• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
College of Agriculture & Life Sciences
Texas A&M University Agricultural Economics
  • Degrees and Programs
    • Undergraduate Degrees
      • B.S. Agribusiness
      • B.S. Agricultural Economics
        • Finance and Real Estate Option
        • Food Marketing Systems Option
        • Policy and Economic Analysis Option
        • Rural Entrepreneurship Option
      • B.S. Financial Planning
      • Dual B.S. Agricultural Economics and MPSA Program
      • Undergraduate Honors Program
      • Minors and Certificates
    • Graduate Degrees
      • Master of Agribusiness
      • M.S. Agricultural Economics – Thesis Option
      • M.S. Agricultural Economics – Non-Thesis Option
      • Ph.D. Agricultural Economics
      • Graduate Student Directory
      • Graduate Student Career Placements
      • Job Market Candidates
    • Specialized Programs
      • Dianne and M. Edward Rister ’74 Agribusiness Entrepreneurship Program
        • Agribusiness Entrepreneurship Events
        • Agribusiness Entrepreneurship News
      • Weston AgriFood Sales Program
      • B.S. Agricultural Economics – Higher Education Center at McAllen
    • Academic Advising
      • Contact an Advisor
    • International Programs
  • Admissions and Aid
    • Scholarships and Financial Aid
      • Study Agricultural Economics in McAllen
    • Graduate Admissions
    • Student Life
    • Contact Our Recruiting Team
  • Research and Extension
    • Research
      • Search Research Publications
    • Extension
    • Research Centers and Labs
  • Get Connected
    • Department Calendar
    • Giving to Agricultural Economics
    • Tyrus R. Timm Registry
  • About
    • Department Directory
    • Department Leadership
    • Department History 
      • Department of Agricultural Economics 100 year celebration
    • Agricultural Economics Strategic Plan
    • News and Media
    • Employment Opportunities
    • Contact Us
Search
Produce in stacks and bins at a farmers market

Research in Agricultural Economics

The diversity of agriculture and agribusiness enterprises in Texas provides opportunities for a wide variety of research. We conduct impactful, relevant and innovative research at the intersection of agriculture and the environment, promoting long-term sustainability of social, ecological and food systems.

Research and outreach expenditures by our faculty is approximately $10 million each year. Thanks to the dedicated work of our faculty to publish and disseminate their findings, our department is among the top five in the country in research output in our discipline.

Browse Research Publications
Download Research Publication List
Download Publication Rankings

Research and Extension Centers

Our centers conduct innovative research to contribute information relating to key agribusiness market issues.

  • Agribusiness, Food and Consumer Economics Research Center
  • Agricultural and Food Policy Center
  • Center for North American Studies
  • Center on Conflict and Development
  • Human Behavior Lab
Visit our Research Centers

Areas of Research Expertise

Our faculty represent a community of scholars who are conducting extensive research programs in a variety of program areas, collaborating with colleagues across the world from different disciplines.

The department is also home to a vibrant array of research labs and groups that fuel innovation and advance knowledge in various fields of Agricultural Economics. These dynamic spaces provide students and faculty with opportunities to collaborate on groundbreaking projects, from economics of cutting-edge agricultural scientific advancements to sustainable natural resource management solutions.

The department’s broad areas of research include:

  • Agricultural business, finance, marketing, management, entrepreneurship, etc.
  • Environmental & natural resource economics; Economics of climate change
  • International development economics, Economic development
  • Agricultural policy and trade
  • Experimental and Behavioral economics
  • Nutrition and health economics; Consumer economics
  • Econometric theory and methods; Data analytics
  • Production economics

Agribusiness

Agribusiness as an area of research delves into the intricate relationship between agriculture, business, and technology, focusing on optimizing the production, processing, and distribution of agricultural products. This multidisciplinary field encompasses a wide range of topics, from sustainable farming practices and food security to supply chain management and the economic impacts of agricultural policies, aiming to enhance efficiency and sustainability in the global food system.

Center pivot irrigation systems irrigating a crop field

Areas of Focus

Agricultural Finance and Investment

The theory of agricultural finance is a branch of economics that studies the financial markets and institutions that serve the agricultural sector. It is concerned with the flow of funds to and from the agricultural sector, and with the risks and returns associated with agricultural investments.

Faculty

  • David Leatham
  • Dmitry Vedenov
  • Yong Liu
  • Victoria Salin
  • Marissa Lepper
  • Steven Klose
  • Francisco Abello
  • Yuri Calil
  • Xudong Rao
  • Chrystol Thomas
  • Ronald Crowe
Agribusiness Strategy

Strategy in agribusiness is the long-term plan that a business in the agricultural sector has in place to achieve its goals. It involves identifying the business’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, and then developing a plan to capitalize on its strengths and opportunities while mitigating its weaknesses and threats.

