Comparing agricultural total factor productivity between Australia, Canada, and the United States, 1961-2006

This article provides a comparison of levels and growth of agricultural total factor productivity between Australia, Canada, and the United States for the 1961–2006 period. A production account for agriculture that is consistent across the three countries is constructed to estimate output, input and total factor productivity, and a dynamic panel regression is used to link the productivity estimates to potential determinants. We show that investment in public research and development and infrastructure plays an important role in explaining differences in productivity levels between countries. The findings provide useful insights into how public policy could be used to sustain agricultural productivity growth.