Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-p9bg8 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-28T01:56:49.241Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Professional Diversity in Agricultural Economics: Salvation or Suicide?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 February 2017

Lawrence W. Libby
Lawrence W. Libby*
Affiliation:
Department of Food and Resource Economics, University of Florida
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

The theme of my address is diversity in the profession of agricultural economics. I address diversity as a response, a strategy, not as an end in itself but as a conscious approach by ag economists in land grant universities seeking a useful role in the future.

I chose this theme because I am genuinely concerned about our future in the 1862 and 1890 land grants. I acknowledge up front that not all ag economists work in land grant universities but all have a stake in them as our primary reservoir of human capital. Most practicing ag economists have roots in a land grant university and depend on their products for “new blood” in business or government. My interest in diversity has been influenced by the writings of several prominent ag economists, reviewed briefly below, by recent conversations with Jim Hildreth, John Holt, and Jim Bonnen regarding the future of the land grants and by personal observations of the painful manifestations of tensions within departments in the South and elsewhere as faculty try to position themselves for an uncertain future.

Type
Presidential Address
Information
Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics , Volume 23 , Issue 1 , July 1991 , pp. 1 - 14
Copyright
Copyright © Southern Agricultural Economics Association 1991

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Babb, E.M. and Long, B. F.. “The Role of Alternative Agricultural Enterprises in a Changing Agricultural Economy.” So. J. Agr. Econ., 19.1(1988):7–15.Google Scholar
Batie, Sandra. “Agriculture as the Problem: New Agendas and New Opportunities.” So. J. Agr. Econ., 20.1(1988):1–11.Google Scholar
Bender, L., Green, B., Hady, T., Keuhn, J., Nelson, M., Perkinson, L., Ross, P.. The Diverse Social and Economic Structure of Rural America. Washington, D.C.: USDA, ERS, Rural Dev. Res. Rpt. 49,1985.Google Scholar
Benson, O.H. and Betts, G.H.. Agriculture. Southern Edition. Indianapolis, Indiana: Bobbs-Merrill Company, 1918.Google Scholar
Bonnen, James T. “The Future Role of the 1890 Land Grant Institutions.” Paper presented at AAEA annual meeting in celebration of the Centennial Anniversary of the 1890 Institutes, 1989.Google Scholar
Bush, George. “Building a Better America. “ Supplement to the 1989 State of the Union Address. Washington, D.C.: The White House, February 9,1989.Google Scholar
Carriker, Roy and Purvis, Amy. “Agriculture and Water Quality: Old Problem, New Urgency.” So. J. Agr. Econ, 22.1(1990):27–32.Google Scholar
Committee on Risk Perception and Communication. Improving Risk Communication, Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press, 1989.Google Scholar
Conner, J. Richard. “Observations on Changes in Factors Influencing Agricultural Economics and Some Implications for the Profession.“ So. J. Agr. Econ., 17.1(1985):1–6.Google Scholar
Council for Agricultural Science and Technology. Development of New Crops: Needs, Procedures, Strategies, and Options. Rpt. No. 102, October, 1984.Google Scholar
Davis, Carlton. “Product-Product Dimensions of Agricultural Diversification Strategy in the Caribbean Community: Prospects and Dilemmas.” Agricultural Diversification: Policies and Strategies, Proceedings of the 19th West Indies Agricultural Economics Conference, pp. 30–36. St. Augustine, Trinidad: Department of Agricultural Extension, 1990.Google Scholar
Dicks, Michael and Buckley, Katherine. Alternative Opportunities in Agriculture: Expanding Output Through Diversification. Washington, D.C.: USDA, ERS, AER 633, May, 1989.Google Scholar
Dillman, Don. “The Social Impacts of Information Technologies in Rural North America.” Rural Soc, 50.1(1985):1–26.Google Scholar
Habasch, Mona. “Impact of Diversification on Productivity in U.S. Agriculture.” Master's thesis, University of Florida, 1990.Google Scholar
Harl, Neil. “Agricultural Economics: Challenges to the Profession.” Am. J. Agr. Econ., 65.5(1983):845–854.Google Scholar
Harris, Harold. “The SAEA: Twenty Years—Discussion.” Paper presented at SAEA annual meeting, 1988.Google Scholar
Havlicek, Joseph. “The Southern Agricultural Economics Association: Past, Present and Future.” So. J. Agr. Econ., 16.1(1984):1–5.Google Scholar
Heiner, Ronald. “The Origin of Predictable Behavior.” Am. Econ. Rev., 73(1983):560–595.Google Scholar
