This study aims at assessing if benefits, based on the economic performance of farms operating in an agro-food supply chain, are generated by a vertical coordination. A panel data (2008)(2009)(2010)(2011) of durum wheat producers was used, namely the Italian Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN). Outcomes of coordinated and non-coordinated farms with equal farm and farmer characteristics were calculated through different economic performance measures. A propensity score-matching model was implemented to take account of the selection bias due to observed individual heterogeneity. The comparisons of average differences in farm economic performance indexes, including costs and profitability, show a coordination premium in competitiveness and profitability of Italian durum wheat farms.

This paper aimed at verifying if and to what extent the use of information technologies for dairy farming positively affects productivity of farmed herd. To do this we estimated the effects of precision farming on a productivity index at herd level, utilizing individual farms data of about 500 livestock farms. Farms are specialized in bovine milk production and are localized in Lombardy, that is one of the most important areas of Italian dairy farming. Using a two-stage treatment regression model, to solve the selection bias due to both observed and un-observed individual heterogeneity in the technology adoption, the study found a positive relationship between adopter status and the proxy of herd productivity.

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