Edmund M. Tavernier

Farm typology and sustainable agriculture: does size matter?

ABSTRACT The 2001 Agricultural, Food and Public Policy Preference Survey consists of a typology of farms and issues relating to sustainable agriculture. The typology provides an opportunity to investigate the often anecdotally alluded to relationship between farm size, particularly small farms, and sustainable agriculture. This paper utilizes the typology to examine seven classes of farm size and finds a positive and statistically significant relationship between small farms and sustainable agriculture. The interaction term of farm size and tenure suggests that nonagricultural incentives may be adversely impacting the sustainable agriculture decisions of farmers.

An empirical analysis of producer perceptions of traceability in organic agriculture

This study assesses producer perceptions of traceability issues in organic agriculture, using survey data from the 2001 National Agricultural, Food and Public Policy Preference Survey. The survey provides food policy and socio-economic data that facilitate the examination of traceability issues in organic agriculture. The logistic regression models that are used to examine the relationship between traceability and organic agriculture are robust across models. The models indicate a decreased likelihood for federal government intervention on the part of organic producers for policies that improve traceability from consumer back to producer to improve food safety and tracking. However, the results suggest that organic producers with sales under

SEARCH THEORY RISK PREFERENCE AND FARMLAND PRESERVATION

US 50,000 are more likely to indicate some willingness for government intervention. The analysis also shows that producers want food products made with biotechnology to be labeled if there is a scientifically determined difference in the product. While education may be an avenue to facilitate greater acceptance of traceability issues, the results indicate a negative relationship between the acceptance of traceability and farmers with a bachelor‘s degree. This finding is surprising given the on-going debate surrounding biotech foods and traceability. Clearly the reluctance on the part of producers with bachelor‘s degrees to embrace tracing could hinder such efforts if those producers assume leadership positions in their communities. Perhaps such results are a reflection of the confidence that those producers have in the quality of organic produce.

Examining the Relationship Between Production Practices and Food Labels: The Role of Farm Size

This paper uses search theory to examine the role that risk preference (RP) plays in farmland preservation. Assuming that the distribution of the offer price is fixed, the analysis indicates that risk-averse agents have lower reservation prices than risk-neutral agents, and that agricultural land held by the former exits farming at a faster rate. The results also show that farmland preservation policies which increase reservation prices have a greater capitalization effect if agents are risk-loving, and that such policies, while effectively protecting the interest of land speculators, may be less effective in serving the needs of farming and farm-held open space.

The Role of the Federal Government in the Provision of Agricultural Market Information: Results from a Policy Survey

ABSTRACT This paper uses survey data to demonstrate the importance of farm size in food-labeling decisions. Using logistic regression models, the study suggests that there exists a positive and significant relationship between agricultural producers who want food labels to explain production practices, even if there is no scientifically determined difference in the product and farm size. The results further indicate that producers within the 55- to 64-year-old age category are more likely to want food labels to explain production practices, while producers who own 1 to 25% of the land that they farm are less likely to express such a preference. The findings may be the first of its kind that provide preliminary evidence that at least in the area of production practices and food labels, the interests of producers and consumers may be converging.

Addressing disputes in a coalition framework: The case of agriculture and the environment

ABSTRACT Information technology is perhaps the most pervasive technology in U.S. agriculture. Despite such pervasiveness, the federal government continues to play a crucial role in providing agricultural market information that may be obtained from several sources, including private vendors. Results from a policy survey suggest that seventy-five percent of farmers want the government to continue to play that role. Further results from a logistic regression examine the determinants of that role by examining the influence of several socio-economic variables such as education, membership in agricultural organizations, land tenure and income.

THE ROLE OF FARM OWNERSHIP IN OFF-FARM WORK PARTICIPATION

Abstract A coalition framework is proposed to address the contentious issues facing agriculture and the environment in urbanising areas, by bringing stakeholders together in homogeneous focus groups to identify areas of common interests, and then in heterogeneous groups to validate the results of the framework. Such a framework encourages greater understanding, consensus building, the resolution of conflicts, and the establishment of coalition efforts in areas of mutual interest and agreement by allowing stakeholder groups collectively to pursue agenda‐building on issues of common interests. Based on the authors’ observation of the process over an 18‐month period, it is encouraging that the coalition framework is an appropriate strategy for building consensus among diverse audiences.