urn:taro:utexas.blac.000216 Steven Zahniser Collection on Latin American Agricultural Economy, 1938-1993 Fiona de Young, Benson Latin American Collection University of Texas Libraries, 2008 Finding aid encoded by Fiona de Young, 2008Finding aid written inEnglish. Descriptive Summary Zahniser, Steven The Steven Zahniser Collection on Latin American Agricultural Economy 1938-1993 English and Spanish 2006-07 N/A 10 linear inches Benson Latin American Collection, The University of Texas at Austin Papers used by the United States Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of State for the purpose of carrying out research on Latin American commodities markets. Biographical and Historical Note

Steven Zahniser is an agricultural economist with the United States Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service (ERS). He conducted research for the Asia and Western Hemisphere Branch, and the Market and Trade Economics Division. Zahniser completed in Ph.D. in economics at the University of Colorado at Boulder.

ERS provides economic data, analysis and research in support of USDA national and international policy and decision-making. The ERS organization has its roots in the Bureau of Agricultural Economics (BAE), a federal research organization established in 1922 aimed at helping farmers solve their price and income problems. In 1953, BAE divided into three organizations, including the Foreign Agriculture Service (FAS), Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS).

When it was established, the FAS worked primarily to develop foreign markets for U.S. agricultural commodities, and employed foreign attachés based at U.S. embassies throughout Latin America. Initially, these attachés were affiliated with the Department of State, but following the passage of H.R. 8033 in 1954, they were transferred to the FAS. The attachés provided information and statistical findings about commodities markets in Latin America. The USDA added the Economic Research Service in 1961. ERS, AMS, FAS and ARS remain active today.

 Scope and Contents Note

Correspondence, reports, charts, maps and clippings documenting the agricultural economy of Latin America (1938-1993, n.d.). Materials were collected through research activities conducted by the USDA Foreign Agriculture Service, U.S. Department of State, and USDA Economic Research Service.

Series I contains correspondence reports (1964-1984) between the USDA Foreign Agriculture Service and Cultural Attachés in six Latin American Countries, documenting coffee and cacao production through statistical and narrative data. Includes one telegram on the "Transmittal of Plant Protection Act of 1975", a bill imposing stricter inspection of plant materials imported in the U.S.

Series II contains correspondence reports (1955-1984) between the U.S. Department of State and American Embassies throughout Latin America. Reports document livestock, cotton, coffee, coconut, sugar, cacao, labor, narcotics, drought, agrarian reform legislation, state assistance programs, and U.S. fruit company operations in Latin America.

Series III contains reports, clippings, maps, and charts (1938-1993, n.d.) documenting the agricultural economy of Latin America. Bulk of reports and clippings deal with the Andean Pact and the Central American Common Market. Charts (1951-1975, n.d.) contain statistical comparisons of commodities production and exports, especially rice, corn, beans and sorghum.

 Access Restrictions

Unrestricted.

 Use Restrictions

Standard copyright restrictions apply.

 Preferred Citation

Cite as: Steven Zahniser Collection on Latin American Agricultural Economy, Benson Latin American Collection, University of Texas Libraries, the University of Texas at Austin.

 Index Terms

The Steven Zahniser Collection on Latin American Agricultural Economy is classified under the following Subject Headings:

Economic Research Service United States Department of Agriculture Central American Common Market Andean Pact Foreign Agriculture Service Latin America Box and Folder Inventory Series I: USDA Foreign Agriculture Service,1964-1984 11Correspondence Reports with Cultural Attachés, 1964-1984 1Dominican Republic, 1967-1984 1Trinidad and Tobago, 1964-1977 1Guatemala, 1981 1Costa Rica, 1982 1Venezuela,1970 Series II: U.S. Department of State,1955-1985 1Correspondence Reports,1955-1985 12Dominican Republic and Panama, 1955-1984 1Ciudad Trujillo and Santo Domingo 13Nicaragua, 1969-1984 1Costa Rica, 1981-1983 1Honduras, 1980-1985 1Trinidad and Tobago, 1976-1984 1Guatemala, 1973, 1979 1Venezuela, 1973-1974,1981 1Peru, 1972, 1984 1Others, 1969, 1981-1983 Series III: USDA Economic Research Service Collected Research Material,1938-1993, n.d. 1ERS Reports (alphabetical order by title), 1947-1993, n.d. 14A Brief History and Present Condition of the Inter-American Highway,1955 1Andean Integration: Potentials and Limitations,1972-1973 1Andean Subregional Group,1972 1An Economic Program for the Americas,1953 1Biographical Data: Antonio Guzman,n.d. 1CACM - Influence on U.S. Agricultrual Exports,1975 1Comments on Agricultural and Land Reform in Latin America,1961 1Credit Reports,1951, 1980-1981, n.d. 15Document of the Inter-American Development Bank,1977, 1993 21Economic Conditions and Policies in Latin America,1960 2Equivalente del Subsidio al productor en Colombia, Ecuador, Peru y Venezuela,1992 22Institute of International Education Advisory Committee on Educational Relations with Latin America,1962 23La Industria Lactea En Nicaragua,1971 2Notes on Agricultural Credit Facilities in Latin America,1951, n.d. 2Rotenone, Bureau of Entomology and Plant Quarantine,1947 2Supplementary Information on U.S. Private Commercial Interests in Latin America,1965 2The Industrial Revolution in Latin America,n.d. 2The Inter-American Highway,1961 2ERS Charts (alphabetical order by title), 1951-1975, n.d. 24Agricultural Statistics on El Salvador,1967 25Capacidad Fisica de Almacenamiento de los Organismos de Estabilización de Precios,1962, 1968-1973 2Centroamerica: Disponibilidades de Maiz,1951-1961 2Control de Calidad Y Registros Agropecuarios, Managua,1973, 1974 2Exports of 20 Leading Commodities from 20 Republics of Latin America,n.d. 26Indice de Precios Al consumidor de la Ciudad de Managua de Todas Las Clases,1974 2Informe Samanal Del Mercado Centroamericano Al Por Mayor de Granos Basicos,1974 2Precios Internacionales de Granos Basicos,1975 2Precios medios al por mayor de Granos Basicos,1973 2Precios Promedios Mensuales de Grano Basicos Consumidor,1973-1975 2Precios Promedios Pagados por el Consumidor En El Mercado de la Republica,1973 2Pyrethrum Production by Principal Producing Countries,n.d. 2Handwritten notes,n.d. 27Clippings, 1941-1988, n.d. 28Maps, 1938, 1966, n.d. 2British Honduras,1938 2Costa Rica,n.d. 2Latin American Election Schedule,1966 2Middle America,n.d. 2Panama,n.d. 2The Carribean,n.d.