Faculty

  • Desmond Ng
  • Simon Somogyi
  • Yuri Calil
Agribusiness Management

Agribusiness management is the application of business principles and practices to the agricultural sector. It encompasses a wide range of activities.

Faculty

  • John Park
  • Simon Somogyi
  • Francisco Abello
  • Jeff Hyde
  • Steven Klose
  • Xudong Rao
  • Shahriar Kibriya
  • Yuri Calil
Supply Chain Management

Supply chain management in agribusiness is the process of planning, coordinating, and executing the flow of goods and services from the point of production to the point of consumption in the agricultural sector. It involves managing the relationships between all of the businesses involved in the supply chain, from farmers and ranchers to food processors and retailers.

Faculty

  • Victoria Salin
  • Simon Somogyi
  • Thuy Nguyen

Applied Market Analysis

This field of study empowers students to acquire expertise in various crucial areas, including market and demand analysis, product valuation, the utilization of directed acyclic graphs in economic analysis, commodity futures and options, information acquisition, price dispersion, industrial organization, and auctions.

Chicken wings and celary with ranch in the middle

Areas of Focus

Behavioral and Experimental Economics

Behavioral Economics combines insights from psychology and other social sciences to study why people actually make economic decisions.

Faculty

  • Marco Palma
  • Rodolfo M. Nayga Jr.
  • Paul Feldman
  • Yu Zhang
  • Marissa Lepper
  • Grace Melo
Demand Analysis

Demand analysis is the process of understanding and predicting the demand for a product or service. It is a critical tool for businesses of all sizes, as it can help them to make informed decisions about pricing, marketing, and product development.

Faculty

  • Oral Capps
  • Rodolfo Nayga
  • Ariun Ishdorj
  • Yu Zhang
  • Grace Melo
  • Senarath Dharmasena
  • Pourya Valizadeh
Health Economics

Health economics is a branch of economics that applies economic theory to the production and consumption of health and healthcare. It is a field that is concerned with the efficiency, effectiveness, value, and behavior of individuals, healthcare providers, insurers, government agencies, and public and private organizations in health and healthcare.

Faculty

  • Ariun Ishdorj
  • Grace Melo
  • Oral Capps
  • Rodolfo Nayga
  • Pourya Valizadeh
  • Senarath Dharmasena
International Trade

International trade is the exchange of goods and services between countries. It is a key driver of economic growth and prosperity around the world. International trade allows countries to specialize in the production of goods and services that they are relatively good at producing, and to import goods and services that they are relatively bad at producing. This specialization leads to increased efficiency and productivity, and lower prices for consumers.

Faculty

  • Emiliano Lopez Barrera
  • Luis Ribera
  • Samuel Zapata
  • Yuri Calil
International Development

Development is a complex and multifaceted concept. It can be defined in many different ways, depending on the context. In general, development refers to the process of improving the well-being of people and societies. It can involve economic growth, social progress, environmental sustainability, and political stability.

Faculty

  • Kashi Kafle
  • Edwin Price
  • Roger Norton
  • Shahriar Kibriya
  • Luis Ribera
  • Xudong Rao
  • Anthony Baffoe-Bonnie
  • Chrystol Thomas
  • Yuri Calil
Agricultural Law

Agricultural law is the body of law that governs the production, processing, and marketing of agricultural products. It is a complex and diverse field of law, encompassing a wide range of topics.

Faculty

  • Frederick Boadu
  • Tiffany Lashmet
Agricultural Policy

Agricultural policy is a set of laws and regulations that governments use to influence the production, processing, and distribution of agricultural products. Agricultural policies can be designed to achieve a variety of goals.

Faculty

  • Henry Bryant
  • Joe Outlaw
  • Bart Fischer
  • Yong Liu
  • David Anderson
  • Pourya Valizadeh
  • Grace Melo
  • Luis Ribera
  • John Robinson
  • Xingguo Wang
  • Xudong Rao
  • Yuri Calil
Livestock Economics

Livestock economics is the study of the production, processing, and marketing of livestock and livestock products. It is a subfield of agricultural economics, and it encompasses a wide range of topics.

Faculty

  • David Anderson
  • Kaitlyn Weber
  • Samuel Zapata
  • Yuri Calil
Agricultural Marketing

Agricultural marketing is the process of moving agricultural products from the farm to the consumer. It involves a variety of activities.

Faculty

  • Oral Capps
  • John Robinson
  • Kaitlyn Weber
  • Simon Somogyi
  • Frederick Boadu
  • Grace Melo
  • David Anderson
  • Mark Welch
  • Francisco Abello
  • Samuel Zapata
  • Yuri Calil
Agrifood Business Sales

Agri-food business sales are the process of selling agricultural products, services, and equipment to businesses across the food supply chain, from farmers and ranchers to processing, wholesaler and retail, including food service and the businesses that support them, It is a critical function of the agricultural and food industry, that those businesses have access the inputs they need to produce food and other agricultural products, and it allows firms to sell their products and services to the agri-food sector and consumers.

