Costs of Farm Machinery in Crop Production in Northwestern Ohio, by Size of Farm

One of the largest items of expense in crop production is the cost of owning and operating farm machinery. Undoubtedly, machinery cost varies widely from one farm to another. Cost per acre, per hour, and per unit of production also varies widely among farms. This variation is in part a result of differences in size of farms and consequently in the volume of production over which fixed costs can be spread. Also, part of the variation is due to the success with which individual farmers adapt their use of machinery to the particular needs of their farms. The purpose of the study reported here was to estimate the cost, including labor cost, of owning and operating tractors and the 13 major farm implements used on farms in northwestern Ohio, and to show how this cost was affected by the size of farms. The report presents estimates of cost per unit of use on three sizes of farms. This is one of a group of studies by the Economic Research Service on cost of production by size of farm in several major type-of-farming areas

Agriculture in Vietnam's Economy: A System for Economic Analysis

This USDA/AID work pulls a broad range of Vietnam economic and demographic data into an economic intelligence system. The analyses of these data lend valuable insights into inner workings of the Vietnamese economy to aid decisionmakers. Data inadequacies are apparent, but the USDA/AID team worked to develop as much economic information as possible into a logical system rather than dwelling on data shortcomings. Several analytical techniques are used to quantify economic relationships. Regression analysis, ranging from simple linear relationships to polynomial distributed lags, formed the basis of most of the analysis. Supply and utilization tables were constructed for major commodities, supplemented by seasonal analyses, index number construction, and a detailed economic profile. Much of the analysis is then drawn into an illustrative multi-equation framework of the Vietnamese economy. This framework provides important guides to policymakers through simulated alternative assumption levels. It also demonstrates important interrelationships within the agricultural sector, as well as between agriculture and the national accounts. Important conclusions are: ---Formal analytic techniques can give reasonable results even with data inadequacies and social upheaval. These techniques demonstrate that relative food prices are directly related to differences in income and demand elasticities. ---Assuming stable relative food prices: (1) More than a third increase in food production will be required over the next 5 years to feed the growing population and offset food imports. (2) Additional food production increases may be absorbed by increased domestic demand resulting from increased GNP and associated higher income levels