Article
A Return of the Threshing Ring? A Case Study of Machinery and Labor-Sharing in Midwestern Farms
Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics
Document Type
Article
Disciplines
Publication Version
Submitted Manuscript
Publication Date
1-1-2010
DOI
10.1017/S1074070800003977
Abstract
Machinery-sharing provides an alternative for smaller producers to obtain the efficiencies of large farming operations and remain competitive in an increasingly concentrated agricultural industry. This research uses a multiple case study design to examine the motivations for sharing equipment and labor among farms and to better understand how group members handle the transaction costs of sharing. Our case evidence finds that in addition to cost savings, access to reliable labor is an important motivation for participating in a sharing arrangement. Trust and frequent communication among group members helps to minimize the transaction costs incurred from sharing.
Citation Information
Georgeanne M. Artz, Gregory Colson and Roger Ginder. "A Return of the Threshing Ring? A Case Study of Machinery and Labor-Sharing in Midwestern Farms" Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics Vol. 42 Iss. 4 (2010) p. 805 - 819 Available at: http://works.bepress.com/georgeanne-artz/25/
This is a working paper of an article published in Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics, Vol. 42 no. 4 (November 2010): 805, doi: 10.1017/S1074070800003977.