Data Sets
" "  
Link: Bypass USDA Left navigation.
Search ERS

Browse by Subject
Diet, Health & Safety
Farm Economy
Farm Practices & Management
Food & Nutrition Assistance
Food Sector
Natural Resources & Environment
Policy Topics
Research & Productivity
Rural Economy
Trade and International Markets
Also Browse By


or

""

 


 
Publications

Characteristics and Production Costs

Various Authors

These reports examine how production costs vary among producers of different commodities. These reports include details on production practices and input use levels (i.e., the 'technology set'), as well as farm operator and structural characteristics that underlie the cost and return estimates. The reports also illustrate the degree to which costs vary for producers of different commodities and indicate possible reasons for the variation. Characteristics and production costs are examined for low- and high-cost producers of each commodity, and producers of varying size, region, and typology classification. The data in these reports were collected in commodity-specific versions of USDA's annual Agricultural Resource Management Survey (ARMS). USDA conducts commodity-specific surveys as part of the ARMS process every 4-8 years on a rotating basis for each commodity, and uses these data to support annual commodity costs and returns estimates. Commodity costs and returns are estimated using the data from each survey and then updated between surveys to reflect changes in input costs and commodity prices and production. Electronic Statistical Bulletins release the findings of the latest indepth survey for individual commodities.

Keywords: commodity, costs and returns, cost of production, Agricultural Resource Management Survey, cost variation, ERS, USDA

In this report ...

Chapters are in Adobe Acrobat PDF format.

For more information, contact: William McBride

Web administration: webadmin@ers.usda.gov

Updated date: January 7, 2008