Technological changes in the transportation sector : effects on U.S. food and agricultural trade : a proceedings

The purpose of the workshop was to raise awareness within the Economic Research Service (ERS) about the role and importance of transportation in U.S. food and agricultural trade and to discuss the need of an agency research agenda in this area. Subjects discussed were: the role of transportation in the global food system and the importance of integrating geography and transportation in analysis of international trade; transportation technology, past and future; the changing policy environment for ocean shipping; and logistical and technological developments aiding exports of specific commodities, including the use of supply chain management. Also discussed were: the availability of transportation cost data, and the availability of other shipping data; and, the applicability of the gravity model to estimate the extent to which distance is less of an inhibiting factor in exporting certain U.S. agricultural products