Social Versus Private Efficiency: A Comparison of Conventional and Organic Farming Systems in Vineyard Production

Organic farming may be seen as an alternative approach to agriculture that tries to integrate environmental concerns in management practices. By means of DEA, in this work we calculate and compare the efficiency of two samples of conventional and organic vineyards, from two different perspectives: in the first instance, the relationship between inputs and outputs is considered, exclusively, that is, the private efficiency; in the second instance, social efficiency is calculated, and the environmental impacts arising from the activity are also included. The comparison of the results obtained in these two scenarios allows us to draw some conclusions on the efficiency of organic farming in dry-farming conditions.organic farming, efficiency, environmental impact, Crop Production/Industries, Farm Management,

Feed prices and production costs on Spanish dairy farms

This paper analyses the impact of livestock feed prices and pasture quality on the long and short-term costs of milk production in a region of Spain (Navarre). The empirical results are obtained from the estimation of a flexible short-run cost function, followed by the approximation of long-run equilibrium based on the quasi-fixed factors adjusted to their optimal levels. The results reveal a high sensitivity of milk production costs to changes in livestock feed prices due to two reasons. One is that, as milk production expands, it tends to become technologically more intensive. The other is that, in the current structure of dairy farming, land input is suboptimal, particularly in the case of large farms and areas of poor pasture. The results reveal that short-run substitution between feed and livestock is a potential strategy for farms to respond to feed price increases. They also suggest that structural policies designed to strengthen the dairy sector’s competitiveness should vary according to agro-climatic conditions. In areas of poor pasture, herd growth might be used as a long-term measure to increase competitiveness through economies of scale; while the alternatives for farms in better-endowed regions also include extensification of dairy production.This paper analyses the impact of livestock feed prices and pasture quality on long and short-term milk production costs in a region in Spain (Navarre). The empirical results are obtained by estimating a flexible short-run cost function and then approximating long-run equilibrium by adjusting the quasi-fixed factors to their optimal levels. The results reveal a high sensitivity of milk production costs to changes in livestock feed prices due to two reasons. One is that milk production tends to become technologically more intensive as milk production expands. In optimum conditions, large dairy farms appear to become less land-dependent and to rely more heavily on purchased livestock feed. The other is that the current dairy farm structure shows suboptimal quantity of land, particularly by large farms and in areas with poor pasture quality. The results reveal that short-run substitution between feed and livestock is a potential strategy for farms to respond to feed price increases. The results also suggest that structural policies to strengthen the dairy sector’s competitiveness could be made to vary across agro-climatic areas. In poor pasture areas, herd growth might be used as a long-term measure to increase competitiveness through economies of scale; while the alternatives for farms in better-endowed regions also include extensification of dairy production

Precios sombra de la contaminación en la agricultura orgánica y convencional: una aplicación en la agricultura mediterránea

La agricultura ecológica integra criterios ambientales en las prácticas de producción agrícola con el objeto de mejorar el impacto de la producción agraria sobre el medio ambiente. En este trabajo se estiman y comparan los precios sombra de dos de los contaminantes más importantes en la producción agraria, el excedente de nitrógeno y la contaminación por pesticidas, en el contexto de la agricultura mediterránea. Los resultados muestran que el coste marginal de reducción de la contaminación es más alto para las explotaciones ecológicas que para las convencionales. Ello estaría indicando que la regulación de agricultura ecológica es de hecho más restrictiva ambientalmente que la de la agricultura convencional. En este sentido los resultados sugieren que la agricultura ecológica podría ser una respuesta adecuada a algunos de los problemas ambientales provocados por la agricultura convencional.Organic farming integrates environmental concerns and criteria within farm management practices in order to reduce the environmental impact of agricultural production. In this paper, the shadow price of two of the main indicators of pollution arising from agricultural practices, nitrogen surplus and impact of pesticides, are calculated and compared in a context of Mediterranean climate and cultures. Results show that it is more costly for organic farms to reduce their levels of pollution emission than for conventional farms. This may be due to the fact that the specific regulations on organic farming restrict agricultural practices to a larger degree than current restrictions affecting conventional farming. These results suggest that organic farming might be an adequate answer to part of the environmental problems provoked by conventional farming.The authors want to gratefully acknowledge the financial aid of the Comisión Interministerial de Ciencia y Tecnología (CICYT), through the project «Evaluación de la eficiencia económica-ambiental de la agricultura ecológica»

Análisis de la sucesión en agricultura: el impacto de la localización de la explotación y de las oportunidades de empleo extra-agrícola

