In this paper a probit model is used to assess the factors that will influence the decision of Irish farmers to adopt GM technology should they be given a choice in the near future of selecting between GM and non-GM varieties of crops. The theory underlying the model emanates from the wide...

The primary objective of this paper is to evaluate alternative control strategies for a number of simulated outbreaks of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) in four agriculturally diverse Irish regions, examining for the first time, the potential role of emergency vaccination in the country. The recent...

This paper conducts a detailed, micro-focused investigation of the implications of issues such as recent agricultural policy changes and growth in the wider economy on the structure of production systems in Ireland, Denmark and the Netherlands in terms of farm numbers, system switching,...

This paper assesses the impact of decoupling on farming in Ireland. The decision to engage in production post-decoupling is simulated using profit maximising multi-period linear programming models. The number of farmers that would financially benefit from disengaging from production is...

This paper examines the competitiveness of cereal production in selected EU member states. The analysis showed that productivity levels in the UK, Ireland and France were consistently higher than competing countries Denmark, Germany and Italy. In terms of profitability, the opportunity cost of...

The economic case for the production of biomass crops can only be established through a comprehensive analysis of the potential costs and returns of these crops. Using data from Ireland, this paper provides a Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) investment analysis for two of the most common biomass...

Under the Mac Sharry and Agenda 2000 reforms, direct payments comprised a significant portion of farmers’ income in the EU. Farmers had to engage in production to receive these payments but the payments were relatively risk-free and therefore risk may not have played an important role in the...

Numerous studies exist reporting estimates of the theoretical potential for growing energy crops in the Ireland; however a knowledge gap exists on the extent to which Irish farmers would actually choose to grow these crops. We investigated the influence of selected individual and farm...