NON-TARIFF TRADE BARRIERS IN AGRICULTURE

As trade agreements lower tariff rates throughout the world, other barriers to trade emerge. These non-tariff barriers can be just as troublesome for exporting companies. Non-tariff barriers include technical measures, customs rules and procedures, transport regulations or costs, lack of knowledge of regional markets, and import policies. The objective of this study is to identify non-tariff barriers faced by U.S., and more specifically North Dakota, exporting businesses, especially those involved in agriculture, and to identify difficulties involved in exporting products. A survey of North Dakota businesses is conducted to identify important trade barriers. Phytosanitary regulations and railroad problems are two frustrating issues that create barriers to export for North Dakota agribusinesses. Other non-tariff barriers mentioned in the survey include labeling, paperwork, registration, and language differences. When entering new markets, the biggest problems exporters have are making contacts, resolving credit issues, and competing with low-cost competitors from foreign countries.non-tariff barriers, trade, survey, North Dakota exporters, International Relations/Trade,

POTENTIAL EFFECTS OF THE WTO FRAMEWORK AGREEMENT ON U.S. AGRICULTURE

The 147 members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) reached an agreement July 31, 2004, on the framework for the final phase of the Doha Development Agenda of global trade talks. After failing to reach such an agreement at the Cancun ministerial meeting in September, 2003, this framework agreement puts the Doha Round back on-track. Negotiations on the details will begin in September 2004. The original deadline to complete talks by January 1, 2005, has been postponed, and the next WTO Ministerial Conference will be held in Hong Kong in December 2005, at which point the talks could near their conclusion. The objective of this report is to analyze the potential impact of the framework agreement on U.S. agriculture. Most of the details of the agreement have not yet been determined, so an in-depth empirical analysis of the Doha Round is not possible. The agreement does, however, provide a number of objectives and a framework for the final agreement which can be analyzed.International Relations/Trade,

Thermal expansion method for lining tantalum alloy tubing with tungsten

A differential-thermal expansion method was developed to line T-111 (tantalum - 8 percent tungsten - 2 percent hafnium) tubing with a tungsten diffusion barrier as part of a fuel element fabrication study for a space power nuclear reactor concept. This method uses a steel mandrel, which has a larger thermal expansion than T-111, to force the tungsten against the inside of the T-111 tube. Variables investigated include lining temperature, initial assembly gas size, and tube length. Linear integrity increased with increasing lining temperature and decreasing gap size. The method should have more general applicability where cylinders must be lined with a thin layer of a second material

Epitaxial Growth of an n-type Ferromagnetic Semiconductor CdCr2Se4 on GaAs(001) and GaP(001)

We report the epitaxial growth of CdCr2Se4, an n-type ferromagnetic semiconductor, on both GaAs and GaP(001) substrates, and describe the structural, magnetic and electronic properties. Magnetometry data confirm ferromagnetic order with a Curie temperature of 130 K, as in the bulk material. The magnetization exhibits hysteretic behavior with significant remanence, and an in-plane easy axis with a coercive field of ~125 Oe. Temperature dependent transport data show that the films are semiconducting in character and n-type as grown, with room temperature carrier concentrations of n ~ 1 x 10^18 cm-3.Comment: 12 pages, 3 figure

ETHANOL'S IMPACT ON THE U.S. CORN INDUSTRY

This report evaluates the U.S. corn sector, especially changes in ethanol production. This analysis is based on a series of assumptions about general economic conditions, agricultural polices, weather conditions, and technological change. Changes in ethanol production will impact the production, feed use, and exports of corn, as well as the general price level. Federally mandated ethanol usage dictates the growth of ethanol production in the United States. Other factors have limited impact on corn price.ethanol, government subsidies, feed use, corn, exports, Crop Production/Industries, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

Documentation of INL?s In Situ Oil Shale Retorting Water Usage System Dynamics Model

A system dynamic model was construction to evaluate the water balance for in-situ oil shale conversion. The model is based on a systems dynamics approach and uses the Powersim Studio 9™ software package. Three phases of an in situ retort were consider; a construction phase primarily accounts for water needed for drilling and water produced during dewatering, an operation phase includes the production of water from the retorting process, and a remediation phase water to remove heat and solutes from the subsurface as well as return the ground surface to its natural state. Throughout these three phases, the water is consumed and produced. Consumption is account for through the drill process, dust control, returning the ground water to its initial level and make up water losses during the remedial flushing of the retort zone. Production of water is through the dewatering of the retort zone, and during chemical pyrolysis reaction of the kerogen conversion. The document discusses each of the three phases used in the model

Debris cover and surface melt at a temperate maritime alpine glacier: Franz Josef Glacier, New Zealand

Melt rates on glaciers are strongly influenced by the presence of supraglacial debris, which can either enhance or reduce ablation relative to bare ice. Most recently, Franz Josef Glacier has entered into a phase of strong retreat and downwasting, with the increasing emergence of debris on the surface in the ablation zone. Previously at Franz Josef Glacier, melt has only been measured on bare ice. During February 2012, a network of 11 ablation stakes was drilled into locations of varying supraglacial debris thickness on the lower glacier. Mean ablation rates over 9 days varied over the range 1.2–10.1 cm d−1, and were closely related to debris thickness. Concomitant observations of air temperature allowed the application of a degree-day approach to the calculation of melt rates, with air temperature providing a strong indicator of melt. Degree-day factors (d f) varied over the range 1.1–8.1 mm d−1 °C−1 (mean of 4.4 mm d−1 °C−1), comparable with rates reported in other studies. Mapping of the current debris cover revealed 0.7 km2 of the 4.9 km2 ablation zone surface was debris-covered, with thicknesses ranging 1–50 cm. Based on measured debris thicknesses and d f, ablation on debris-covered areas of the glacier is reduced by a total of 41% which equates to a 6% reduction in melt overall across the entire ablation zone. This study highlights the usefulness of a short-term survey to gather representative ablation data, consistent with numerous overseas ablation studies on debris-covered glaciers

EFFECTS OF THE CANADIAN WHEAT BOARD ON THE U.S. WHEAT INDUSTRY

The practices of the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) are an important issue in U.S. - Canada trade disputes and WTO negotiations. This study analyzes the CWB?s effect on U.S. producers by reviewing findings from previous research and developing models to analyze CWB wheat exports to the United States and the competitive structure of Canadian wheat exports in the world market. U.S. grain producers could benefit from the removal of the CWB as the United States could become more competitive in export markets. However, elimination of the CWB could also result in an increase in Canadian wheat exports to the United States as Canadian producers near the border could sell directly to the United States to take advantage of market opportunities. The net effect is difficult to quantify. The net benefits may be significant in the short run, but reduced significantly in the long run. Similarly, if Canada reforms its wheat board by eliminating trade-distorting subsidies, the United States may increase its exports and Canadian exports to the United States may increase. The net benefits from reforming the CWB could be greater than those from eliminating it. However, the United States could benefit the most from complete elimination of state trading enterprises (STEs), since they have elements distorting trade flows and the United States competes with several STEs in the world wheat market.Canadian Wheat Board, state trading enterprises, price discrimination, wheat exports, Crop Production/Industries, International Relations/Trade,