En este trabajo se analiza el impacto de la localización de la explotación agrícola en la sucesión familiar. Para ello se utiliza una encuesta a una muestra de explotaciones ubicadas a diferentes distancias del centro urbano en una comarca rural española. La disposición de datos agregados a nivel de explotación y de una sección cruzada, explotación/ hijo de agricultor, nos permite estudiar la sucesión desde dos perspectivas: la del agricultor y la de cada uno de sus hijos mayor de edad. La investigación considera las expectativas del padre con respecto a la sucesión y el impacto de las características individuales de cada hijo en su decisión de incorporarse a la agricultura. La estimación de los correspondientes modelos econométricos, un modelo probit y un modelo de panel probit ordenado con coeficientes aleatorios, pone de relevancia el significativo impacto de la localización de la explotación en la probabilidad de que algunos de los hijos del agricultor continúe con la empresa. Otros factores importantes, que afectan también a la sucesión, son el tamaño de la explotación y el nivel educativo de los hijos. Por lo tanto, las políticas que promuevan la creación de puestos de trabajo cualificado y la re-estructuración de la agricultura podrían retener a los jóvenes en las explotaciones agrarias.This paper studies the impact of farm location on family farm succession, using a sample of farm households located at different distances from the urban centre in a rural region of Spain. Aggregated household data and household/child cross section data are used to analyze farm succession from two different perspectives, the father's and that of each of the children. The research considers both the father's expectations for the transfer of the farm to the next generation and, also, the impact of the individual characteristics of each child on the likelihood of his/her entering agriculture. Two estimates, the probit and random parameter ordered probit model, suggest that farm location has a significant effect on the probability of one of the farm operator's children taking on the business. Other important factors that affect farm succession are firm size and farm children's level of education. Then, policy initiatives to foster qualified employment and structural change in agriculture may perhaps help to retain young people in farming

Precios sombra de la contaminación en la agricultura orgánica y convencional: una aplicación en la agricultura mediterránea

Organic farming integrates environmental concerns and criteria within farm management practices in order to reducethe environmental impact of agricultural production. In this paper, the shadow price of two of the main indicators of pollution arising from agricultural practices, nitrogen surplus and impact of pesticides, are calculated and compared in a context of Mediterranean climate and cultures. Results show that it is more costly for organic farms to reduce their levels of pollution emission than for conventional farms. This may be due to the fact that the specific regulations on organic farming restrict agricultural practices to a larger degree than current restrictions affecting conventional farming. These results suggest that organic farming might be an adequate answer to part of the environmental problems provoked by conventional farming.La agricultura ecológica integra criterios ambientales en las prácticas de producción agrícola con el objeto de mejorarel impacto de la producción agraria sobre el medio ambiente. En este trabajo se estiman y comparan los precios sombra de dos de los contaminantes más importantes en la producción agraria, el excedente de nitrógeno y la contaminación por pesticidas, en el contexto de la agricultura mediterránea. Los resultados muestran que el coste marginal de reducción de la contaminación es más alto para las explotaciones ecológicas que para las convencionales. Ello estaría indicando que la regulación de agricultura ecológica es de hecho más restrictiva ambientalmente que la de la agricultura convencional. En este sentido los resultados sugieren que la agricultura ecológica podría ser una respuesta adecuada a algunos de los problemas ambientales provocados por la agricultura convencional

Mercado de la tierra en Canarias

El rasgo distintivo del mercado de la tierra en Canarias es la competencia inter-sectorial por los distintos usos del suelo. La presión urbana es diferente según comarcas y tiene las siguientes consecuencias: una cierta independencia del precio global de la tierra de las rentas agrarias y, en consecuencia, una rápida disminución de la superficie agraria con considerable impacto en el medio ambiente

Eficiencia tecnica y medioambiental de las explotaciones vinicolas ecologicas versus convencionales

Los programas de certificacion ecologica no son sino programas de eco-etiquetado, maediante los cuales se certifica que los productos englobados en estat etiquetas cumplen una determinada normatica, que persigue funamentalmente la reduccion del impacto ambiental provocado por la actividad agraria. Mediante la utilizacion de metodos no parametricos de medidas de eficiencia (DEA), en este trabajo se pretende comparar la eficiencia tecnica de dos grupos de explotaciones cuyo cultivo principal es la vina, de dos sistemas de produccion agraria, agricultura convencional y ecologica. Esto se va a llevar a cabo desde dos perspectivas diferentes: considerando exc;usivamente la relacion entre factores y producto, en una primera fase, e incluyendo los impactos ambientales, en la segunda. la comparacion de los resultados obtenidos en estos escenarios nos permite avanzar algunas conclusiones sobre la eficiencia de la agricultura ecologica en condiciones de secano y cultivos perennes...Organic certification programs are eco-labelling programs, by which it is certified that these products comply with the regulations, who main aim is a reduction of the environmental impact provoked by agriculture. By means of DEA, in this work we calculate and compare the technical efficiency of two samples of conventional and organic vineyards, from two different perspectives: in the first instance, the relationship between inputs and outputs is considered, exclusively; in the first instance, the relationship between impacts arising from the activity are also included. The comparison of the results obtained in these two scenarios allows us to draw some conclusions on the efficiency of organic farming in dry-farming conditions and perennial crops