Faculty and students in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics study the production, distribution, and consumption of food, fiber, and energy in both well-developed and less-developed countries. To address these issues, the department emphasizes the development and application of rigorous economic theory and quantitative methods. Researchers strive to understand and improve government policy, market performance, environmental quality, the efficiency of natural resource use, and economic welfare. The department offers the popular Managerial Economics undergraduate major and top-rated Ph.D. and Masters programs in Agricultural and Resource Economics.
Department News
Michael Carter, a new ARE faculty member, was honored as a Fellow of the Agricultural & Applied Economics Association (AAEA) at the annual meeting held in Milwaukee, WI on July 26-28, 2009. Carter's research includes three main areas: wealth-based access to capital; land policy and poverty reduction in agrarian economies; and poverty traps and income distribution dynamics. He has conducted numerous household surveys around the world and his research has been published in leading development economic and policy journals. AAEA recognizes a small group of professionals each year who have made outstanding continuous contributions to the profession. The Fellow Award is AAEA's most prestigious honor.