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Abstract
This article investigates which factors influence the economic growth of organic
farms. Organic farming has experienced a substantial growth in Germany since the
beginning of the 1990s until today. Most organic farms are concentrated in the
southern region of the country, Bavaria and Baden-Wuerttemberg. While some of
these farms have expanded their business size, others have contracted, reconverted to
conventional or ceased to operate. Using a panel data of 318 farms and a System
GMM method, the economic growth of organic farms is analyzed. Regression results
suggest that organic farms with high revenue from agriculture are less likely to grow
than smaller farms. Growth is influenced by livestock intensity, multiple job holding,
share of grasslands areas, soil quality and agri-environmental payments for organic
farming.