Letter from the Chair
As we move into Summer, I am proud to reflect on the accomplishments of our faculty, alumni and students during the Spring 2024 semester.
Our faculty have been hard at work on a diverse array of research projects touching upon all aspects of agricultural and natural resource industries in Florida and beyond. Our spring seminar series also brought many esteemed researchers to the department to share cutting-edge work in the field of agricultural and applied economics. We are thankful to have our colleagues share their research with us, inspiring us to explore new avenues and incorporate innovative approaches to our own work.
As members of a land–grant university, the Food and Resource Economics Department takes seriously its mandate to serve Florida residents with our research and extension efforts. This year, we were pleased to have record attendance at our Florida Agricultural Policy Outlook Conference. FRE research has also been instrumental in informing policymakers, such as when Christa Court attended FEMA to represent the results of the Economic Impact Analysis Program’s work on assessing the Agricultural Damages and Losses from last year’s Hurricane Idalia.
Also central to our mission is providing our undergraduate students with many high-impact learning experiences. Events such as Quiz Bowl and Gator NAMA provide invaluable opportunities for growth and development. We were thrilled to see our students succeed in these endeavors, with first-year student Jenna Carrig even placing second in the Southern Agricultural Economics Association (SAEA) annual meeting’s Quiz Bowl competition in February. We look forward to seeing our team compete at AAEA this summer and are thankful for the support of our alumni, which allows us to financially support our students so that they can engage in these events.
Looking forward, we are excited to have several new faces joining our department in the coming months. This summer, Trey Gifford will be taking on the role of undergraduate academic advisor for the department. In addition, TJ Anderson will be joining our faculty in August as an Assistant Professor, having just received his Doctorate from the University of California, Davis. Dr. Anderson’s research focuses on marine and natural resource economics. We are looking forward to him joining our already top group of marine economists to focus on critical issues in the State of Florida. As a bonus, Dr. Anderson received his Bachelor’s from UF in Economics!
Finally, we want to congratulate all our Spring 2024 graduates. You have worked hard for this accomplishment, and we look forward to seeing you succeed in your post-college career. Please make sure to keep in touch by connecting with the department on LinkedIn and emailing us at fre@ifas.ufl.edu to ensure you are signed up for our alumni listserv.
If you are a long-standing or recent alumnus and are interested in getting more involved (through mentoring students, speaking to classes, or other opportunities), please email us at fre@ifas.ufl.edu.
I extend my sincere gratitude to each member of our community for your unwavering dedication and contributions to the success of the Food and Resource Economics Department.
Warm regards,
Lisa House
Research Highlights
- Olesya Savchenko and her graduate students have partnered with the UF Center Aquatic and Invasive Plants to explore stakeholder preferences for managing hydrilla, one of the most aggressive invasive aquatic plants in Florida.
- Sungeun Yoon, Marisa Zansler, and Lisa House explored cost inflation in Orange Juice prices, and found despite recent economic setbacks, consumers are still drawn to purchasing the product.
- James Anderson published an article in NatureFood showing that Aquatic food loss and waste (FLW) in the United States may be as low as half previous estimates.
FRE Leadership Council
On April 16, we had a productive meeting with our Leadership Council made up of department alumni and experts across a variety of agricultural professions. They were able to provide us with feedback on the development of and meet with IFAS Interim SVP Dr. Rob Gilbert. Thanks to Gary Wishnatzki, CEO of Wish Farms for hosting us at their headquarters in Plant City, FL!
Florida Agricultural Policy Outlook Conference
Over 100 attendees joined us in April online and in person for our ninth annual Florida Agricultural Policy Outlook Conference. Hosted at UF/IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, we were able to tackle pressing issues facing Florida agribusinesses.
This marked one of the most highly attended conferences in the event's nine-year history.
Experts from across FRE, IFAS, and the state and federal level were present as speakers to address timely topics such as citrus greening, disaster risk, agricultural labor policy and more.
"This year’s conference focused particularly on science and research policy updates relevant to Florida agriculture," said Suzanne Thornsbury, UF/IFAS Professor of Food and Resource Economics and Conference Chair. "The audience was very engaged with the speakers throughout, which is so important to this conference. It is my hope they were able to take away actionable information and a greater understanding of policy issues at both the state and federal level."
