Explaining the Changing Institutional Organisation of Dutch Farms: The Role of Farmer's Attitude, Advisory Network and Structural Factors

Although still the family farm is the dominant farm type there are changes in the legal mode of organization. Applying the new institutional economics and economic organisation theory the different organisation modes are explained, mainly in terms of control and income rights. Important factors are (limited) liability, risk-bearing costs, transaction costs, and residual control and income rights. This is subsequently applied to Dutch agriculture, taking into account its special characteristics. In an empirical follow-up, based on a sample of all the farmers in the Netherlands, the farmers attitudes and the farm advisory network are analysed. Finally, farm types are explained using bivariate logit analysis, taking into account attitudinal, advisory-network and structural variables. Among other factors, especially the financial advisors appear to play a significant role in the organisation mode choice.