Agricultural Economics Department
Date of this Version
8-1-2004
Abstract
We study the relationship between the off-farm labor decision and the limited-resource farmers' and spouses' off-farm wages, experience, education, and sources of income. We found that farmers' and spouses' off-farm experience and wages are significant factors in explaining the off-farm labor supply decision. Contrary to expectations, farm income variability is not significant in the farmers' and spouses' decision to seek off-farm work. The off-farm labor supply of farmers and their spouses is negatively correlated with income transfers from the government. It was also found that the spouse is a residual supplier of on-farm and off-farm labor.
Comments
Published in Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics, 36,2(August 2004):467-479. Copyright © 2004 Southern Agricultural Economics Association. Used by permission.