January 15, 2020
Dear Members and Friends of the USDA Economists Group,
Happy New Year! What a difference a year makes. We’re moving ahead instead of being shut down. So here are some updates:
Our Annual Meeting with awards and food will take place on Monday, January 27, at noon in Room 107-A of the Whitten Building. Please join us to gather among fellow economists and congratulate award-winning colleagues. Our special guest this year is Dr. Robert Thompson, who among many other prominent jobs, was once USDA’s Ass...
March 1, 2019
Dear Members and Friends of the USDA Economists Group,
What a winter it has been! The shutdown postponed our Annual Meeting and Awards program, and the storm yesterday threatened the Ag Outlook Forum. So here are some quick updates:
Our Annual Meeting with awards and food will take place on Thursday, March 21, at noon in Room 107-A of the Whitten Building. Please join us to gather among fellow economists and congratulate award-winning colleagues. We expect to have Chief Economist Rob Johansson and...
February 2, 2018
USDA Economists Group President Steve Neff kicked off the organization's 27th Annual Meeting on Friday, February 2, 2018 in USDA's Whitten Building, welcoming members from USDA, academia and private industry.
2018 Economist of the Year
Vice President of Membership Bruce McWilliams presented the 2018 Economist of the Year Award to Dr. Patrick Canning of USDA's Economic Research Service for several important breakthroughs in food system modeling at the nexus of our understanding of food, energy,...
January 28, 2017
The USDA Economists Group welcomes the following new members:
Peyton Ferrier ERS
Regina Ware GIPSA
Jeffery Hopkins ERS
Maureen Farrell OCIO-CTS-TSD-NCR
Chris Buras ERS
Betty J. Carter FSIS
Kamron Daugherty ERS
Caron Gala C-FARE
Graham Soley FAS
Sarah Tulman ERS
Steven Zahniser ERS
Membership is open to anyone with an interest in agricultural economics and policy for a low annual rate that supports programming. Click here for more information on becoming a member of USDA Economists Group to...
January 28, 2017
In January, the Global Food Safety Forum, the American Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam and Vietnamese organizations signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in food safety. In April, Rick Gilmore, founder and CEO of Global Food Safety Forum, will visit Vietnam on an exploratory mission to gauge the needs of relevant parties in business and government. Read more at http://vietnamnews.vn/economy/350006/vn-usa-team-up-for-food-safety.html#VdPYZvhQkxBc8JZq.99
GFSF is a not-for-profit organ...
January 24, 2017
Last week, the USDA Economists Group had its annual meeting and awards presentations. This annual event is one of the highlights of the year for the Group. We were fortunate to be joined by ERS Administrator Mary Bohman, USDA Chief Economist Rob Johansson, and FFAS Acting Deputy Under Secretary Jason Hafemeister. For the second consecutive year, it was a treat to have former ERS Administrator John Lee with us.
The award winners were as follows:
Economist of the Year: Barbara Fecso (FSA) for her...
January 24, 2017
On January 24, USDA Economists Group President Steve Neff opened the organization’s 26th Annual Meeting in Whitten 107A. He noted that the Group brings together economists from USDA, the private sector, and academia and recalled the 18th Annual Meeting, when Sec. Vilsack praised the work of economists.
Barbara Fecso of FSA received the Economist of the Year Award for her work on the existing U.S.-Mexico suspension agreement governing sugar trade and her continued hard work and dedication to the s...
February 20, 2016
February may be the busiest month that the USDA Economists Group will have in 2016. Our Annual Meeting was on Wednesday, February 10, and we have an exhibit space again at the USDA Agricultural Outlook Forum.
The Annual Meeting began with remarks from John E. Lee, former Administrator of ERS and Chairman of the Agricultural Economics Department at Mississippi State University followed by presentation of awards.
The award winners were as follows:
Economist of the Year Award: Andrea Carlson (ERS)
Jo...
February 10, 2016
On February 10, 2016 USDA Economists Group President Steve Neff opened the organization’s 25th Annual Meeting in the South Building Cafeteria. He noted that the Group brings together economists from USDA, the private sector, and academia. John E. Lee, former ERS Administrator and Chairman of the Agricultural Economics Department at Mississippi State University, then spoke of the importance of the work of economists at USDA in presenting and analyzing the consequences of policy choices.
After the...
February 1, 2016
GFSF is published its February-March newsletter, GFSF FOCUS. This issue analyzes China’s Intended Nationally Determined Commitment (INDC) made at the 2015 Paris Climate Summit, and how measures in China’s INDC relate to, and will impact, food safety. Other featured pieces include interviews with Frank Wang, Underwriter of Gen Re China, and Rick Tracy, Vice President of International Programs for GCCA, as well as an article on China’s New Food Safety Law, the specific requirements the law entails...