The role of location economics in organic grassland farming

What are the drivers of technical efficiency on organic farms in Germany? We analyze the efficiency of organic pasture farming in Germany using data from 1994/95 to 2005/06. Five inputs and one output are analyzed by means of a stochastic frontier production function, allowing for heteroscedasticity and technical effects. Our study contains a number of location factors, suggesting that the regional environment of a farm has a substantial influence on its efficiency.

Machinery is only one influencing factor of technical efficiency

Public Debate on Perspectives of sustainable/organic farming for developing countries

Organic farming is a growing sector not only in Europe in North America, but also on the global level. The system of organic agriculture has the objective to protect the environment and achieve a sustainable farming system. It has been shown in many study-cases, that organic farming often provides a number of advantages for the environment like lower levels of nutrient runoff and a higher level of biodiversity. However, in practise we can also observe, that organic farming often comes with lower yields. At the same times, higher prices are necessary to make the system pay economically viable.

Efficiency and Productivity in Organic Farming – a Scientific Symposium at the ICAE in Milano

On August 9th, 2015 starts the International Congress of Agricultural Economists (ICAE) in Milano, Italy. On Thursday, August 13, 11-12:30 o’clock (Malliani Room 70) we will discuss topics of efficiency and productivity of organic farming systems together with some of the most specialized and experienced scientists in the field.

Together with Amos Mensah, Laure Latruffe & Jochen Kantelhardt