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

Josep Mª Argilés () and Néstor Duch Brown
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Josep Mª Argilés: Universitat de Barcelona (UB)

No 2007/8, Working Papers from Institut d'Economia de Barcelona (IEB)

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.

Keywords: Organic agriculture; conventional agriculture; organic farming; conventional farming; social and environmental performance; financial performance; social and environmental accounting. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q01 Q12 Q51 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 30 pages
Date: 2007
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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Related works:
Journal Article: A comparison of the economic and environmental performances of conventional and organic farming: evidence from financial statements (2011)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ieb:wpaper:doc2007-8

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