IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/wly/apecpp/v46y2024i1p13-31.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Small farms in North Carolina, United States: Analyzing farm and operator characteristics in the pursuit of economic resilience and sustainability

Author

Listed:
  • Obed Quaicoe
  • Fafanyo Asiseh
  • Anthony Baffoe‐Bonnie
  • John N. Ng'ombe

Abstract

Ensuring the sustainability of small farms relies on understanding farm economics, a crucial yet often overlooked aspect. In North Carolina, many small farms are confronted with financial challenges and the risk of collapse. This study examines the factors that influence farm profitability while considering the intersectionality of race and gender. The findings reveal significant disparities in farm and operator characteristics. Specifically, first‐generation and retiree farmers exhibit a lower likelihood of profitability. Conversely, factors positively associated with profitability include owning larger farm acreage, engaging in commercial agricultural production, utilizing paid family labor, practicing full‐time farming, and being a non‐White minority farmer. To foster the sustainability of small farms, it is imperative to implement policies that support full‐time farming and incentivize the use of paid family labor. These measures can contribute to bolstering profitability and safeguarding the economic viability of small farms.

Suggested Citation

  • Obed Quaicoe & Fafanyo Asiseh & Anthony Baffoe‐Bonnie & John N. Ng'ombe, 2024. "Small farms in North Carolina, United States: Analyzing farm and operator characteristics in the pursuit of economic resilience and sustainability," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 46(1), pages 13-31, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:apecpp:v:46:y:2024:i:1:p:13-31
    DOI: 10.1002/aepp.13392
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1002/aepp.13392
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1002/aepp.13392?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. David Sraer & David Thesmar, 2007. "Performance and Behavior of Family Firms: Evidence from the French Stock Market," Journal of the European Economic Association, MIT Press, vol. 5(4), pages 709-751, June.
    2. Rahman, Sanzidur, 2003. "Profit efficiency among Bangladeshi rice farmers," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 28(5-6), pages 487-503.
    3. Hoppe, Robert A. & MacDonald, James M. & Korb, Penelope J., 2010. "Small Farms in the United States: Persistence Under Pressure," Economic Information Bulletin 58300, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    4. Kwabena Nyarko Addai & John N. Ng’ombe & Wencong Lu, 2023. "Disaggregated impacts of off-farm work participation on household vulnerability to food poverty in Ghana," The Journal of Economic Inequality, Springer;Society for the Study of Economic Inequality, vol. 21(1), pages 83-104, March.
    5. Tim Coelli & Sanzidur Rahman & Colin Thirtle, 2003. "A stochastic frontier approach to total factor productivity measurement in Bangladesh crop agriculture, 1961-92," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 15(3), pages 321-333.
    6. Mzyece, Agness, 2021. "Market Participation and Farm Profitability: The Case of Northern Ghana," Sustainable Agriculture Research, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 10(2).
    7. Madhu Khanna & Ruiqing Miao, 2022. "Inducing the adoption of emerging technologies for sustainable intensification of food and renewable energy production: insights from applied economics," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 66(1), pages 1-23, January.
    8. Wencong Lu & Kwabena Nyarko Addai & John N. Ng’ombe, 2021. "Does the use of multiple agricultural technologies affect household welfare? Evidence from Northern Ghana," Agrekon, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 60(4), pages 370-387, October.
    9. Paudel, Krishna P. & Wang, Yiqian, 2002. "Part Time Farming, Farm Productivity, And Farm Income: Evidence From The Southeast Us," 2002 Annual meeting, July 28-31, Long Beach, CA 19594, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    10. Anton Bekkerman & Eric J Belasco & Vincent H Smith & Chris McIntoshEditor, 2019. "Does Farm Size Matter? Distribution of Crop Insurance Subsidies and Government Program Payments across U.S. Farms," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 41(3), pages 498-518.
    11. Joshua D. Angrist & Jörn-Steffen Pischke, 2009. "Mostly Harmless Econometrics: An Empiricist's Companion," Economics Books, Princeton University Press, edition 1, number 8769.
    12. Anton Bekkerman & Eric J. Belasco & Vincent H. Smith, 2019. "Does Farm Size Matter? Distribution of Crop Insurance Subsidies and Government Program Payments across U.S. Farms," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 41(3), pages 498-518, September.
    13. Marc F. Bellemare & Vaneesha Dusoruth, 2021. "Who Participates in Urban Agriculture? An Empirical Analysis†," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 43(1), pages 430-442, March.
    14. A. Kimhi, 1994. "Participation Of Farm Owners In Farm And Off‐Farm Work Including The Option Of Full‐Time Off‐Farm Work," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 45(2), pages 232-239, May.
    15. Obed Quaicoe & Fafanyo Asiseh & Omoanghe S. Isikhuemhen, 2023. "Qualitative Analysis of Industrial Hemp Production, Markets, and Sustainability in North Carolina, United States," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-19, April.
    16. Agness Mzyece, 2021. "Market Participation and Farm Profitability: The Case of Northern Ghana," Sustainable Agriculture Research, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 10(2), pages 1-1, December.
    17. Megan Horst & Amy Marion, 2019. "Racial, ethnic and gender inequities in farmland ownership and farming in the U.S," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 36(1), pages 1-16, March.
