The impact of agri-environmental policies and production intensification on the environmental performance of Dutch dairy farms

Abstract

This study examines the impact of policies and intensification on the environmental performance of Dutch dairy farms in the period 2001-2010 using a hyperbolic distance function. The results indicate that the change from the Mineral Accounting System to the combination of the Application Standards Policy with decoupled payments has not significantly changed farms' hyperbolic efficiency. Farms receiving agri-environmental and animal welfare payments are less hyperbolically efficient than those that do not, highlighting greater decreases in desirable outputs than decreases in undesirable outputs. Finally, intensification increases hyperbolic efficiency, suggesting that intensive practices may increase production without harming the environment.