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After an increase in 2009, producer support in the OECD area declined in 2010 and remained rather stable in 2011. In the longer term perspective OECD estimates confirm the downward trend in support to farmers. This report is a unique source of up-to-date estimates of support to agriculture in the OECD area and is complemented by individual chapters on agricultural policy developments in OECD countries. Support is calculated using the OECD Producer Support Estimate (PSE). » Read the complete book online

 Main points

• Government support to agriculture in OECD countries fell to 19% of total farm receipts in 2011, a record low driven by developments in international commodity markets, rather than by explicit policy changes.
  
  
• Support to producers stood at USD 252 billion (EUR 182 billion) in OECD countries in 2011, confirming a longstanding trend toward falling farm support. While this report points to a generalised move away from support directly linked to production, it finds that support which distorts production and trade still represents about half of the total.
  
  
• Support levels still vary widely across OECD countries. Over the 2009-11 period, New Zealand had the lowest level of support, at just 1% of farm income, followed by Australia (3%), and Chile (4%). The United States (9%), Mexico (12%), Israel (13%) and Canada (16%) were also below the OECD average (20%). The European Union has reduced its level of support to 20% of farm income. At the other end of the scale, support to farmers remains relatively high in Iceland (47%), Korea (50%), Japan (51%), Switzerland (56%) and Norway (60%).

Producer Support Estimate by country, 1995-97 and 2009-11
Per cent of gross farm receipts

Note: Countries are ranked according to 2009-11 levels.                                
# EU15 for 1995-97 and EU27 for 2009-11.                                
∆ The statistical data for Israel are supplied by and under the responsibility of the relevant Israeli authorities. The use of such data by the OECD is without prejudice to the status of the Golan Heights, East Jerusalem and Israeli settlements in the West Bank under the terms of international law.                                
‡ For Mexico, 1995-97 is replaced by 1991-93                                 
* Austria, Finland and Sweden are included in the OECD total for all years and in the EU from 1995. Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Poland and the Slovak Republic are included in the OECD total for all years and in the EU from 2004. Slovenia is included in the OECD total from 1992 and in the EU from 2004. Chile and Israel are included in the OECD total from 1995. The OECD total does not include the non-OECD EU member states.                          
Source: OECD, PSE/CSE database, 2012.

Table of contents

I. Agricultural Policy Monitoring and Evaluation 2012: OECD Countries

• Evaluation of Developments in Agricultural Policy and Support
• Fostering Innovation and Productivity Growth in Agriculture

II. Country chapters

• Developments in Agricultural Support in the OECD Area
• Australia
• Canada
• Chile
• European Union
• Iceland
• Israel
• Japan
• Korea
• Mexico
• New Zealand
• Norway
• Switzerland
• United States

III. Summary tables of estimates for OECD countries

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