How Do Taxes Affect Food Markets;Agriculture information bulletin

摘要

Several food market indicators would change if a flat income tax system-that is, a system without exemptions, deductions, credits, and deferrals-replaced the current system. The authors' findings support the widely held view that even though a flat tax system would increase national income, gains for consumers would be only modest. Nor would economic growth be universal. A Federal flat tax structure would lead to smaller farm industries with lower than average growth rates, larger food industries with higher than average growth rates, slightly lower food production costs and consumer food prices, reduced net farm exports, and reduced net food imports. If States were to enact similar reforms, consumer food prices would drop 2.2 percent overall and over 5 percent in the Delta. Appalachian, and Southern Plains regions. Some of these indicators vary substantially by region.