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Alfons Oude Lansink - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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pesticide use environmental spillovers and efficiency a dea risk adjusted efficiency approach applied to dutch Arable Farming
European Journal of Operational Research, 2014Co-Authors: Theodoros Skevas, Spiro E Stefanou, Alfons Oude LansinkAbstract:Pesticides are widely used by crop producers in developed countries to combat risk associated with pests and diseases. However, their indiscriminate use can lead to various environmental spillovers that may alter the agricultural production environment thus contributing to production risk. This study utilises a data envelopment analysis (DEA) approach to measure performance of Arable farms, incorporating pesticides’ environmental spillovers and output variance as undesirable outputs in the efficiency analysis and taking explicitly into account the effect of pesticides and other inputs on production risk. The application focuses on panel data from Dutch Arable farms over the period 2003–2007. A moment approach is used to compute output variance, providing empirical representations of the risk-increasing or -decreasing nature of the used inputs. Finally, shadow values of risk-adjusted inputs are computed. We find that pesticides are overused in Dutch Arable Farming and there is a considerable evidence of the need for decreasing pesticides’ environmental spillovers.
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reducing pesticide use and pesticide impact by productivity growth the case of dutch Arable Farming
Journal of Agricultural Economics, 2014Co-Authors: Theodoros Skevas, Alfons Oude LansinkAbstract:This paper employs a dynamic Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) model to measure the composition of productivity growth of pesticides and the environmental impacts of pesticides. The application focuses on panel data of Dutch Arable farms over the period 2003–07. A bootstrap regression model is used to explain farmers' performance, providing empirical evidence of the impact of producer-specific characteristics and environmental factors. The results show that Dutch Arable farms have substantial inefficiency in the use of pesticides and high pesticide environmental inefficiency, and appear rather unconcerned about the environmental impacts of their current pesticide use decisions on next period's production environment.
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analysing production technology and risk in organic and conventional dutch Arable Farming using panel data
Journal of Agricultural Economics, 2010Co-Authors: Cornelis Gardebroek, M D Chavez, Alfons Oude LansinkAbstract:This paper compares the production technology and production risk of organic and conventional Arable farms in the Netherlands. Just-Pope production functions that explicitly account for output variability are estimated using panel data of Dutch organic and conventional farms. Prior investigation of the data indicates that within variation of output is significantly higher for organic farms, indicating that organic farms face more output variation than conventional farms. The estimation results indicate that in both types of farms, unobserved farm-specific factors like management skills and soil quality are important in explaining output variability and production risk. The results further indicate that land has the highest elasticity of production for both farm types. Labour and other variable inputs have significant production elasticities in the case of conventional farms and other variable inputs in the case of organic farms. Manure and fertilisers are risk-increasing inputs on organic farms and risk-reducing inputs on conventional farms. Other variable inputs and labour are risk increasing on both farm types; capital and land are risk-reducing inputs. Copyright (c) 2009 The Authors. Journal compilation (c) 2009 The Agricultural Economics Society.
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analysing production technology and risk in organic and conventional dutch Arable Farming using panel data
Journal of Agricultural Economics, 2010Co-Authors: Cornelis Gardebroek, M D Chavez, Alfons Oude LansinkAbstract:Abstract This paper compares the production technology and production risk of organic and conventional Arable farms in the Netherlands. Just–Pope production functions that explicitly account for output variability are estimated using panel data of Dutch organic and conventional farms. Prior investigation of the data indicates that within variation of output is significantly higher for organic farms, indicating that organic farms face more output variation than conventional farms. The estimation results indicate that in both types of farms, unobserved farm-specific factors like management skills and soil quality are important in explaining output variability and production risk. The results further indicate that land has the highest elasticity of production for both farm types. Labour and other variable inputs have significant production elasticities in the case of conventional farms and other variable inputs in the case of organic farms. Manure and fertilisers are risk-increasing inputs on organic farms and risk-reducing inputs on conventional farms. Other variable inputs and labour are risk increasing on both farm types; capital and land are risk-reducing inputs. Keywords: Organic and conventional production; panel data; production risk.
