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Harnessing enforcement leverage at the border to minimize biological risk from international live species trade

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  • Springborn, Michael R.
  • Lindsay, Amanda R.
  • Epanchin-Niell, Rebecca S.

Abstract

Allocating inspection resources over a diverse set of imports to prevent entry of plant pests and pathogens presents a substantial policy design challenge. We model inspections of live plant imports and producer responses to inspections using a “state-dependent” monitoring and enforcement model. We capture exporter abatement response to a set of feasible inspection policies from the regulator. Conditional on this behavioral response, we solve the regulator’s problem of selecting the parameters for the state-dependent monitoring regime to minimize entry of infested shipments. We account for exporter heterogeneity, fixed penalties for noncompliance, imperfect abatement control and imperfect inspections at the border. Overall, we estimate that state-dependent targeting (based on historical interceptions) cuts the rate of infested shipments that are accepted by one-fifth, relative to uniformly allocated inspections.

Suggested Citation

  • Springborn, Michael R. & Lindsay, Amanda R. & Epanchin-Niell, Rebecca S., 2016. "Harnessing enforcement leverage at the border to minimize biological risk from international live species trade," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 132(PB), pages 98-112.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jeborg:v:132:y:2016:i:pb:p:98-112
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jebo.2016.03.011
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Cuicui Chen & Rebecca S. Epanchin‐Niell & Robert G. Haight, 2018. "Optimal Inspection of Imports to Prevent Invasive Pest Introduction," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 38(3), pages 603-619, March.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    State-dependent enforcement; Invasive species; International trade; Optimal inspections; Externalities;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • Q58 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environmental Economics: Government Policy
    • Q57 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Ecological Economics
    • Q56 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environment and Development; Environment and Trade; Sustainability; Environmental Accounts and Accounting; Environmental Equity; Population Growth

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