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A comparison of the economic and environmental performances of conventional and organic farming: Evidence from financial statements

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  • Josep Mª Argilés

    (Universitat de Barcelona (UB))

  • Néstor Duch Brown

    (Institut d'Economia de Barcelona (IEB); Universitat de Barcelona (UB))

Abstract

While conventional farming systems face serious problems of sustainability, organic agriculture is seen as a more environmentally friendly system as it favours renewable resources, recycles nutrients, uses the environment’s own systems for controlling pests and diseases, sustains ecosystems, protects soils, and reduces pollution. At the same time organic farming promotes animal welfare, the use of natural foodstuffs, product diversity and the avoidance of waste, among other practices. However, the future of organic agriculture will depend on its economic viability and on the determination shown by governments to protect these practices. This paper performs panel regressions with a sample of Catalan farms (Spain) to test the influence of organic farming on farm output, costs and incomes. It analyses the cost structures of both types of farming and comments on their social and environmental performance.

Suggested Citation

  • Josep Mª Argilés & Néstor Duch Brown, 2007. "A comparison of the economic and environmental performances of conventional and organic farming: Evidence from financial statements," Working Papers 2007/8, Institut d'Economia de Barcelona (IEB).
    • Handle: RePEc:ieb:wpaper:doc2007-8
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    Cited by:

    1. Marasteanu, I. Julia & Jaenicke, Edward C., 2013. "Agglomeration and Spatial Dependence in Certified Organic Operations in the United States," 2013 Annual Meeting, August 4-6, 2013, Washington, D.C. 149551, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    2. Marasteanu, I. Julia & Jaenicke, Edward C., 2014. "Clusters of Organic Operations and their Impact on Regional Economic Growth in the United States," 2014 Annual Meeting, July 27-29, 2014, Minneapolis, Minnesota 170336, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    3. Pau Castells & Francesc Trillas, 2008. "Political parties and the economy: Macro convergence, micro partisanship?," Working Papers 2008/1, Institut d'Economia de Barcelona (IEB).
    4. Elodie Letort & Aude Ridier, 2022. "The economic performance of transitional and non-transitional organic dairy farms: A panel data econometric approach in Brittany," Working Papers SMART 22-03, INRAE UMR SMART.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Organic agriculture; conventional agriculture; organic farming; conventional farming; social and environmental performance; financial performance; social and environmental accounting.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • Q01 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - General - - - Sustainable Development
    • Q12 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Micro Analysis of Farm Firms, Farm Households, and Farm Input Markets
    • Q51 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Valuation of Environmental Effects

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