Do Purchasing Patterns Differ Between Large and Small Dairy Farms? Econometric Evidence from Three Wisconsin Communities

Abstract

Using farm data from three dairy-dependent communities in Wisconsin, this study addresses the question: Do small farms spend more locally than large farms? The work develops a theoretical model of farm cost functions with transaction costs varying between local and distant input sources. This model is then tested econometrically, describing farm costs and where they were spent as a function of transaction/search costs and farm characteristics. The results suggest that scale does matter to farm spending patterns.