IMPACTS OF THE GATT URUGUAY ROUND TRADE NEGOTIATIONS ON US BEEF AND CATTLE PRICES/

The GATT/Uruguay Round trade negotiations have resulted in a multilate ral relaxation of beef trade restrictions. A linear elasticity model o f the U.S. beef industry is developed using log differential equations . Beef consumption, production, and trade are disaggregated into appro priate ground and table cut components. The model predicts the GATT/Ur uguay Round will cause asymmetric effects on ground and table cut beef consumers. In general, fed cattle and cow/calf producers will benefit from trade Liberalization because of increases in fed and feeder catt le prices. However, nonfed cattle price will decrease.