Welcome
The Food and Resource Economics Department (FRE) focuses on teaching, research, and extension related to Florida's food and agricultural systems.
Graduates from our undergraduate programs go on to careers in sales, finance, management, economics, and more, working with companies in the food sector and with environmental and statistical organizations and businesses. Our Master of Agribusiness prepares students from other disciplines in agriculture and beyond for careers in business and industry. MS students choose between an agribusiness track that leads to business careers or a thesis track for those more interested in research careers or pursuing a Ph.D. degree. Our Ph.D. graduates work in universities worldwide, private industry, and government.
When it comes to Research and Extension, our faculty are renowned within their field for conducting applied economic research that is timely and highly relevant to stakeholders in areas such as behavioral economics, marine and environmental economics, health economics, international development, labor economics, behavioral economics and more.
100 Years of Food and Resource Economics
Serving the State of Florida Since 1926
In 2026, the UF/IFAS Food and Resource Economics Department will be celebrating its 100th anniversary, commemorating the decision to establish separate Agricultural Economics & Agronomy Departments in 1926. Since that decision was made, FRE has grown exponentially while remaining true to our initial goals: supporting members of the Agricultural & Natural Resource industries with the research-informed knowledge needed to inform effective decision-making and food marketing.
Latest News & Highlights
MAB Alumni Diana Moya Combines Technical Food Science Background with Agribusiness Knowledge at Saputo Dairy USA
Diana Moya’s technical background in food science had already prepared her to...
Dr. John Lai is promoted to Associate Professor of Food and Resource Economics, receives tenure
The UF/IFAS Department of Food and Resource Economics is thrilled to celebrate...
UF Food & Resource Economics Undergraduate Team Takes Third Place in AAEA Spreadsheet Competition
Each year, the annual spreadsheet competition at the Agricultural and Applied...