The So-Called "Non-Economic" Objectives of Agricultural Policy

         Agricultural support costs OECD countries billions of dollars per year in lost income. It is frequently argued, however, that this is not waste, but is rather a fair price to pay for a number of "non-economic" objectives such as thriving rural communities and increased national security. This paper analyses these objectives and their relationship with agricultural policy. It draws three conclusions: first, the so-called non-economic objectives (SNOs) are, in fact, economic second, being economic they are amenable to quantification and economic analysis and, third, present forms of agricultural support may be inefficient means to achieve these objectives ...      