Steven Zahniser Collection on Latin American Agricultural Economy, 1938-1993

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.

Restrictions

Access Restrictions

Unrestricted.

Use Restrictions

Standard copyright restrictions apply.

Administrative Information

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.

Box and Folder Inventory