    18. Lu, Ruoxi & Dudensing, Rebekka, 2015. "What Do We Mean by Value-added Agriculture?," Choices: The Magazine of Food, Farm, and Resource Issues, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 30(4), pages 1-8, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Syed H. Jafri & K. M. Mehedi Adnan & Stefan Baimbill Johnson & Anzalin Ali Talukder & Mark Yu & Edward Osei, 2024. "Challenges and Solutions for Small Dairy Farms in the U.S.: A Review," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-25, December.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Alia DeLong & Marilyn E. Swisher & Carlene A. Chase & Tracy Irani & Jorge Ruiz-Menjivar, 2023. "The Roots of First-Generation Farmers: The Role of Inspiration in Starting an Organic Farm," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-20, June.
    2. Vincenzo Pezone, 2023. "The Real Effects of Judicial Enforcement," Review of Finance, European Finance Association, vol. 27(3), pages 889-933.
    3. Analena Bruce & Elise Neidecker & Luyue Zheng & Isaac Sohn Leslie & Alexa Wilhelm, 2025. "“A farm is viable if it can keep its head above water”: defining and measuring farm viability for small and mid-sized farms," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 42(2), pages 625-641, June.
    4. Boland, Michael A. & Kopka, Christopher J. & Jacobs, Keri L. & Berner, Courtney & Briggeman, Brian C. & Elliott, Matthew & Friend, Diane & Kenkel, Phil & McKee, Greg & Olson, Frayne & Park, John L. & , 2022. "Extension Programming During a Pandemic: The Cooperative Director Foundations Program," Applied Economics Teaching Resources (AETR), Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 4(2), July.
    5. Aibo Yao & Lin Jiang & Bingxue Guo & Wei Li, 2025. "Subsidy Policy Interactions in Agricultural Supply Chains: An Interdepartmental Coordination Perspective," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-27, July.
    6. Sherzod B. Akhundjanov & Tatiana Drugova, 2022. "On the growth process of US agricultural land," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 63(3), pages 1727-1740, September.
    7. Joseph Glauber & Vince Smith, 2021. "Trends in US Agricultural Policy since 2000 and Implications for the Next Twenty Years," EuroChoices, The Agricultural Economics Society, vol. 20(2), pages 58-63, August.
    8. Anik, Asif Reza & Bauer, Siegfried, 2015. "Impact of resource ownership and input market access on Bangladeshi paddy growers’ efficiency," International Journal of Agricultural Management, Institute of Agricultural Management, vol. 4(3), April.
    9. Tsiboe, Francis & Turner, Dylan, 2023. "The crop insurance demand response to premium subsidies: Evidence from U.S. Agriculture," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).
    10. Minetti, Raoul & Murro, Pierluigi & Paiella, Monica, 2015. "Ownership structure, governance, and innovation," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 165-193.
    11. Ar. R. T. Hidayat & Corinthias P. M. Sianipar & Shizuka Hashimoto & Satoshi Hoshino & Muhammad Dimyati & Ahmad E. Yustika, 2023. "Personal Cognition and Implicit Constructs Affecting Preferential Decisions on Farmland Ownership: Multiple Case Studies in Kediri, East Java, Indonesia," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-23, September.
    12. Nitta, Atomu & Yamamoto, Yasutaka & Kondo, Katsunobu & Sawauchi, Daisuke, 2020. "Direct payments to Japanese farmers: Do they reduce rice income inequality? Lessons for other Asian countries," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 42(5), pages 968-981.
    13. Kim Anh Thi Nguyen & Tram Anh Thi Nguyen & Curtis Jolly & Brice Merlin Nguelifack, 2020. "Economic Efficiency of Extensive and Intensive Shrimp Production under Conditions of Disease and Natural Disaster Risks in Khánh Hòa and Trà Vinh Provinces, Vietnam," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-19, March.
    14. Jisang Yu & Sunghun Lim, 2025. "Understanding inequality in U.S. farm subsidies using large‐scale administrative data," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 107(3), pages 752-774, May.
    15. Chava, Sudheer & Danis, András & Hsu, Alex, 2020. "The economic impact of right-to-work laws: Evidence from collective bargaining agreements and corporate policies," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 137(2), pages 451-469.
    16. Sanzidur Rahman & Asif Reza Anik & Jaba Rani Sarker, 2022. "Climate, Environment and Socio-Economic Drivers of Global Agricultural Productivity Growth," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-17, April.
    17. Alam, Mohammad Jahangir & Begum, Ismat Ara & Rahman, Sanzidur & Buysse, Jeroen & Van Huylenbroeck, Guido, 2011. "Total Factor Productivity and the Efficiency of Rice Farms in Bangladesh: a Farm Level Panel Data Comparison of the Pre- and Post-Market Reform Period," 85th Annual Conference, April 18-20, 2011, Warwick University, Coventry, UK 108948, Agricultural Economics Society.
    18. Michael A. Boland & Brian C. Briggeman & Keri Jacobs & Phil Kenkel & Gregory McKee & John L. Park, 2021. "Research Priorities for Agricultural Cooperatives and their Farmer‐Members," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 43(2), pages 573-585, June.
    19. Anik, Asif Reza & Breustedt, Gunnar & Bauer, Siegfried, 2011. "The Impact of Corruption on Farmers' Efficiency in Rice Production: A Natural Experiment from Bangladesh," 2011 International Congress, August 30-September 2, 2011, Zurich, Switzerland 114224, European Association of Agricultural Economists.
    20. Lemos, Renata & Scur, Daniela, 2018. "All in the family? CEO choice and firm organization," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 88679, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:wly:apecpp:v:46:y:2024:i:1:p:13-31. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://doi.org/10.1002/(ISSN)2040-5804 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.