Micro Economic Models Of Dutch Dairy Farms

The objective of this study is to analyze several dimensions of the agricultural economics reality for the representative farms of the European Union countries by using microeconomic data available in the Farm Accountancy Data Network from 1989-2009. To support this research, several ratios and efficiency indicators were calculated across several variables relative, namely, to the agricultural output and the utilized agricultural area. These ratios and indicators were analyzed further through econometric models associated with the convergence approaches, presenting with more detail the Portuguese case. Furthermore, it is important to design a set of strategies that are more suited to the European Union realities.

Since the 'environmental revolution' began in the late 1960s, economists have done a lot of work in the field of economic theory-building on the preservation of nature. Meanwhile, environmental economic literature has swelled to a large stream of articles in journals of different signature. As a result, a coherent economic view of the phenomenon ofenvironmental degradation has emerged. Several kinds of 'green' public policies and their impacts on both nature and the performance of the economy have been analysed. The feasibility ofspecific types of policy has also been discussed. The aim of the book is to provide an insight into the ways economists analyse the problems ofenvironmental pollution and the depletion ofnatural resource. To this purpose a number of articles have been selected. Some of them have a fundamental character, others an applied nature and are foremost, practically oriented. The presentation of the collection emphasizes our belief that economists are able to deliver an essential contribution to the design of policies to protect nature. It is clear that 'nature' and 'environment' may no longer be regarded as 'free gifts' to society. Rather, they have to be seen as scarce resources, and environmental disruption and resource depletion as allocation problems. Ifa natural resource is scarce, a price must be charged in accordance with the degree ofscarcity since otherwise society will be confronted with misallocations. In this connection there are two topics which are of particular interest to economists.

The annual price review is taken as an example.

This book, which is the first to be published in the emerging field of farm-level microsimulation, highlights the different methodological components of microsimulation modelling: hypothetical, static, dynamic, behavioural, spatial and macro–micro. The author applies various microsimulation-based methodological tools to farms in a consistent manner and, supported by a set of Stata codes, undertakes analysis of a wide range of farming systems from OECD countries. To these case studies, O’Donoghue incorporates farming policies such as CAP income support payments, agri-environmental schemes, forestry planting incentives and biomass incentives – in doing so, he illuminates the merits of microsimulation in this environment.

This volume is a collection of twelve selected empirical studies on the economics of agriculture and natural resources. Twenty-two authors have contributed their research to this volume. Papers of this volume are grouped into three main domains covering: Agricultural Resilience and Sustainability; Agricultural Producers and Consumers; and Energy Use in Agriculture. Organized in an analytical framework and offering comprehensive empirical data, this book focuses on agricultural sustainability and resilience, environmental efficiency, agricultural extension, foreign trade, energy use, and agricultural growth aspects of the Iranian agriculture sector. They demonstrate technical and methodological tools used for the analysis and explain their application in the agricultural sector of Iran. This book will be a valuable read for those managing agricultural enterprises, policy makers, and researchers of agricultural producers and consumers.

The aim of this book is to explore the challenges facing rural communities and economies and to demonstrate the potential of spatial microsimulation for policy and analysis in a rural context. This is done by providing a comprehensive overview of a particular spatial microsimulation model called SMILE (Simulation Model of the Irish Local Economy). The model has been developed over a ten year period for applied policy analyis in Ireland which is seen as an ideal study area given its large percentage of population living in rural areas. The book reviews the policy context and the state of the art in spatial microsimulation against which SMILE was developed, describes in detail its model design and calibration, and presents example of outputs showing what new information the model provides using a spatial matching process. The second part of the book explores a series of rural issues or problems, including the impacts of new or changing government or EU policies, and examines the contribution that spatial microsimulation can provide in each area.