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input disposability and efficiency in dutch Arable Farming
Journal of Agricultural Economics, 2003Co-Authors: Guan Zhengfei, Alfons Oude LansinkAbstract:This paper develops a test for disposability of individual inputs based on non-radial efficiency measures. Furthermore, the paper analyses the impact of congestion on overall technical efficiency for individual inputs. The application uses panel data from Dutch cash crop farms over the period 1989-1992. A significant difference between the efficiency measures under different assumptions on input disposability is detected by a t-test, indicating that all inputs are weakly disposable. Analysis of the composition of overall technical efficiency reveals that weak disposability constitutes the largest component Of inefficiency. Moreover, congested farms on average have a less effective management and operate on a larger, though less efficient, production scale.
Kurtjurge Hulsberge - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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a new method for analyzing agricultural land use efficiency and its application in organic and conventional Farming systems in southern germany
European Journal of Agronomy, 2017Co-Authors: Kurtjurge HulsbergeAbstract:Abstract Improving the land-use efficiency (LUE) of Farming systems could satisfy increasing global food, feed, biomass and bioenergy demand in a sustainable manner. This study presents a new method for calculating LUE, beginning with an overview of different approaches to assessing agricultural LUE. This new method takes into account the quality and function of agricultural products and the relationship between the yield of the assessed farm and the average yield of the reference region with compArable soils, climate and socio-economic conditions. The new approach was tested using data from long-term experiments at the Scheyern Research Farm in southern Germany, which include different Farming systems (organic mixed Farming, Arable Farming, and agroforestry; conventional Arable Farming and agroforestry). In our case studies, the LUE of conventional systems (Arable Farming: 1.00; improved Arable Farming: 1.06; agroforestry: 0.98) was higher than those of the organic systems (mixed Farming: 0.69; Arable Farming: 0.33; agroforestry: 0.43) due to different crop rotations, dry matter yields, and biomass usage (harvest ratio). The conversion of high-input Arable Farming systems (conventional Farming) to agroforestry systems is an extensification with negative effects on the dry matter yield and land-use efficiency. Nevertheless, the conversion to agroforestry systems can increase dry matter yield and land-use efficiency in low-input Arable Farming systems (organic Farming). LUE should be used in combination with agri-environmental indicators, in order to ensure both efficient and sustainable land use.
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effects of changing farm management and farm structure on energy balance and energy use efficiency a case study of organic and conventional Farming systems in southern germany
European Journal of Agronomy, 2017Co-Authors: Julia Hube, Georg Gerl, Kurtjurge HulsbergeAbstract:Abstract Fossil energy input, energy output, and energy use- efficiency (EUE) are important indicators of the environmental effects, resource consumption and economic performance of Farming systems. In this study, the energy balance (process analysis) and EUE of different organic and conventional Farming systems – mixed Farming, Arable Farming, and agroforestry (AGFS) systems – were analyzed due to their importance in Germany. The analysis was based on long-term experiments at the Scheyern Research Farm in southern Germany. The results showed that the conversion from multi-structured organic mixed Farming to a specialized organic Arable Farming system reduced the fossil energy input in crop production only marginally (from 5.9 to 5.5 GJ ha −1 yr −1 ), but considerably decreased dry matter yield (from 5.4 to 2.5 Mg ha −1 yr −1 ), energy output (from 99 to 46 GJ ha −1 yr −1 ) and EUE (from 16.8 to 8.3). Improved management in the conventional Arable Farming system (with high-yielding varieties and better N management) reduced the energy input from 14.0 to 12.2 GJ ha −1 yr −1 , increased the energy output from 155 to 179 GJ ha −1 yr −1 , and elevated the EUE from 11.1 to 14.6. The establishment of AGFS with short rotation trees (without fertilization and pesticide use) led to the reduction of energy input. Based on the results, we concluded that mixed Farming is one of the best ways of producing food with high EUE under the conditions of organic Farming. Therefore the conversion from organic mixed Farming to an organic Arable Farming system is not recommended. Our AGFS results were from the first stage of a long-term experiment; it showed no negative effects on DM yield and energy output and positive effects on energy-use efficiency at this stage. However, further research is needed to know the long-term influence of AGFS.
