Heterogeneidade estrutural na produção agropecuária: Uma comparação da produtividade total dos fatores no Brasil e nos Estados Unidos

Brazilian agriculture has undergone a process of transformation in recent decades, being featured on the world agricultural production at both the production and productivity. The United States are characterized as highlighted in the agricultural world, therefore, is a reference for comparison to many countries. This study aims to compare the structural heterogeneity (HE) in the agricultural sector between Brazil and the United States by analyzing the behavior of the gap over time. To this refers mainly to differences in Total Factor Productivity (TFP). Found that in both countries had higher TFP developments especially with the incorporation of technologies that save manpower and better utilization. Brazil is reducing the gap, but the process of modernization of agriculture in the United States is older than Brazil, and even closing the gap, does not mean that Brazil is close to the rate of U.S. productivity, because the productive structure is particular in each case. The differences in productivity between countries occur beyond, also occur within the country, and factor such as climate, technology and learning in the production process in influencing disparities. In both countries there was a better use of resources, which was achieved with less input a high yield, thus increasing the TFP.