Fixed effects production functions and stochastic production frontiers
are estimated and used to decompose dairy farm output growth into tec
hnological progress, technical efficiency, and increased input use or
the size effect. Unbalanced panel data for ninety-six Vermont dairy fa
rmers for the 1971-84 period are utilized. The results show a 2.5% ave
rage annual increase in milk output. About 56% of this growth is attri
buted to the size effect and the remaining 44% to productivity growth.
Technological progress contributed about 94% to total productivity gr
owth, while improvements in technical efficiency accounted for only 6%
.