摘要：Floriculture is a thriving and important part of production agriculture in the US. However, it is an industry with limited information about cost and input demand relationships. For example, from 1996 to 2001 the number of small and medium size growers declined by 16.0% and 2.0% respectively and the number of large growers increased by 1.0% (USDA, 2002). The trend in the number of small, medium, and large growers suggests that insight obtained from estimating economies of scale for the greenhouse floriculture industry could help to determine if there is a cost advantage, due to firm size. Knowledge of scale economies, as well as price responsiveness for factor inputs, can be used to assist growers in planning better for the future and policymakers in formulating regulations for the floriculture industry.