Theodoros Skevas - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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evaluating alternative policies to reduce pesticide groundwater pollution in dutch Arable Farming
Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, 2020Co-Authors: Theodoros SkevasAbstract:This article develops a dynamic optimal control modelof farmers' production decisions and applies it to panel data from Dutch Arable farms to assess the effectiveness of different policy interventi...
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pesticide use environmental spillovers and efficiency a dea risk adjusted efficiency approach applied to dutch Arable Farming
European Journal of Operational Research, 2014Co-Authors: Theodoros Skevas, Spiro E Stefanou, Alfons Oude LansinkAbstract:Pesticides are widely used by crop producers in developed countries to combat risk associated with pests and diseases. However, their indiscriminate use can lead to various environmental spillovers that may alter the agricultural production environment thus contributing to production risk. This study utilises a data envelopment analysis (DEA) approach to measure performance of Arable farms, incorporating pesticides’ environmental spillovers and output variance as undesirable outputs in the efficiency analysis and taking explicitly into account the effect of pesticides and other inputs on production risk. The application focuses on panel data from Dutch Arable farms over the period 2003–2007. A moment approach is used to compute output variance, providing empirical representations of the risk-increasing or -decreasing nature of the used inputs. Finally, shadow values of risk-adjusted inputs are computed. We find that pesticides are overused in Dutch Arable Farming and there is a considerable evidence of the need for decreasing pesticides’ environmental spillovers.
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reducing pesticide use and pesticide impact by productivity growth the case of dutch Arable Farming
Journal of Agricultural Economics, 2014Co-Authors: Theodoros Skevas, Alfons Oude LansinkAbstract:This paper employs a dynamic Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) model to measure the composition of productivity growth of pesticides and the environmental impacts of pesticides. The application focuses on panel data of Dutch Arable farms over the period 2003–07. A bootstrap regression model is used to explain farmers' performance, providing empirical evidence of the impact of producer-specific characteristics and environmental factors. The results show that Dutch Arable farms have substantial inefficiency in the use of pesticides and high pesticide environmental inefficiency, and appear rather unconcerned about the environmental impacts of their current pesticide use decisions on next period's production environment.
Jørgen E. Olesen - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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barriers for developing more robust organic Arable Farming systems in practice
2013Co-Authors: Egon Noe, Jørgen E. Olesen, Peter Sorensen, Bo Melander, Erik FogAbstract:There is a gap between the scientific idea of robust and economically viable organic Arable Farming systems with optimized crop rotations for nutrient and pest management and how these systems look like in practice. In order to explore this gap, we visited and interviewed ten organic Arable farms in Denmark. Our main findings are: 1) Organic Arable Farming operates in a very dynamic and changing environment in terms of prizing and market opportunities, and the main focus of the farm managements was the coping strategy within this changing environment; 2) The Farming systems were continuously changing and developing, buying and renting more land, changing manure agreements and other forms of cooperation and arrangements; 3) Short term profit was paid much more attention than more theoretical expectation on long term profit or opportunities in relation to optimizing the production system. This again seems logical in relation to the very dynamic world that the farmers have to operate within; 4) Most of the farmers do not see their farm as a coherent system but as a coordination of a series of separate operations, which means that most decisions are taken with specific reference to the individual field in at the present situation without considering the long-term effects. Management focus is thus much more on solving problems as they are occurring, by adjusting their practice, than it is on developing a robust system preventing problems to occur. This partial focus is also strongly supported by the way in which extension services mostly operate.
