Part-time farming and the stability of family farms in the Federal Republic of Germany

The long-run stability of part-time farms in the Federal Republic of Germany is empirically assessed based on 1980 survey data collected from 2,851 farm families on farmers' expectations for the future. Findings show that part-time farmers are less apt to expect to continue farming than are full-time farmers. Important factors in their decision-making process include household structure & off-farm employment possibilities; economic necessity is less important than is commonly assumed. Thus, the long-run stability of part-time farms is dependent on the availability of an adequate family work force. This confirms the position held by structural reform advocates that part-time farming tends to encourage the restructuring of the farm sector. 8 Tables, 26 References. R. Logsdon