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Why Are Farms Getting Larger? The Case Of The U.S

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  • MacDonald, James M.

Abstract

Agricultural production continues to shift to larger farms in the U.S. I show that the shift is persistent over time, large, and ubiquitous across commodities. I review theories of farm size, and classify three channels for analysis: 1) scale effects, through technological economies and managerial diseconomies; 2) the roles of relative factor prices and factor shares; and 3) policy and institutions. Finally, I evaluate the empirical evidence on the forces driving structural change, distinguishing between crops and livestock because of important differences in the role of scale economies and coordination, and I offer some directions for the future.

Suggested Citation

  • MacDonald, James M., 2011. "Why Are Farms Getting Larger? The Case Of The U.S," 51st Annual Conference, Halle, Germany, September 28-30, 2011 115361, German Association of Agricultural Economists (GEWISOLA).
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:gewi11:115361
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.115361
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    Cited by:

    1. Klaus Deininger & Denys Nizalov & Sudhir K Singh, 2013. "Are mega-farms the future of global agriculture? Exploring the farm size-productivity relationship for large commercial farms in Ukraine," Discussion Papers 49, Kyiv School of Economics.
    2. Wenbiao Cai, 2019. "Technology, Policy Distortions, And The Rise Of Large Farms," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 60(1), pages 387-411, February.
    3. Deininger, Klaus & Nizalov, Denys & Singh, Sudhir K, 2013. "Are mega-farms the future of global agriculture ? exploring the farm size-productivity relationship," Policy Research Working Paper Series 6544, The World Bank.
    4. Karolina Pawlak & Walenty Poczta, 2020. "Agricultural Resources and their Productivity: A Transatlantic Perspective," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(Special 1), pages 18-49.

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