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Are Large Farms More Efficient?

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  • Peterson, Willis L.

Abstract

Accurate estimates of returns to scale require that inputs and output are measured without error and that environmental and managerial differences among firms of varying sizes are taken into account. Measurement problems affecting estimates of returns to scale in agriculture include: (1) combining the farm dwelling with capital inputs, (2) correlation of environmental and management characteristics with size and (3) the effect of off-farm employment on small farm output and production costs. Estimates of long run average total cost curves for farms in the corn belt reveal that after the above factors are taken into account, estimated scale economies in agriculture disappear, while there is evidence of diseconomies as farm size increases.

Suggested Citation

  • Peterson, Willis L., 1997. "Are Large Farms More Efficient?," Staff Papers 13411, University of Minnesota, Department of Applied Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:umaesp:13411
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.13411
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    File URL: https://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/13411/files/p97-02.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Kumbhakar, Subal C & Biswas, Basudeb & Bailey, DeeVon, 1989. "A Study of Economic Efficiency of Utah Dairy Farmers: A System Approach," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 71(4), pages 595-604, November.
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    Cited by:

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    2. Johan F. M. Swinnen & Liesbeth Dries & Karen Macours, 2005. "Transition and agricultural labor," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 32(1), pages 15-34, January.
    3. Saed Alizamir & Foad Iravani & Hamed Mamani, 2019. "An Analysis of Price vs. Revenue Protection: Government Subsidies in the Agriculture Industry," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 65(1), pages 32-49, January.
    4. Fertő, Imre, 2002. "A mezőgazdasági termelés szerkezetének változásai a fejlett országokban, II. Az üzemnagyság és a mérethozadék problémája a mezőgazdaságban [Changes in the structure of agricultural production in the developed countries, Part II. The problem of uni," Közgazdasági Szemle (Economic Review - monthly of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences), Közgazdasági Szemle Alapítvány (Economic Review Foundation), vol. 0(9), pages 760-773.
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    6. Dries, Liesbeth & Swinnen, Johan F. M., 2002. "Institutional Reform and Labor Reallocation During Transition: Theory Evidence From Polish Agriculture," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 30(3), pages 457-474, March.
    7. Glen Morris & Shawn Ehlers & John Shutske, 2023. "U.S. Small-Scale Livestock Operation Approach to Biosecurity," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-10, November.
    8. Zegar, Józef S., 2012. "Gospodarstwa Rodzinne Wobec Wyzwań Wyżywienia I Ochrony Środowiska – Ujęcie Globalne," Village and Agriculture (Wieś i Rolnictwo), Polish Academy of Sciences (IRWiR PAN), Institute of Rural and Agricultural Development, vol. 4(157).
    9. Erik Mathijs & Johan F. M. Swinnen, 2001. "Production Organization And Efficiency During Transition: An Empirical Analysis Of East German Agriculture," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 83(1), pages 100-107, February.
    10. Mathijs, Erik & Swinnen, Johan F M, 1998. "The Economics of Agricultural Decollectivization in East Central Europe and the Former Soviet Union," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 47(1), pages 1-26, October.

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