Securing the Border from Invasives: Robust Inspections Under Severe Uncertainty
University of Massachusetts Amherst, Department of Resource Economics Working Paper No. 2009-6
24 Pages Posted: 21 Sep 2009
Date Written: September 18, 2009
Abstract
Two important features of agricultural quarantine inspections of shipping containers for invasive species at U.S. ports of entry are the general absence of economic considerations and the severe uncertainty that surrounds invasive species introductions. In this article, we propose and illustrate a method for determining an inspection monitoring protocol that addresses both issues. An inspection monitoring protocol is developed that is robust in maximizing the set of uncertain outcomes over which an economic performance criterion is achieved. The framework is applied to derive an alternative to Agricultural Quarantine Inspection (AQI) for shipments of fruits and vegetables as currently practiced at ports of entry in the United States.
Keywords: Inspection, Invasive Species, Uncertainty
JEL Classification: Q18, Q57, D81
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation