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    Food and Resource Economics Department

    Food and Resource Economics Department

Upcoming Seminars

  • Friday, October 11th, 2024 – Dr. Yu Na Lee, University of Guelph

    Friday, October 11th, 2024 – Dr. Yu Na Lee, University of Guelph

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    Title:

    Food Prices and Child Marriage

    Abstract:

    Child marriage, defined as a legal marriage in which one or both parties are under the age of 18, is known to have negative welfare consequences for women, including poor health and nutrition, increased mortality, and lower economic empowerment. High food prices make it more difficult to smooth consumption and can create food security stress for consumers in developing countries.

     We investigate whether increases in food prices affect the incidence of child marriage, using household panel data from Ethiopia for the years 2011 to 2016. The results indicate that higher maize prices increase the incidence of child marriage, whereas higher coffee prices decrease it. These findings highlight the potentially opposing implications of cash versus staple crop prices on households’ decisions regarding marriage, suggesting income versus consumption smoothing motives behind child marriage.

    Presenter Bio :

    Yu Na Lee is an Associate Professor in the Department of Food, Agricultural & Resource Economics at the University of Guelph. Yu Na’s research program lies in the fields of agricultural economics, development economics, and experimental economics. Topics of her interest include food and agricultural policy, risk and uncertainty in food prices, food security, nutrition, and migration. She is currently serving as the President of the Canadian Agricultural Economics Society (CAES) and the Past Chair of the AAEA’s EXECON section.

  • Friday October 25, 2024 – Dr. Marc Bellemare, University of Minnesota

    Friday October 25, 2024 – Dr. Marc Bellemare, University of Minnesota

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    Bio:
    Marc F. Bellemare is Distinguished McKnight University Professor, Distinguished University Teaching Professor, and Northrop Professor in the Department of Applied Economics at the University of Minnesota, where he also directs the Center for International Food and Agricultural Policy. Marc currently serves as one of four co-editors of the American Journal of Agricultural Economics. Prior to that, he served as one of two co-editors of Food Policy from 2015 to 2019. For his research, he has won the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association’s (AAEA) Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Award in 2007, the AAEA’s Outstanding American Journal of Agricultural Economics Article award in 2011, and the AAEA’s Quality of Research Discovery awards in 2014. That same year, he also won the European Association of Agricultural Economists‘ Quality of Research Discovery Award. His research has been featured in media outlets such as The Economist, the New York Times, National Public Radio, and the Wall Street Journal. In early 2023, he was elected Fellow of the AAEA.

  • Friday, November 1st, 2024 – Dr. Lonnie Hobbs, Kansas State University

    Friday, November 1st, 2024 – Dr. Lonnie Hobbs, Kansas State University

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    Dr. Lonnie Hobbs, Jr., is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics at Kansas State University. Originally from Clarksville, TX, Lonnie has a diverse teaching, research, and community involvement background. He serves as the primary instructor for the Commodity Futures course (AGEC 420) and Food and Agribusiness Marketing course (AGEC 515). Lonnie also has extensive experience as a co-instructor for the Human Culture and Diversity course (GENAG 210). In his research, Lonnie specializes in agribusiness, marketing, pet food economics, teaching and learning, and diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB). His research specifically focuses on analyzing current marketing strategies, customer behavior, and product demand to inform product differentiation and marketing decisions in the food and agriculture industry, and particularly the pet food sector. Beyond his teaching and research responsibilities, Lonnie is a co-advisor for Kansas State's Minorities in Agriculture Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANRRS) local chapter. He actively supports and mentor students, fostering a diverse and inclusive community within the field. Lonnie's educational background includes a Bachelor of Science Degree in Agribusiness from Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU), as well as a Master of Science and Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics from Kansas State University.

    Pet Obesity Causes and Product Differentiation Opportunities in the Pet Food Industry
    Abstract
    Growth in pet obesity levels and demand for health and wellness focused pet food creates opportunities for pet food companies to capitalize on the rising profit potential through product differentiation. Lessons from the human food industry indicate that weight management segment of the market tends to grow fast and is characterized by high product differentiation and premiumization. Despite the recent rise in pet health and obesity studies, literature translating findings to actionable management and marketing insights in the pet food context is significantly underdeveloped. This paper bridges the agribusiness management and pet food economics literature by generating insights for informing product innovation, design, and marketing strategies of pet food companies aimed at promoting healthy weight in pets. Econometric analysis of cross-sectional data from a survey of 1,173 dog owners suggests that opportunities exist for potential pet food differentiation through physical changes, perceptual changes, and associated service changes in the pet food market related to handling pet obesity. Findings highlight the potential of low-calorie and breed-specific product formulation, pre-package product design, and consumer education through conventional and digital media. The management implications and actionable insights are discussed to inform product development and marketing strategies in the context of the fast-growing pet food market.
    Keywords: health and wellness, marketing, dog food, pet owner, weight management

  • Tuesday, November 8th, 2024 – Dr. Vanessa S. Gordon, University of Wisconsin – Madison

    Tuesday, November 8th, 2024 – Dr. Vanessa S. Gordon, University of Wisconsin – Madison

    Title:

    Winnow Your Research: Using Advanced Search Techniques to Separate the Wheat from the Chaff

    Abstract:

    Subject exploration can leave investigators wading through sheaves of information in search of applicable and/or reliable material. Robust research relies on three basic tenants: locating a reputable source, identifying keywords, and putting concepts together with precision and planning. This seminar will discuss and demonstrate the tools and methods for constructing targeted and relational citation database queries - guaranteed to conserve precious time resources and yield a bumper crop of applicable, on-topic, and trustworthy content. With tools that can be exploited across subject fields, become an information-harvesting expert and drive your team to success.

    Bio

    Vanessa S. Gordon, Ph.D., is a Plant Breeder/Molecular Geneticist who earned her degrees from the University of Wisconsin – Madison. She is a United States Navy active-duty veteran, and mother of four adult children, with 30+ years of outreach experience across a wide range of audiences. Dr. Gordon has worked in both private and public roles breeding a variety of fruit and vegetable-, bioenergy, and sugarcane crops. She now serves as the Coordinator of Agricultural and Natural Resources at the USDA National Agricultural Library, where she engages multiple Federal agencies, including 15 Agricultural Research Service National Programs, multiple NRCS focus groups, and both the Conservation Effects Assessment Program and Long-term Agroecological Research networks. Dr. Gordon is actively involved in creating new relationships that facilitate a greater intersection and understanding between USDA agricultural research pursuits and their meaningful integration with, translation for, and use by American public taxpayers, growers/ranchers, professionals, and policymakers.

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Contact

Dr. Di Fang, Seminar Coordinator