Flora Hsiuchen Tsui

(US Department of Agriculture, USA)

 

 

Abstract: Using data from FY2011-2014, this study examined the benefits and costs of the Cooperative Interstate Shipment (CIS) program for its early stage performance. In particular, we compared the actual costs and benefits associated with the CIS program to date to those that we estimated in the Final Regulatory Impact Analysis (FRIA). We concluded that with a total cost of the program being around $0.92 million, and a host of benefits including a $3.17 million sales revenue increase for the participating establishments, the program at this stage is cost-effective. The analysis also highlights the importance of retrospective benefit-cost analysis versus prospective analysis in cases where the program participation is voluntary and, therefore, some benefit and cost are difficult to estimate ex ante.

 

 

Key words: benefit-cost analysis; interstate commerce; program evaluation; federal-state cooperation; and

meat and poultry industry.