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Agricultural economics 2006

Lips M., Ammann H.

A full-cost calculation is made for six arable crops based on the years 2001 to 2003. Direct costs represent between 20 and 30 % of the total costs. Machinery accounts for the main part of the costs (about 30 %), followed by labour costs with 20 %. The comparison of full costs and revenues shows that…

Agricultural economics 2006

Mann S., Senti M.-A.

Land-laws in German speaking countries contain restrictions how a farm is valued in cases of succession or inheritance. We construct a system dynamics model to estimate the impacts which legal concepts have for agricultural structures and the land market. It shows that current laws slow down structural change and prevent a broader distribution of land.

Agricultural economics 2006

Gazzarin Ch., Lips M.

The development of an average farm of the ‘dairying/arable crops’ type (20 cows) in the plain area is simulated by means of a dynamic simulation model. As a result of milk price reductions, the farm will suffer continuous equity-capital losses if it maintains its current production. The present study investigates the alternative of specialisation in…

Agricultural economics 2006

Rossier R., Wyss B.

Agroscope FAT Tänikon investigated the farm succession situation in Swiss agriculture on the basis of a postal survey of a representative sample of 776 Swiss male and female farm managers aged 40 and over and their children living on the farm as well as several focus groups. An analysis of the factors and processes determining…

Agricultural economics 2006

Buchli S., Flury Ch.

To date, evaluations of direct payments have, in the main, neglected to consider the costs of enforcement and control. However, the question of the degree to which these policy related transaction costs influence the implementation and efficiency of agricultural policy measures is relevant for the development of agricultural policy. An assessment of policy related transaction…

Agricultural economics 2006

Luder W.

Given the pressure exerted by the high production costs of Swiss agriculture, the production factor of ‘work’ is quite rightly gaining in importance. The current discussion often deals with the quantitative productivity. This kind of productivity however can be bought by a disproportionate input of capital. The present article suggests using the work income earned…

Agricultural economics 2006

Lauber S., Erzinger S., Pfefferli S.

The SULAPS Project uses an agrarian structure model to make prognoses on the development of mountain farming in two investigation areas in the Mittelbünden region (Canton of Grisons) for a time frame of 10-15 years. Two of the scenarios under consideration assume a major liberalisation of the agricultural markets and a halving of direct payments:…

Agricultural economics 2005

Schmid C., Tschumi B.

European Union as well as Switzerland consider in their agricultural policies demanding conditions of life and production by defining the areas characterized by difficult conditions of farming and by implementing adequate measures. The existing perimeter of the complication areas in the European Union and Switzerland differ according to demarcation criteria, methodology and scale level.This article…

Agricultural economics 2005

Meier T., Lanz S.

In general, the intermediate conclusions concerning the reforms carried out with respect to agricultural policy so far are positive: clear improvements have been made from the point of view of ensuring sustainability, meeting the needs of the market and providing services for the benefit of the general public. At the same time, however, incomes in…

Agricultural economics 2005

Raaflaub M., Genoni M.

In Switzerland, as well as in the neighbouring EU countries Germany and France, a survey of producers` prices for fertilisers, pesticides, seed and veterinary medicines was made. The assumption often heard in public discussions that prices are higher in Switzerland was generally confirmed and documented with a wide range of data. The survey showed that…

Agricultural economics 2005

Beyeler Ch., Friedli R., Spring P., Hilty R.

The aim of the present survey was to evaluate the investments for fattening pig barns in Switzerland based on realized objects. The investments were analyzed on 24 objects built between 1997 und 2004 with an average capacity of 372 fattening pigs (FP) (200 to 800 FP). The capital cost was evaluated based on the construction…

Agricultural economics 2005

Marbé-Sans D., Heitkämper K., Schick M.

Actually the FAT database of standard times in horticulture is revised. In general standard times are measured in grape, appel, cherry and berry cultures and some single vegetable cultures.The application of the standard time methods is described by using different examples of horticultures. The focus is on the difference between standard times on the one…

Agricultural economics 2005

Huber R., Rieder P.

Since the separation of price and income policies, the economic costs on the supply side of Swiss agriculture have decreased considerably. They amount to about half a billion Swiss francs, which corresponds to 0,15 % of the Swiss net social product in 2002. Compared to the overall costs in Swiss agriculture, the loss of social…

Agricultural economics 2005

Kopainsky B., Rieder P.

Settlement can no longer be assured by agriculture alone. An integrated, regional approach is essential if decentralised settlement is to be maintained. This paper investigates the future prospects of endangered boroughs and the impact of development strategies designed to stabilise employment and population. A dynamic simulation model serves as the basis for this study. The…

Agricultural economics 2005

Buchli S., Kopainsky B., Rieder P.

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the manner in which agriculture fulfils the obligations relating to its contribution to decentralised settlement and the respective measures implemented by the Federation. In the first stage, we investigate the role of agriculture in the situation threatening decentralised settlement and come to the conclusion that the sector…

Agricultural economics 2005

Flury Ch., Mack G.

