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Abstract
Using panel data, we estimate technology gaps for four distinct sheep-producing
regions in Eastern Australia (Northern New South Wales, Central and South-Eastern
New South Wales, South-Western New South Wales and South-West Victoria) that
reflect spatial environmental and technological differences in wool production. A
deterministic stochastic metafrontier production function model is estimated that
envelops the stochastic frontiers of the four regions. This metafrontier approach
enables us to estimate the environment-technology gap ratio that reflects these
spatial differences in the environment and variations in production technologies in the
wool enterprise for benchmarked farmers in each region. As a result, a more
accurate estimation is possible of changes in total factor productivity on farms in the
different regions. The major findings are that environment-technology gaps do exist
between regions but they are relatively small. Greater variation is apparent within
regions. Variation in technical efficiency seems to depend on the harshness of the
production environment and whether consultancy advice is regularly received by the
benchmarking group.