This study examines the influences of risk, transaction costs, autonomy, size, farm demographics, and socioeconomic characteristics on the choice of four business arrangements by U.S. hog producers. Data for this analysis were obtained from a national survey of U.S. hog producers. This research...

This study examines the influences of risk, transaction costs, autonomy, size, farm demographics, and socioeconomic characteristics on the choice of four business arrangements by U.S. hog producers. Data for this analysis were obtained from a national survey of U.S. hog producers. This research...

Replaced with revised version of paper 02/09/04.

Hog farmers’ preferences for autonomy are assessed through the use of eight questions dealing with their preferences for general decision making and with respect to specific management actions. Farmers generally preferred to make a higher percentage of the decisions about their...

An important aspect of structural change in the U.S. hog industry has been the adoption of breeding technology. The adoption of each of four breeding technologies, weekly farrowing, intensive breeding, terminal crossbreeding, and artificial insemination, in U.S. hog production is analyzed using...

This study examines the influences of economic and non-economic variables on the size of U.S. sow breeding operations using a probit model. Data from a national survey of U.S. hog operations identifying two different size categories were used in this study. Findings indicate that factors such as...