ABSTRACT
This chapter explores how people in rich and poor countries alike can enjoy the potential advantages of international trade without falling victim to political powerlessness and a race to the bottom in a globalizing world. It summarizes the trade flows between the United States (US) and other countries, noting that agriculture is a leading US export industry. The chapter introduces some economic principles of international trade, including gains from trade, government policies that promote or restrain trade and methods for measuring the impact of these government policies. It discusses international trade agreements that regulate the trade barriers that countries use; and describes US food aid, including its intended benefits and unintended consequences. The chapter considers farm labor and immigration, because international borders are permeable for people and not just for goods and services; and reviews global food price trends. Immigration policy has important effects on major food and agricultural industries, including meatpacking and farming.