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winter cereal yields as affected by animal manure and green manure in organic Arable Farming
European Journal of Agronomy, 2009Co-Authors: Jørgen E. Olesen, Margrethe Askegaard, Ilse A RasmussenAbstract:Abstract The effect of nitrogen (N) supply through animal and green manures on grain yield of winter wheat and winter rye was investigated from 1997 to 2004 in an organic Farming crop rotation experiment in Denmark on three different soil types varying from coarse sand to sandy loam. Two experimental factors were included in the experiment in a factorial design: (1) catch crop (with and without), and (2) manure (with and without). The four-course crop rotation was spring barley undersown with grass/clover – grass/clover – winter wheat or wheat rye – pulse crop. All cuttings of the grass–clover were left on the soil as mulch. Animal manure was applied as slurry to the cereal crops in the rotation in rates corresponding to 40% of the N demand of the cereal crops. Application of 50 kg NH 4 –N ha −1 in manure increased average wheat grain yield by 0.4–0.9 Mg DM ha −1 , whereas the use of catch crops did not significantly affect yield. The use of catch crops interacts with other management factors, including row spacing and weed control, and this may have contributed to the negligible effects of catch crops. There was considerable variation in the amount of N (100–600 kg N ha −1 year −1 ) accumulated in the mulched grass–clover cuttings prior to ploughing and sowing of the winter wheat. This was reflected in grain yield and grain N uptake. Manure application to the cereals in the rotation reduced N accumulation in grass–clover at two of the locations, and this was estimated to have reduced grain yields by 0.1–0.2 Mg DM ha −1 depending on site. Model estimations showed that the average yield reduction from weeds varied from 0.1 to 0.2 Mg DM ha −1 . The weed infestation was larger in the manure treatments, and this was estimated to have reduced the yield benefit of manure application by up to 0.1 Mg DM ha −1 . Adjusting for these model-estimated side-effects resulted in wheat grain yields gains from manure application of 0.7–1.1 Mg DM ha −1 . The apparent recovery efficiency of N in grains (N use efficiency, NUE) from NH 4 –N in applied manure varied from 23% to 44%. The NUE in the winter cereals of N accumulated in grass–clover cuttings varied from 14% to 39% with the lowest value on the coarse sandy soil, most likely due to high rates of N leaching at this location. Both NUE and grain yield benefit in the winter cereals declined with increasing amounts of N accumulated in the grass–clover cuttings. The model-estimated benefit of increasing N input in grass–clover from 100 to 500 kg N ha −1 varied from 0.8 to 2.0 Mg DM ha −1 between locations. This is a considerably smaller yield increase than obtained for manure application, and it suggests that the productivity in this system may be improved by removing the cuttings and applying the material to the cereals in the rotation, possibly after digestion in a biogas reactor. Cereal grain protein content was increased more by the N in the grass–clover than from manure application, probably due to different timing of N availability. Green-manure crops or manures with a relatively wide C:N ratio may therefore be critical for ensuring sufficiently high protein contents in high yielding winter wheat for bread making.
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the value of catch crops and organic manures for spring barley in organic Arable Farming
Field Crops Research, 2007Co-Authors: Jørgen E. Olesen, Margrethe Askegaard, E M Hansen, Ilse A RasmussenAbstract:The effect of nitrogen (N) supply and weeds on grain yield of spring barley was investigated in an organic Farming crop rotation experiment on three different soil types in Denmark from 1997 to 2001. Three experimental factors were included in the experiment in a factorial design: 1) crop rotation (lupin or pea/barley as previous crop to barley), 2) cover crop (with and without), and 3) manure (with and without). The crop rotations included grass-clover as a green manure crop. Animal manure was applied as slurry in rates corresponding to 40% of the N demand of the cereal crops. Application of 50 kg NH4-N ha-1 in manure (slurry) increased barley grain DM yield by 1.0 to 1.3 Mg DM ha-1, whereas the use of cover crops (primarily perennial ryegrass) increased grain DM yield by 0.4 to 0.7 Mg DM ha-1 with the smallest effect on the sandy loam soil and the highest effect on the coarse sandy soil. Model estimations showed that the yield reduction from weeds varied from 0.3 to 1.6 Mg DM ha-1 depending on weed species and density. The yield effects of N supply were thus more predictable and less variable than the effects of weed infestation. The N use efficiency of NH4-N in applied manure varied from 25 to 39% corresponding to N use efficiencies obtained with mineral N fertilisers. The N use efficiency of above-ground weeds and cover crops sampled in November prior to the spring barley varied from 13 to 57%. Pea/barley and lupin increased grain yield by 0.2 and 0.8 Mg DM ha-1 over winter wheat as a previous crop. This could not be explained by N in the above-ground residues of the previous crop. Grass-clover as a green manure crop three years prior to the spring barley increased grain yield by about 0.5 Mg DM ha-1 at Flakkebjerg. Cropping history was thus equally important for grain yield as manure application.
