Alfons Weersink
Alfons Weersink is a professor in the Department of Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics at the University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
Weersink grew up on a dairy-crop farm in southwestern Ontario and still has family links to that farming operation. He received a bachelor's degree in agriculture with a concentration in agricultural economics from the University of Guelph in 1982. He then went to Montana State University through the aid of a Rotary Scholarship and obtained a master's degree in applied economics. After a brief period farming and in agricultural lending, Weersink attended Cornell University. He received a PhD from Cornell in 1989 and has been at the University of Guelph since graduation.
A distinguishing characteristic of Weersink's research is its intellectual rigor and its practical application in devising management and production strategies for agricultural producers and policy alternatives that maximize positive public impacts while minimizing private costs placed on producers. He has come to be recognized internationally as a leading authority on the resource economics of agricultural production. His research contributions show a high level of integration of rigourous economic theory and analytical methods in combination with a commitment to tackling critical real-world problems.
Weersink is among the most cited agricultural economists globally and one of Canada's most cited economists overall. Various academic associations have recognized his scholarship: the Quality of Communication Award by the Australian Agricultural & Resource Economics Society; Outstanding Journal Article by Review of Agricultural Economics; Outstanding Journal Article (3×) by the Canadian Agricultural Economics Society (CAES); and the Publication of Enduring Quality Award from the CAES. At the University of Guelph, his distinguished and sustained scholarly excellence is recognized by the prestigious OAC Alumni Distinguished Researcher Award and the University of Guelph Research Leadership Chair (which is targeted at prominent researchers who have received significant national and international recognition).
Weersink's research has been conveyed to a wider audience through efforts to publish summaries in trade outlets, and to speak to interested parties ranging from government policy makers to farm organizations. Included are presentations to the Canadian House of Commons Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food and the Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry. He has also been frequently interviewed by the media on stories related to agriculture including appearances on Reuters, BBC, Blomberg News, and CBC.
An important facet of Weersink's career is his commitment to mentorship and collaborative research with graduate students and early career professionals. Over the years, he has nurtured the academic journeys of more than 90 graduate students (and trained more than 6000 undergraduates). His dedication to teaching and mentorship was recognized in 2016 when he received the Distinguished Teaching Award from the Ontario Agricultural College Alumni Association. Ten of his students received outstanding thesis/dissertation awards from CAES, AAEA and NAREA. What sets his mentorship apart is the tangible impact it has had: Almost every one of these students has contributed to scholarly publications in refereed academic journals, showcasing the depth of their research engagement and intellectual growth under his guidance.
His service to the profession highlights both his academic abilities and willingness to help within the academic community. He has been president of the CAES, editor of the CJAE, and associate editor of the AJAE. Currently, he continues to contribute his expertise by serving on the editorial board for journals such as Applied Economics and Policy Perspectives and Agricultural Systems. Furthermore, his leadership extended to organizing selected papers for the International Agricultural Economics Association's triennial conference in Brazil.
Weersink's multifaceted contributions to research, teaching, and service underscore his enduring dedication to the advancement of agricultural economics and his firm commitment to sharing knowledge and shaping programs and policy both nationally and internationally.