Factors influencing the strategic decision to further develop dairy production — A study of farmers in central Sweden

Hansson, Helena; Ferguson, Richard

doi:10.1016/j.livsci.2010.06.157

Cited by 50 publications

(39 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…Thus the findings reported here elaborate on the findings of Bergfjord et al (2011) and Hansson and Ferguson (2011) by suggesting that not only the types of values are important in strategic decisions. A high number of values signal that farmers have made a deliberate choice to produce milk and that they enjoy the lifestyle of dairy farming.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 73%

“…Thus Schmitzberger et al (2005) report that farmers who were highly production oriented supported the lowest nature values of their land; both traditionally oriented and innovative farm businesses carried a higher potential to farm in concordance with the biodiversity of their landscape. Finally there is evidence that farmers' values influence their strategic problem solving such as to give up farming (Bergfjord et al 2011) or to further develop dairy production (Hansson and Ferguson 2011). In a survey Bergfjord et al (2011) found that farmers who primarily have financial objectives were less likely to stay on their farm than farmers who have more lifestyle oriented objectives.…”

Section: Manuscript Received July 2014mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Dairy farmers’ values and how their values affect their decision

Hansen

Greve

2014

AFSci

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Values affect humans' perception of situations and problems and guide our actions. The objective of this study was to explore the values of dairy farmers, and whether their values influenced their decisions to maintain dairy farming or to buy consultancy services. During late fall 2007 we visited and interviewed 90 farmers. First we did a qualitative analysis of the data and then we merged the interview data with the existing database of financial data from the year 2007 to do statistical analyses. We also checked whether the farmers still produced milk in 2013, six years after the interviews. Most farmers had terminal values like keeping up the tradition and to have an interesting work. Value combinations with instrumental values such as to earn money and to produce milk were common. Realizing that many farmers prioritize terminal values over instrumental values has important consequences for dairy companies, dairy consultants and politicians.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 73%

Section: Manuscript Received July 2014mentioning

confidence: 99%

Dairy farmers’ values and how their values affect their decision

Hansen

Greve

2014

AFSci

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“…For Swedish farms specialising in beef production, differences in farm economic performance arising from differing regional and agro-environmental potential have been found to be relatively well compensated by the subsidy support provided for the period 1998). Hansson and Ferguson (2011) suggest that stronger interest in development of farming activities can be expected in farms located far away from urban centres, where there is less competition for land, fewer opportunities for alternative employment and less concern about hygiene issues such as farm odours and noise. Similarly, Salevid and Kumm (2011) claim that in the long term, sustainable profitability of Swedish beef farms in environmental support areas is possible, but that continuous EU income support for beef cattle is necessary (Kumm 2009, Salevid 2013, Salevid and Kumm 2011.…”

Section: Regional Factor Endowmentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Input saving possibilities and practices contributing to more efficient beef production in Sweden

Manevska‐Tasevska

Hansson

Rabinowicz

2014

AFSci

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This study estimated the possibilities of reducing costs and improving input use in a sample of Swedish farms specialising in beef production. Input use efficiency was measured in a multi-output, multi-input distance function analysis, covering the period 2008-2011. For comparison, both the classical radial and the generalised non-parametric approach were used. The results revealed that on average, costs could be decreased by 20%. Both models constructed frontiers where: i) the rankings of farms according to efficiency were positively and highly correlated and ii) the size and the significance of the parameter estimates were similar. Input-saving technologies were found to be positively influenced by livestock density, pasture availability and the use of coupled income support. Larger farms, farms with higher specialisation in beef cattle, farms with a larger number of animals older than 2 years, farms converting to organic production, farms located in less favoured areas and farms located in regions with a shorter grazing period were found be less efficient.

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“…The fifth driver is the view on the current business situation, based on material resources (Shucksmith and Herrmann 2002), and pathdependency, as a result of choices made earlier (Clark 2009). The sixth driver is the view on market development, that is, if and how the market is expected to change (Shucksmith and Herrmann 2002;Hansson and Ferguson 2011). The seventh (and last) driver is the view on urban-rural relations.…”

Section: Three-fold Embeddingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In family farms the process of strategic decision-making is very much influenced by the family situation (Gasson et al 1988). A well described recent overview of literature on this part is provided in a study on factors influencing strategic decisions on development of dairy production (Hansson and Ferguson 2011) and in a study on the influence of the farm family on motives for diversifying the farm business (Hansson et al 2013). In the research on farmers' perception the focus is on what Hansson and Ferguson (2011, 111) call the ' decision-maker specific factors' .…”

Section: Introduction: Farm Development In Relation To Its Contextmentioning

confidence: 99%

Farmers’ perception of opportunities for farm development

Methorst¹

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. This interest is in both the process of making strategic decisions and in how this is affected by the relation of the farm with its context. In the process of making strategic decisions, farmers aim to secure a family farm income and to secure the continuity of the farm business. In the reiterative and continuing process of strategic decision-making, farmers aim to anticipate and balance the effect of developments within the context of the farm, with the needs and aims of the family farm. In this process the farmer relates in an implicit or explicit manner towards the dynamic and complex context, under which the farm operates. The farmers' decisions lead to (changes in) farm practices and these farm practices are embedded into the context in which the farm operates. Embedding of the farming practices, in turn, affects the context of the farm. When the farm affects the context, it is likely to also affect the opportunities for further farm development and future strategic decisions. This means that farm development is not isolated from, but closely related to, and affected by, the context, under which the farm operates.

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Factors influencing the strategic decision to further develop dairy production — A study of farmers in central Sweden

Cited by 50 publications

References 34 publications

Dairy farmers’ values and how their values affect their decision

Dairy farmers’ values and how their values affect their decision

Input saving possibilities and practices contributing to more efficient beef production in Sweden

Farmers’ perception of opportunities for farm development

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