Faculty

  • Simon Somogyi
Community Economics

Community economics is an economic system that prioritizes the needs and well-being of the community over the accumulation of individual wealth. It is based on the principles of cooperation, sustainability, and social justice.

Faculty

  • Chrystol Thomas-Winston
  • Shahriar Kibriya
Quantitative Methods

Quantitative methods are research methods that involve the collection and analysis of numerical data. They are used to study a wide range of phenomena, including human behavior, social processes, and physical systems. Quantitative methods are based on the assumption that the world can be measured and that these measurements can be used to understand the world.

Faculty

  • Ximing Wu
  • Oral Capps
  • Bruce McCarl
  • Richard Woodward
  • James Mjelde
  • Yu Zhang
  • Ariun Ishdorj
  • Yong Liu
  • Chengcheng Fei
  • Senarath Dharmasena
  • Samuel Zapata
Crop Insurance and Risk Management

Crop insurance is a type of insurance that protects farmers from financial losses due to crop failure. It is a risk management tool that can help farmers to maintain a stable income and to protect their investments in agriculture.

Faculty

  • Dmitry Vedenov
  • Yong Liu
  • Steven Klose
  • Paul Feldman
  • Xudong Rao
  • David Leatham
  • Samuel Zapata
  • Yuri Calil

Natural Resource and Environmental Economics

This research is dedicated to assessing the utilization, transfer, and allocation of natural resources, contributing valuable insights to inform environmental policies and strategies for natural resource management. Through this specialization, students will gain expertise in the application of economic tools and theories to promote the health and sustainability of our natural world.

A student talking to another student

Areas of Focus

Water Economics

Water economics is the study of how water resources are allocated, used, and valued. It is a field that combines economics with hydrology and other environmental sciences to understand the relationship between water and human society.

Faculty

  • Mani Rad
  • James Mjelde
  • Bruce McCarl
  • Chengcheng Fei
  • Kashi Kafle
Nonmarket Valuation and Environmental Economics

Nonmarket valuation is the process of estimating the economic value of goods and services that are not traded in markets. This includes environmental goods and services, such as clean air and water, biodiversity, and ecosystem services. Nonmarket valuation is important because it allows us to quantify the benefits of environmental protection and to make informed decisions about how to allocate resources.

Faculty

  • Richard Woodward
  • Mani Rad
  • Liqing Li
  • Mona Ahmadiani
  • James Mjelde
  • Frederick Boadu
  • Anthony Baffoe-Bonnie
Climate Change in Agriculture

Climate change in agriculture refers to the impact of climate change on agricultural production and the agricultural sector as a whole. Climate change is causing a number of changes to the Earth’s climate, including rising temperatures, more extreme weather events, and changes in precipitation patterns. These changes are having a significant impact on agriculture, both in terms of crop production and livestock production.

Faculty

  • Bruce McCarl
  • Chengcheng Fei
  • James Mjelde
  • Xingguo Wang
  • Shahriar Kibriya
  • Kashi Kafle

Agricultural Economics Research News

A man and woman testing fertilizers

Deep soil testing offers potential to reduce fertilizer costs

In the wake of high fertilizer prices, one thing farmers should do this year more than any previous year is deep soil testing. A Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service analysis found that deep soil testing before planting corn, cotton or wheat could lead to projected savings from $13 to $189 per acre.

Read more about deep soil testing
Tent in Big Bend National park

New report gives overview of visitors to Big Bend area

More than a half million people visited Big Bend National Park and the surrounding area in 2022, making it one of the state’s top tourist destinations. Now experts from Texas A&M’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences have done a deep dive into the how, when and why people go to the Big Bend area. 

Read more about the new report that gives overview of visitors to Big Bend area
A member of
Texas A&M AgriLife

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service | Texas A&M AgriLife Research | Texas A&M Forest Service | Texas A&M AgriLife Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Lab | College of Agriculture & Life Sciences

  • About
  • AgriLife Intranet
  • Contact Us
  • Degrees and Programs
  • Department Directory
  • Tyrus R. Timm Honor Registry
  • Giving to Agricultural Economics
600 John Kimbrough Blvd, TAMU 2124, College Station, TX 77843
Undergraduate Office: (979) 845-4911
Graduate Office Office: (979) 845-5222
Department Head Office: (979) 845-2116
Texas A&M University Agricultural Economics

© 2025 Texas A&M University. All rights reserved.

  • Compact with Texans
  • Privacy and Security
  • Accessibility Policy
  • State Link Policy
  • Statewide Search
  • Veterans Benefits
  • Military Families
  • Risk, Fraud & Misconduct Hotline
  • Texas Homeland Security
  • Texas Veterans Portal
  • Equal Opportunity
  • Open Records/Public Information