Charles Grigsby-Calage, Ph.D
Postdoctoral Researcher
''I am a post-doctoral researcher and lecturer in the University of Florida’s Food and Resource Economics Department. I have research expertise in food systems, food retail markets, food insecurity, socioeconomic inequality, and community economic development. I am interested in combining frameworks from economic theory with novel data, machine learning, and causal inference techniques to address complex research questions in the context of changing food systems. Additionally, I have diverse teaching and outreach experience working with communities, entrepreneurs, and farmers in the United States and internationally.
My dissertation investigated the economic impacts and implications of the expansion of dollar stores across the United States. I employed machine learning (ML) models to study dollar store growth from 2000 to 2020, leveraging their data-driven approach and predictive accuracy to understand dollar store location strategies. I also used an ML imputation method to investigate the causal effects of dollar store entry on household food access and on competition with small grocery stores and supermarkets.
Before pursuing my doctoral studies at the University of Florida, I studied economics at the University of the South: Sewanee and earned a master's degree in agricultural and resource economics at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Between academic degrees, I served in the US Peace Corps Costa Rica's Community Economic Development (CED) program and worked as an extension marketing specialist focusing on value-added agriculture and direct marketing with the University of Tennessee's Center for Profitable Agriculture. "
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Research
I also have research expertise in the area of local and regional food systems through my previous research and extension work.
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Teaching
August 2023 - Present
Teaching undergraduate course, Introduction to Agricultural Finance. Topics include basic financial statements, investment frameworks and theories of financial intermediation as applied
to agricultural firms, along with an overview of financial institutions that provide capital to
agriculture.August 2018 - August 2023
Teaching assistant responsibilities included meeting with students during office hours to help with
questions from the class lectures and homework assignments, and grading quizzes and exams. I
served as teacher’s assistant in the following courses:- - International Trade Policy in Agriculture
- - International Humanitarian Assistance
- - Introduction to Agricultural Computer Applications
- - Financial Planning for Agribusiness
- - Agricultural Macroeconomics
Contact
(865) 368-3519
charlesgrigsby@ufl.edu
Google Scholar
CV
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Education
- PhD, Food and Resource Economics August 2023
- The University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
- MS, Agricultural and Resource Economics, Statistics (Minor) May 2015
- The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee
- BA, Economics, Spanish (Minor) May 2009
- The University of the South, Sewanee, Tennessee
- PhD, Food and Resource Economics August 2023
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Publications
2016 Grigsby, C., & Hellwinckel, C. (2016). Locational advantage and the impact of scale: Comparing local and conventional fruit and vegetable transportation efficiencies. Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development, 6(3), 121–140. http://dx.doi.org/10.5304/
jafscd.2016.063.010.Refereed Extension Publications
2017 Grigsby, C. & Bruch Leffew, M. (2017). Meat Product Labeling Guidance for Direct Farm Marketers. The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Center for Profitable Agriculture, PB
1861. https://utia.tennessee.edu/publications/wp-content/uploads/sites/269/2023/10/
PB1861.pdf.
Grigsby, C. & Bruch Leffew, M. (2017). E-commerce for Direct Farm Marketers: An Overview of
Locallygrown.net and Case Studies of Online Markets in Tennessee. The University of Tennessee
Institute of Agriculture, Center for Profitable Agriculture, PB 1857. https://utia.tennessee.
edu/publications/wp-content/uploads/sites/269/2023/10/PB1857.pdf.
Grigsby, C. & Bruch Leffew, M. (2017). E-commerce for Direct Farm Marketers: An Overview
of CSA E-commerce Software and Case Studies of CSA Operations in Tennessee, Center for Profitable Agriculture, The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture. PB 1858. https://utia.
tennessee.edu/publications/wp-content/uploads/sites/269/2023/10/PB1858.pdf.
Grigsby, C. (2017). Marketing Corn to Local Distilleries, Mills, Retail and Wholesale Customers. The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Center for Profitable Agriculture,
PB 1852. https://utia.tennessee.edu/publications/wp-content/uploads/sites/269/2023/
10/PB1852.pdf.
Other Peer-Reviewed Publications
2018 Grigsby, C., Bruch Leffew, M., & Pepper, H. (2018). Weights and Measures Considerations for
Direct Farm Marketers in Tennessee. The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Center for Profitable Agriculture, D 56. https://utia.tennessee.edu/publications/wp-content/
uploads/sites/269/2023/10/D56.pdf
2017 Grigsby, C. & Bruch Leffew, M. (2017). E-commerce for Direct Farm Marketers: An Overview of
LocalHarvest’s Store Catalog. The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Center for Profitable Agriculture, D 49. https://utia.tennessee.edu/publications/wp-content/uploads/
sites/269/2023/10/D49.pdf.Grigsby, C. & Bruch Leffew, M. (2017). E-commerce for Direct Farm Marketers: An Overview
of Small Farm Central’s Site Builder. The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Center for Profitable Agriculture, D 48. https://utia.tennessee.edu/publications/wp-content/
uploads/sites/269/2023/10/D48.pdf.Grigsby, C. (2017). Grass-Fed Beef Producer Experiences: Background Information on Featured
Farms. The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Center for Profitable Agriculture,
Info Sheet #282. https://utia.tennessee.edu/cpa/wp-content/uploads/sites/106/2020/10/
CPA282.pdf2015 Holland, R. & Grigsby, C. (2015). Meat Sales from Other Business Locations: Implications for
Farm-Based Retail Meat Permit Holders and Retail Food Store Permit Holders. The University
of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Center for Profitable Agriculture, Info Sheet #241. https:
//utia.tennessee.edu/cpa/wp-content/uploads/sites/106/2020/10/CPA241.pdf