The public and private net benefits of retaining wetlands in agricultural cropland in east central Saskatchewan are evaluated in a policy case study. Wetland drainage on agricultural lands continues to occur despite evidence from existing studies concerning societal benefits derived from wetland retention. A simulation model was developed to estimate on‐farm costs and benefits associated with wetland drainage in east central Saskatchewan. The private net benefits were compared to existing estimates of the public benefits to retaining wetlands in this region. The analysis suggests that payments from existing “beneficiary pay” policies, such as public incentive payments to farmers to retain wetlands, are too low to retain wetlands at risk of drainage. Les avantages nets, publics et privés, de la conservation des milieux humides sur les terres agricoles cultivables du centre‐est de la Saskatchewan sont évalués dans une étude de cas sur les politiques. Le drainage des terres humides en milieu agricole se poursuit malgré l’existence d’études montrant que la conservation des milieux humides procure des avantages à la collectivité. Nous avons élaboré un modèle de simulation afin d’estimer les coûts que doivent engager les agriculteurs pour drainer les terres humides dans le centre‐est de la Saskatchewan et les avantages qu’ils en retirent. Nous avons comparé les avantages nets privés avec les estimations existantes des avantages publics liés à la conservation des terres humides dans cette région. Les résultats de notre étude autorisent à penser que les primes prévues dans les politiques existantes du «bénéficiaire payeur», telles que les primes d’encouragement versées aux agriculteurs pour conserver les milieux humides, sont insuffisantes pour protéger les milieux humides contre le risque de drainage.

Productive efficiency for Chinese hybrid and conventional rice production is estimated using a dual stochastic frontier efficiency decomposition model. Results reveal significant differences in technical and allocative efficiency between conventional and hybrid rice production, and indicate significant regional efficiency differences in hybrid rice production, but not in conventional rice production.

The purpose of this paper is to discuss how farm-level modelers can best extend their research to address issues broader than just farm income. The paper describes how tradeoff curves are a valuable tool for summarizing the missing information to policy makers on economic problems related to sustainability issues and agriculture. We outline steps an economic researcher could follow in developing an integrated farm-level model that successfully links changes in environmental quality with agricultural practices so that the relevant trade-offs for policy analysis can be quantified.A gricultural production economists have been trained to evaluate the optimal means by which scarce resources should be used to achieve desired objectives at the farm level. The techniques for determining optimal input use and output supply have often involved modeling behavioral and technical relationships at the farm level. The modeling of these relationships for the firm has resulted in improved information for producers and extension agents and consequently resulted in higher returns to the agricultural sector (at least for early adopters). The emphasis in farm-level modeling in the past has generally been on improving individual profitability with some concern directed toward the impacts and efficiency of agricultural support programs. However, these modeling efforts are increasingly being used to assess larger policy issues, particularly with regard to the relationship between agricultural production systems and sustainability.Sustainability has been measured through broad, agri-environmental indicators, such as those recently developed by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). These include items such as soil quality, biodiversity, farm financial resources, and rural sociocultural issues (Organization

No abstract

Acceptcd 1R Octobcr 1997Ahstract Productive efficicncy for Chincse hybrid and conventional riec production is estirnatcd using a dual stochastic frontier cfficicncy decomposition model, Results reveal significant differences in tcchnical and allocative efficicncy between eonvcntional and hybrid riec production. and indicate significant regional efficiency differences in hybrid riec production. but not in conventional rice production. © 1998Keywords. Hybrid riec production; Conventional riec production: Stochastic trontier cfficiency production of FI hybrid sccd involves a complicutcd three-tine mcthod (Lin. 1991al. First, a cytoplasmic male-sterile parent plant is located, This plant is then crossed with a maintainer line to produce offspring thar, while sterile. have desirable genetic charactcristics. These sceds arc then crosscd with a 'rcstorcr' line to producc FI sceds with normal xclf-fcnilizing capabilitics.2 Strictly speaking. convcntional riec varieties currenrly being used in China arc not traditional in the Schultz. sense hUI arc instead post 'green revolution' varicties. Therefore, the newer hybrid riec varieties arc 'third generation' varietics.