A model of crop diversification under labor shocks

Abstract

As demands on agriculture increase, food producers will need to employ management strategies that not only increase yields but reduce environmental impacts. Modeling is a powerful tool for informing decision-making about current and future practices. We present a model to evaluate the effects of crop diversification on the robustness of simulated farms under labor shocks. We use an example inspired by the Florida production system of high-value, labor-intensive fruits. We find that crop diversification to high-value crops is a robust strategy when labor shocks are mild, and that crop diversification becomes less valuable as more simulated farms practice it. Based on our results, we suggest that crop diversification is a useful management strategy under specific conditions, but that policies designed to encourage crop diversification must consider broad effects as well as farm-level benefits.