Taxes, Tax Subsidies and the Impact of Trade Agreements

Tax subsidies are an often overlooked method by which government subsidises agriculture. An examination of tax policies in Australia, Canada, Germany and the United States reveals several different tax subsidies provided to farmers in these countries. Most of these subsidies are in theory subject to reduction under GATT. For various reasons, however, most tax subsidies are not included in subsidy measures. Failure to include these kinds of subsidies in AMS measures could encourage their proliferation among countries desiring to continue agricultural subsidies