The Profitability of Sustainable Agriculture on a Representative Grain Farm in the Mid-Atlantic Region, 1981–89: Comment

• Published in: Agricultural and resource economics review Vol. 24; no. 1; pp. 136 - 137
• Main Authors: Roberts, Wayne S., Swinton, Scott M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, US Cambridge University Press 01.04.1995; Northeastern Agricultural and Resource Economics Association
• Subjects: ACTIVO CIRCULANTE; AGRICULTURA COMERCIAL; AGRICULTURE COMMERCIALE; AVENAS; AVOINE; BLE; Comment and Reply; COMMERCIAL FARMING; CONCIENCIA SOCIAL; CONSCIENCE SOCIALE; DURABILITE; ESTADOS DEL NORDESTE (EUA); ETATS DU NORD EST (EU); FARM COMPARISONS; FARM RESULTS; FARMING SYSTEMS; FEDERAL PROGRAMS; financial analysis; GRAIN; GRANOS; LIQUID ASSETS; LIQUIDITY; LOW INPUT AGRICULTURE; MAIS; MAIZ; MAIZE; MIDDLE ATLANTIC STATES OF USA; MODELE; MODELOS; NORTH EASTERN STATES (USA); OATS; PARTICIPATION; PENNSYLVANIA; PENNSYLVANIE; PROFITABILITY; RENTABILIDAD; RENTABILITE; RESULTADOS DE LA EXPLOTACION; RESULTAT DE L'EXPLOITATION AGRICOLE; RIESGO; RISK; RISQUE; rodale research farms, kutztown, pennsylvania; SISTEMAS DE EXPLOTACION; SOCIAL CONSCIOUSNESS; SOJA; solvency; SOSTENIBILIDAD; SOYBEANS; SUSTAINABILITY; SYSTEME D'EXPLOITATION AGRICOLE; TRESORERIE; TRIGO; WHEATS
• ISSN: 1068-2805; 2372-2614
• DOI: 10.1017/S1068280500003695

A long term whole farm analysis comparing conventional and low-input farming systems is reviewed. A computational error led to the mistaken conclusion that conventional farming with government programs is less preferred by risk-averse farmers than the low input alternative. The greater income variance of conventional agriculture need not make it less preferred provided a higher mean income sufficiently offsets the higher variance.