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the value of catch crops and organic manures for spring barley in organic Arable Farming
Field Crops Research, 2007Co-Authors: Jørgen E. Olesen, Margrethe Askegaard, E M Hansen, Ilse A RasmussenAbstract:Abstract The effect of nitrogen (N) supply and weeds on grain yield of spring barley was investigated from 1997 to 2004 in an organic Farming crop rotation experiment in Denmark on three different soil types varying from coarse sand to sandy loam. Two experimental factors were included in the experiment in a factorial design: (1) catch crop (with and without), and (2) manure (with and without). The crop rotation included grass-clover as a green manure crop. Animal manure was applied as slurry in rates corresponding to 40% of the N demand of the cereal crops. Application of 50 kg NH 4 -N ha −1 in manure (slurry) increased average barley grain DM yield by 1.0–1.3 Mg DM ha −1 , whereas the use of catch crops (primarily perennial ryegrass) increased grain DM yield by 0.2–0.4 Mg DM ha −1 with the smallest effect on the loamy sand and sandy loam soils and the greatest effect on the coarse sandy soil. Model estimations showed that the average yield reduction from weeds varied from 0.2 to 0.4 Mg DM ha −1 depending on weed species and density. The yield effects of N supply were more predictable and less variable than the effects of weed infestation. The infestation level of leaf diseases was low and not a significant source of yield variation. The apparent recovery efficiency of N in grains (N use efficiency, NUE) from NH 4 -N in applied manure varied from 29 to 38%. The NUE of above-ground N in catch crops sampled in November prior to the spring barley varied from 16 to 52% with the largest value on the coarse sandy soil and the smallest value on the sandy loam soil. A comparison of grain yield levels obtained at the different locations with changes in soil organic matter indicated a NUE of 21–26% for soil N mineralisation, which is smaller than that for the mineral N applied in manure. However, this estimate is uncertain and further studies are needed to quantify differences in NUE from various sources of N. The proportion of perennial weeds in total biomass increased during the experiment, particularly in treatments without manure application. The results show that manure application is a key factor in maintaining good crop yields in Arable organic Farming on sandy soils, and in securing crops that are sufficiently competitive against perennial weeds.
