A Linear Programming Analysis of Economies of Size and Profitability in Vegetable Production

Abstract

The declining importance of tobacco production in Connecticut and Massachusetts, the likely reduction in the acreage needed to support a shrinking dairy industry, and the growing concern with agricultural land preservation have brought about considerable interest in expanding vegetable production in Southern New England. Furthermore, the proximity to major metropolitan areas gives the cited region a major advantage in the production of vegetables for the fresh market (Swackhamer).