Faculty Updates
- Michael Olexa Receives 2023 Florida Bar Journal Excellence in Writing Award
- Di Fang to serve as Associate Editor for The American Journal of Agricultural Economics
- Weizhe Weng and Jared Gars both received Archer Early Career Seed Grant awards from UF/IFAS Research.
Student Awards & Accomplishments
First Year Undergraduate Student Jenna Carrig Reaches the Finals in the Southern Applied Economics Association Quiz Bowl Competition.
In early February, six students from the Food and Resource Economics undergraduate program traveled to Atlanta, Georgia, for the Southern Applied Economics Association (SAEA) annual conference to prove their academic prowess and compete with their peers from agricultural economics programs across the south in an academic Quiz Bowl competition.
37 teams battled it out, and FRE undergraduate student Jenna Carrig made it all the way to the finals, placing second.
Gator NAMA Team Travels to Kansas City to Compete in National Competition.
In April, our Gator NAMA team traveled to Kansas City, Missouri, for the National Agribusiness Marketing Association's annual meeting, where they competed in a case study competition against undergraduate students from across North America. For the competition, the students were tasked with creating a marketing plan for a unique product that would not only be competitive but could also solve a challenge in the market. This year, the students developed a diabetic-friendly pudding option utilizing the hardy root vegetable konjac.
Applied Economics Graduate Student Organization (AE-GSO) recognized as top new student organization at UF
AE-GSO, which serves as the graduate student organization for students in the Food and Resource Economics department, recently became an official UF Student Organization and was recognized as a finalist for the New Student Organization of the Year award.
Alumni Highlights
Master of Agribusiness Alumni Hannah Shetters Named to 40 Gators Under 40 List
A triple-degree gator grad, Hannah Shetters completed her undergraduate degree in Animal Sciences at UF. Now, she serves as the youngest and first female general manager of a Sysco Specialty Meat Company in Newport, Las Vegas. Hannah supplemented her learning in Animal Sciences by concurrently pursuing her Master of Agribusiness with FRE while earning her M.S. Learn more about her journey at UF and in the animal meats industry below.
Several FRE Alumni Included in this Year's Gator 100 List
Each year, we are thrilled to see the high percentage of CALS alumni that make up the Gator 100 list, leaders of some of the fastest-growing businesses in the world. This year, we were especially proud to see many CALS alumni on the list, including several graduates of our Food and Resource Economics bachelor program, many of whom have graced the list year after year. This year the following companies led by FRE alumni were nominated:
- Bearbottom Clothing - Founder and CEO Robert Felder (BS '16)
- Apollo Medical Transport - Founder and CEO Stephen Bailey (BS '13)
- Athlete's Thread & Threadly - Founder and CEO Karthik Shanadi (BS ’14)
- Stonehill - CEO Douglass Pace (BS '96)
- Marmer Construction, Inc. - President and Owner Martin Wohl (BS '04)
- Chastain-Skillman - CFO Andrew Mason (BS '14)
Robert Behr inducted into Florida Citrus Hall of Fame
Robert Behr, who earned his Ph.D. in Food and Resource Economics in 1981, has spent the decades since as a leader in the citrus industry, and was recently inducted into the Florida Citrus Hall of Fame for his contributions made as an owner-grower, economist, and long-time CEO of the grower's cooperative Florida's Natural. Learn more about Behr's accomplishments and his time in our program below.
Spring 2024 Graduates
This May, we were elated to celebrate the 42 graduates across our degree programs at the graduate and undergraduate level. Successfully completing any higher education program is a momentous accomplishment. We look forward to watching proudly as these newly minted alumni take the skills they have learned throughout their time in our programs into their careers.
Below is a full listing of our Spring 2024 graduates by degree program.
Upcoming Events
Fall Seminar Series to Return in September 2024
Each semester, our department is thrilled to host a variety of speakers from across the field of agricultural economics to present on their latest research. These seminars are free, open to the public, and include a virtual option for those not in Gainesville. If you are interested in learning more, the list of upcoming speakers and dates is available on the Seminar Series page of our website.
Food and Resource Economics Department Annual Awards Banquet
Once a year, we host an awards banquet to honor the accomplishments of all of our department-level scholarship recipients, as well as student, faculty and staff awards received throughout the year. We love having the opportunity to mix new and old faces, and have alumni in attendance. If you are interested in attending this year's banquet, please fill out the form below or email our marketing and communications specialist, Alena Poulin, at alenarene@ufl.edu.