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Organic matter and soil tilth in Arable Farming: Management makes a difference within 5–6 years
Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment, 2007Co-Authors: Per Schjønning, Lars J. Munkholm, Susanne Elmholt, Jørgen E. OlesenAbstract:Abstract Management-induced depletion in soil organic carbon (SOC) may create critical tilth conditions for Arable Farming. We investigated the short-term effect of crop rotation and addition of animal manure on SOC fractions, the dispersibility of soil clay, the length of fungal hyphae, wet aggregate stability, tensile strength of dry aggregates, and the pore size distribution, gas diffusivity and permeability of undisturbed bulk soil. SOC fractions were measured in whole-soil samples and in 1–2 mm air-dried aggregates. Plough layer soil was sampled 5 and 6 years after the start of a field experiment with different cropping systems at two loamy sand soils (Foulum, ∼9% clay and Flakkebjerg, ∼14% clay). A soil drop test was performed in the field to evaluate in situ soil friability. A system dominated by small grain cereals not receiving animal manure served as a reference treatment (‘CEREAL’). This system was compared to the same crop sequence but with application of animal manure (‘CEREAL + MANURE’, only at one location), and to a diversified crop rotation including grass/clover but without addition of animal manure (‘CEREAL + GRASS’). A part of each field plot was compacted by a medium-sized tractor. The content of SOC was lowest for the CEREAL system at both locations. Hot-water extractable SOC displayed the same pattern. The carbon fractions in aggregates responded similarly to cropping systems as those in whole-soil samples. Clay dispersibility was highest in the CEREAL system. The length of fungal hyphae was enhanced by the versatile crop rotation. Soil compaction tended to increase clay dispersibility. Our results confirmed agronomic observations that the tilth in the Flakkebjerg soil was problematic and worse than in the Foulum soil, but generally only trends were found in amelioration of the poor mechanical tilth characteristics. In contrast, soil (macro)porosity was significantly higher for the CEREAL + GRASS system compared to the other two systems, and the CEREAL + MANURE and CEREAL + GRASS systems had more tortuous pore systems compared to the CEREAL system and better resisted compaction than the latter. We conclude that only 5–6 years of differentiated soil management significantly affected SOC fractions, the dispersibility of clay, and the growth of fungal hyphae. As only trends were found in the mechanical aspects of soil tilth, the tilth-forming agents may serve as early indicators of changes in soil tilth. Our results also indicate that soil pore characteristics are affected by short-term management and probably provide the basis for later significant changes also in mechanical tilth characteristics.
G A A Wossink - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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measuring agricultural sustainability in terms of efficiency the case of dutch sugar beet growers
Journal of Environmental Management, 2002Co-Authors: T J De Koeijer, G A A Wossink, P C Struik, J A RenkemaAbstract:Sustainability embraces socio-economic and bio-ecological dimensions or attributes. This paper presents a conceptual framework for quantifying sustainability on the basis of efficiency theory commonly used in economics. The conceptual model is implemented using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). Sustainability is measured for a sample of Dutch sugar beet growers. The average technical efficiency was only 50%. A positive correlation was found between technical efficiency and sustainable efficiency. Differences in efficiency among farmers were persistent within and between years. We conclude that there is considerable scope for improving the sustainability of Arable Farming by better management.
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farmers reasons for changing or not changing to more sustainable practices an exploratory study of Arable Farming in the netherlands
The Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension, 2001Co-Authors: A J De Buck, I Van Rijn, N G Roling, G A A WossinkAbstract:Abstract The paper describes the results of an exploratory study of farmers’ reasons for changing or not changing to more sustainable production methods in Arable Farming in the Netherlands. The background of the research is the disappointing adoption of Integrated Arable Farming Systems (iafs). Perceived production risk was expected to be an important factor constraining adoption. This study suggests, however, that perceived risk is not a satisfactory explanation. One reason is that iafs as it has become in Dutch practice cannot be easily distinguished from conventional Arable Farming systems. A continuum of gradual adoption of iafs methods, mainly for economic reasons, was observed. A real watershed difference was observed between partial adopters of iafs and organic farmers who used no chemicals at all. Secondly, dealing with production risks, such as weather‐dependent problems with weeds, pests and diseases, is considered part of professionalism of both conventional and iafs farmers and hence not a re...
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a conceptual model for analysing input output coefficients in Arable Farming systems from diagnosis towards design
Agricultural Systems, 1999Co-Authors: T J De Koeijer, G A A Wossink, M K Van Ittersum, P C Struik, J A RenkemaAbstract:Environmental legislation is forcing a rethink about desirable crop production systems. The development of new production systems that meet economic and environmental objectives demands knowledge about which input–output combinations are feasible and optimal in practice. A review of concepts in agronomy and in farm and behavioural economics leads to a conceptual model with a division into production levels and accompanying production restricting factors. The highest production level can be defined by merely agronomic growth factors; the next production level is restricted by a mixture of economic and other agronomic factors. The two lowest levels are further restricted by taking into account the socio-psychological factors. With the production restricting factors of the conceptual model the differences in agronomic efficiency of actual and theoretical input–output combinations will be analysed in order to find out which input–output combinations will be feasible and optimal in practice.