Agricultural trade has been historically beset with a plethora of interventions by WTO member countries, which have led to numerous disputes. These trade disputes involve prolonged litigations and resolution processes, and during this time, trade barriers continue to exist. Furthermore, considerable resources are spent litigating these disputes which give rise to pervasive directly unproductive activities, resulting in significant inefficiencies and welfare loss. In this WAEA presidential address, I (i) review the WTO dispute settlement process, (ii) provide an up-to-date catalog of agriculture disputes, (iii) summarize major disputes involving the United States, (iv) present a detailed analysis of the US-China trade war, and (v) examine the benefits of global agricultural trade liberalization.
NSTL
Western Agricultural Economics Assoc
