From the President

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) John E. Lee Award: Country of Origin Labeling Team - Bill Hahn (ERS), Keithly Jones (ERS), Warren Preston (OCE), and Sharon Sydow (OCE) Bruce Gardner Award: Patrick Westhoff (University of Missouri) Fred Woods Award: Thomas Worth (RMA)

The Agricultural Outlook Forum comes quickly on the heels of the Annual Meeting, falling on February 25-26 this year. This year we again share our space with C-FARE, represented by Executive Director Caron Gala. We enjoyed strengthening our bond with this organization.

Dues collection continues for 2016. If you have already paid your $15 for annual, calendar-year membership, thank you. If not, please renew or join via Paypal here, http://www.usdaeconomists.org/#!__registration or click on the orange “Join US!” button on the home page: http://www.usdaeconomists.org/ , or by check payable to USDA Economists Group to Bill Janis, Treasurer, whose contact information is at the end of the newsletter and at the link above.

Board meetings are the first Tuesday of the month at noon. For March, the meeting will be at 11:30 on March 1 in Room 4057 in the USDA South Building. Any member or prospective member is welcome to attend. Several positions on our Board are available, and those doing double duty would be happy to give a helping hand to an individual who is willing. Please call or email me or another Board member for a no-obligation inquiry.