Effects of ethanol trade barriers on U.S. and Brazilian markets
- Introduction
- History of ethanol in the U.S. and Brazil
- Legislation in the U.S. and Brazil
- U.S. Brazilian trade relations
- The U.S. corn and ethanol markets
- The Brazilian sugar and ethanol markets
- Competitiveness of the U.S. vs. Brazil
- Public opinion
- Trade liberalization
- Trade liberalization and tax credit removal
- WTO negotiations
- Conclusion
- References
Rising oil prices, a slowing U.S. economy, the war on terror, and increasing concern about global warming have all converged on the international stage and in the mind of the average U.S. consumer in recent years. Calls for energy independence, clean energy, and cheaper alternatives to oil have made ethanol an ever-increasingly attractive option. Ethanol is a biofuel created from "a variety of feedstock's such as cereals, sugarcane, and cellulosic material" (Elobied 1). In the U.S., the fuel is produced almost exclusively from corn, whereas in Brazil it is produced almost exclusively from sugarcane. In this paper, I hope to investigate the effects of these trade barriers on ethanol production in the United States and in Brazil and what would happen if some or all of those barriers were lifted.
