The growth of farms

Abstract

A cross-sectional time series of farm accounts for 81 farms and 14 years was used to compare relative growth-rates of gross output, size in hectares, labour force and machinery depreciation. Highly significant differences were observed between types of farming groups and between farms within groups. Growth rates were independent of size, but strongly associated with measures of managerial ability and family size, and negatively with off-farm income. It is concluded that the observed size distribution of farms is the outcome of differential growth in the past rather than of a static optimising decision.

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