Exploiting the link between land identification and farm accountancy data, we use a uniquely detailed database to conduct a robust analysis of land fragmentation and its effect on technical inefficiency on dairy farms in Ireland. Using a stochastic production frontier model, our results show that the number of parcels, the average distance between parcels and the main farm, and the portion of land separate from the main farm all increase technical inefficiency. Such inefficiency can be reduced through increased parcel area, reduced travel distances, advisory services contact, intensive practices and hired labour. Our findings support the need for policy to improve land and labour mobility, providing evidence to support incentives to promote the transfer and long-term leasing of agricultural land.

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The Irish economic boom resulted in a substantial increase in car-ownership and commuting. These trends were particularly noticeable in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA), with an unprecedented increase in employment levels and private car registrations. While employment dropped by an overall 6% during the recent economic recession, the already increasing process of suburbanisation around Irish main cities continued. The commuting belt around Dublin extended beyond the GDA with a substantial number of individuals commuting long distances. The aim of this paper is to examine the impact of both monetary and non-monetary commuting costs on the distribution of employment income in Ireland. The Census of Population is the only nationwide source of information on commuting patterns in Ireland. However, this data set does not include information on individual income. In contrast, SMILE (Simulation Model for the Irish Local Economy) contains employment income data for each individual in Ireland.Using data from the Census of Population of Ireland, discrete choice models of commuting mode choice are estimated for three sub-samples of the Irish population based on residential and employment location and the subjective value of travel time (SVTT) is calculated. The SVTT is then combined with the SMILE data to produce a geo-referenced, attribute rich dataset containing commuting, income, demographic and socio-economic data. Results show that the monetary and non-monetary costs of commuting are highest among those living and working in the GDA.

Patterns of pasture growth were measured on 3 farms in the Bay of Plenty (BOP) and at No2 Dairy (Ruakura Agricultural Centre) in the Waikato from 1989 to 199 1. A standardised trim technique with cages and 4-weekly cutting under grazing was used. Long-term seasonal growth patterns, using a predictive pasture model, were also simulated. Simulated pasture growth from long-term climatic data shows that pasture growth rates are higher in winter, early spring and late autumn in the BOP than the Waikato. However, the actual measurements over the 2 years show that pasture growth over the latter periods is lower at the BOP sites than at the Waikato site. In the BOP the spring peak is much later than in the Waikato while an early summer peak, with higher growth rates than in the Waikato, occurred in the BOP. No such summer peak was evident in the Waikato. The difference between the two regions is caused by the large contribution of subtropical grasses to sward production in summer and autumn, The prolific summer growth of subtropical grasses may explain the low ryegrass content and low pasture production in winter. The lower than expected autumn, winter, spring production may also becaused by low clover content, possibly a result of competition from subtropical grasses and a sulphur deficiency. The apparent low amount of nitrogen fixed by clover may explain the low rates of pasture production over the cooler season. Applications of nitrogen fertiliser may substantially increase dry matter production from April to September. Keywords pasture,simulation,subtropical grasses, Paspalum, Digitaria sanguinalis, growth rates