Agricultural economics 2005

Mack G., Pfefferli S.

The Swiss federal milk and meat market policy is due to undergo reform over the next few years. This article investigates the consequences of various policy scenarios on the basis of model calculations. The results clearly show that reducing milk-market support without modifying the direct payment system would lead to a decrease in dairy-cow livestock,…

Agricultural economics 2005

Flury Ch., Rieder P.

On the supply side, there is a very close relationship between the milk and meat markets. This means that changes in basic conditions on the milk market have an impact on both the milk and the meat market. A change in supply interacts with consumer demand to generate new market balances and prices, whereby any…

Agricultural economics 2005

Gerwig C.

The possibility to trade milk quotas changed the operational structures of Swiss Dairy farms since 1999 more than in the twenty years before. Due to the simultaneous price erosion, farmers try to adapt the operational structures. These adjustments are analyzed for the years 1999 – 2002 on the basis of 131 defined farm types. These…

Agricultural economics 2005

Hilty R., Van Caenegem L.

Farm buildings account for a considerable part of the farm’s structural costs. Low-cost farm buildings are therefore required to ensure cost-effective production. As a space allocation plan can be realised in various manners, comparing different building options can help to find the ï¿½best solution’ with regard to functionality, investment demands and annual costs. The FAT…

Agricultural economics 2005

Mann S.

The acceptance of agri-environmental programs is a crucial condition for achieving the ecological targets of Swiss agriculture. Applying descriptive and econometric analysis, it can be shown that compatibility with respect to the farm’s production technology is the most important factor for their acceptance. The fact that the farmers’ education plays only a minor role indicates…

Agricultural economics 2005

Baltensweiler M., Erdin D.

Multivariate statistical methods were used to investigate the decisive factors responsible for the change of agricultural structures in Switzerland. For this purpose, the relative development of a) all farms, b) full-time farms, c) part-time farms and d) part-time workers in agriculture in the period from 1985 to 2000 was examined. 32 socio-economic and agricultural variables…

Agricultural economics 2005

Zgraggen K., Flury Ch., Jung M., Rieder P.

The current discussion about agricultural policy 2011 is taking place primarily among experts, politicians and those who represent agricultural interests. We aim to make the public at large aware of developments in agriculture by illustrating the relationships between the market, politics and developments in agricultural structures. To this end, we create photo-realistic illustrations of future…

Agricultural economics 2005

Jan P., Lips M., Gazzarin Ch.

Based on single farm data, we apply the cluster analysis in order to build a typology for dairy farms of the Swiss canton of Fribourg. The three resulting farm groups are then assessed with regard to their dynamics i.e. their ability to adapt. The largest group of dairy farms is highly dynamic. They have increased…

Agricultural economics 2005

Bosshard A., Schläpfer F.

The obvious need, in the context trade liberalisation, for further reforming public support for agriculture in Switzerland currently generates lively political debates among affected interest groups. However, a basic understanding of the important public-good issues involved is frequently lacking in these discussions. Currently, only a small fraction of the subsidies are tightly linked to explicit…

Agricultural economics 2004

Sanders J., Schmid O., Richter T.

This paper examines the relevance, environment, key-characteristics and success factors of organic marketing initiatives in Switzerland. Although most initiatives have a similar principal business idea (bundling, processing and/or collective marketing of organic primary products), they can be highly diverse with regard to their objectives, their business strategies and philosophy, as well as their size and…

Agricultural economics 2004

Zgraggen K., Flury Ch., Gotsch N., Rieder P.

This present article investigates the importance of the role played by ecological direct payments in ensuring ecologically compatible land use, taking anticipated developments in agriculture in the Greifensee region as a point of departure. Calculations carried out using an economic land use optimisation model for the year 2011 show that today’s ecological contributions are both…

Agricultural economics 2004

Schmitt M., Roschewitz A., Schläpfer F.

Managed land, i.e. mainly agricultural land and forest, provides several services for the general public, such as making the landscape aesthetic and providing food. In contrast to private goods, the demand for public goods cannot be monitored in the markets. Thus, surveys are one of the few ways of learning about the public’s preferences for…

Agricultural economics 2004

Zgraggen K., Flury Ch., Gotsch N., Rieder P.

An agricultural sector model was developed as an integral element of the Greifensee project. It was designed to assess medium and long-term developments in agriculture and land use and to evaluate policy measures. The model exhibits a high degree of spatial detail which aids the assessment of ecological effects. This article presents the optimisation model…

Agricultural economics 2004

Flury Ch., Gotsch N., Rieder P., Szerencsits E., Schüpbach B., Gantner U.

The interdisciplinary Greifensee research project deals with the utilisation of land and landscapes in the densely settled Swiss midlands (see http://www.ito.umnw.eth.ch/SoilPhys/greifensee/). Using the Greifensee region as an example, fundamental scientific principles for the organisation and management of sustainable agriculture and forestry are developed, together with the policy measures required for their implementation. Various aspects of…