Zealand, interest concessions are the largest sources of assistance. Pooling revenues earned in the high-priced drinking market with those in the low-priced manufactured products are Australia's largest source of casein subsidies. The rates of assistance on casein as a percentage of casein revenue were estimated at less than 14 percent for New Zealand and about 17 percent for Australia during 1977/78-1981/82. Recent abolition of the interest subsidy to the New Zealand Dairy Board dramatically lowers today's subsidy in New Zealand.