Henry, Mark. “Southern Farms and Rural Communities: Developing Directions for Economic Development Research and Policy.” So. J. Agr. Econ., 20.1(1988):13–28.Google Scholar
Hildreth, R.J. “After Seventy-five Years of Cooperative Extension—What in the World is Ahead?” Paper presented to National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges, November 20,1989.Google Scholar
Hodgson, Geoffrey. Economics and Institutions. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1988.Google Scholar
Holden, Constance. “Multidisciplinary Look at a Finite World.” Science, 249.6(1990): 18–19.Google Scholar
Holt, John. “Managing Change in Extension.” A m. J. Agr. Econ., 71.4(1989):869–873.Google Scholar
Hood, Lamartine and Schutjer, Wayne. ‘Hooperative Extension's Role in Shaping the Future of Land Grant Universities.” Choices, Second Quarter 1990, pp. 24–27.Google Scholar
Ikerd, John. “U.S. Agriculture at a Crossroads: Implications from Agricultural Economics.” So. J. Agr. Econ., 18.1(1986):1–9.Google Scholar
Jesse, Edward. “Introductory Remarks.” Rural Vision—Rural Reality: Efficiency, Equity, Public Goods, and the Future of Rural Policy, Deavers, Kenneth, ed. Madison, Wisconsin: Department of Agricultural Economics, 1990.Google Scholar
Johnston, Warren. “Structural Change and the Recognition of Diversity.” Presidential Address to the annual meeting of the Am. Agr. Econ. Assoc., 1990.Google Scholar
Just, Richard and Rausser, G.. “An Assessment of the Agricultural Economics Profession.” Am. J. Agr. Econ., 71.5(1989):1177–1190.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
League of Women Voters. “America's Growing Dilemma: Pesticides in Food and Water.” Washington, D.C.: League of Women Voters Education Fund, 1990.Google Scholar
Libby, Lawrence. “Restructuring Agricultural Economics Extension to Meet Changing Needs: Discussion.” Am. J. Agr. Econ., 68.5(1986):1313–1315.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McDowell, George. “Land Grant Colleges of Agriculture: Renegotiating or Abandoning the Social Contract. “ Choices, Second Quarter, 1988, pp. 18–21.Google Scholar
McIntosh, Curtis. “Incorporating Nutrition Goals in Diversification Programs.” Agricultural Diversification: Policies and Strategies, Proceedings of 19th West Indies Agricultural Economics Conference, pp. 71–78. St. Augustine, Trinidad: Department of Agricultural Extension, 1990.Google Scholar
McNeal, David C. “Variety for the Horn of Plenty.” Extension Rev., Spring, 1989, pp. 4–5.Google Scholar
Moore, Richard. “CBI Sucrose to Ethanol: Sugar Cane Market Diversification Opportunity.” Agricultural Diversification: Policies and Strategies, Proceedings of 19th West Indies Agricultural Economics Conference, pp. 89–96. St. Augustine, Trinidad: Department of Agricultural Extension, 1990.Google Scholar
Mulkey, David and Henry, Mark. “Development Strategies in the Rural South: Issues and Alternatives.” The Rural South in Crisis: Challenges/or the Future, pp. 249–264. Boulder, Colorado: Westview Press, 1988.Google Scholar
Olson, Mancur. Logic of Collective Action. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1965.Google Scholar
Paarlberg, Don. “The Changing Policy Environment for the 1990 Farm Bill.” J. Soil and Water Cons. 45.1(1990):8.Google Scholar
Paarlberg, Robert. “The Political Economy of American Agricultural Policy: Three Approaches.” Am. J. Agr. Econ., 71.5(1989): 1157–1164.Google Scholar
Pemberton, Carlisle and Pemberton, Rita. “Improving the Methodology for Formulation of Diversification Strategies .” Agricultural Diversification: Policies and Strategies, Proceedings of 19th West Indies Agricultural Economics Conference, pp. 21–29. St. Augustine, Trinidad: Department of Agricultural Extension, 1990.Google Scholar
Purvis, Amy. “Heiner's Reliability Theory.” Dept. Food and Res. Econ. University of Florida. May, 1990.Google Scholar
Schmid, Allan. Property, Power and Public Choice. New York: Praeger, 1978.Google Scholar
Schuh, Edward and Barghouti, Shawki. “Agricultural Diversification in Asia. “ Finance and Dev., June, 1988. pp. 41–44.Google Scholar
Shabman, Leonard. “Environmental Hazards of Farming: Thinking About the Management Challenge.” So. J. Agr. Econ., 22.1(1990):11–21.Google Scholar
Simon, Herbert. “The Failure of Arm Chair Economics.” Challenge, November-December, 1986, pp. 18–25.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Smith, Vernon L. “Microeconomic Systems As An Experimental Science.” Mm. Econ. Rev., 72.5(1982):924–955.Google Scholar
Sonka, Steven and Patrick, George. “Risk Management and Decision Making in Agricultural Firms.” Risk Management in Agriculture. Ames: Iowa State University Press, 1984.Google Scholar
Wallace, L. Tim. “Extension's End Closer Than We Think?” Unpublished paper, Department of Agricultural Economics, University of California-Berkeley, 1990.Google Scholar