Agricultural Production Functions

Master the economic principles behind agricultural production and resource use with this authoritative guide to production functions, input-output relationships and farm-level decision-making.

Agricultural Production Functions provides an analytical foundation for understanding how agricultural inputs such as land, labour, capital, feed and fertilizers are transformed into output. It examines the estimation, interpretation and economic application of production functions in agriculture.

3. Key Features

• Comprehensive treatment of agricultural production functions
• Explains the economic applications of production-function analysis
• Covers different forms of production functions
• Discusses data collection and data analysis for estimating production functions
• Covers economic specification and empirical estimation problems
• Explains input substitution and marginal rates of substitution
• Includes applications relating to livestock production
• Covers least-cost ration and optimum production decisions
• Discusses fertilizer response surfaces, isoquants and isoclines
• Useful for understanding resource allocation and agricultural production economics

Table of Contents

Based on the available bibliographic preview, the book covers topics including:

1. Development of Production Function Studies
2. Economic Applications
3. Forms of Production Functions
4. Data Analysis for Production Function Estimation
5. Data Collection for Production Function Estimation
6. Economic Specification of the Production Function
7. Empirical Problems in Estimating Production Functions
8. Pork Production Functions
9. Production Functions and Substitution Relationships
10. Least-Cost Rations
11. Optimum Marketing Weights in Poultry Production
12. Milk Production Functions
13. Beef Production Functions
14. Crop Response Surfaces and Economic Optima in Fertilizer Use
15. Surfaces, Isoquants and Isoclines
16. Production Functions for Fixed Plants and Other Farm Situations
17. Comparison of Production Function Estimates from Farm Samples

Learning Outcomes

After studying this book, learners should be able to:

• Understand the concept and importance of agricultural production functions
• Analyse relationships between agricultural inputs and outputs
• Understand different forms of production functions
• Interpret production elasticity and marginal productivity
• Analyse resource-use efficiency in agriculture
• Understand input substitution and marginal rates of substitution
• Evaluate least-cost input combinations
• Understand economic optima in agricultural production
• Apply production-function analysis to livestock and crop production
• Understand fertilizer response functions and production surfaces
• Develop analytical skills for agricultural production economics and farm management

Ideal For

• B.Sc. Agriculture students
• M.Sc. Agricultural Economics students
• Agricultural Economics researchers
• Farm Management students
• Agricultural scientists
• Researchers working on production economics
• Students studying resource economics
• Students preparing for higher studies and competitive examinations in agriculture
• Teachers and academicians in Agricultural Economics
• Professionals involved in farm planning and resource allocation

The book is also cited as a suggested reference in Agricultural Economics and production-resources economics curricula.

Why Buy This Book?

Agricultural Production Functions is a valuable reference for anyone seeking a rigorous understanding of the economic relationships between agricultural resources and output. It combines theoretical discussion with empirical applications involving crops and livestock, making it particularly useful for advanced study in Agricultural Economics, Farm Management and Production Economics.

Its coverage of production-function forms, estimation, substitution relationships, least-cost combinations and economic optima makes it a useful academic reference for students and researchers.

About the Authors

Earl O. Heady

Earl O. Heady was a prominent agricultural economist known for his work in agricultural production economics, resource use and economic analysis of agriculture. His work has been widely referenced in the study of agricultural production and farm economics.

John L. Dillon

John L. Dillon is a co-author of Agricultural Production Functions and contributed to the analytical study of agricultural production, production-function analysis and agricultural economics.