August 2023, Issue 16

AAEA Deadlines    

August 17, 2023

• EXECON Track Session: Information and Decision Making: Producers, Sellers, and Consumers

September 6, 2023

• Organized Symposium: Contemporary Issues facing U.S. Agricultural Trade and Trade Policy

September 30, 2023

• AEPP Special Issue
• AAEA Farm Bill Subject Matter Experts Survey

October 5, 2023

• Organized Symposium: Climate-Smart Markets and Practices on U.S. Livestock Farms

December 31, 2023

• AETR Special Issue on AI

President's Message

August, 2023

Thank you to all those who were able to attend the AAEA meetings in Washington DC. We had a little over 1600 attendees. The Executive Board met before the start of the meetings and approved several new initiatives, including the creation of the following new task forces:

1. Access Task Force to work on how AAEA can foster a more inclusive environment and make it easier for members to attend the meetings.
2. Expanding the charge of the Membership Committee to include “engagement” to further support engagement of new members and former members in the work of the AAEA.
3. Well-Being Task Force to explore and assess how AAEA can further support the health and well-being of members.
4. Publications Task Force to develop a strategic plan for our publications and figure out ways to increase the pipeline and diversity of editors for our journals. Journal revenues are important, and journals are critical for the success of our members. We need a clear strategy on how to support our portfolio of publications to ensure the success of the journals.
5. We have a new initiative with ERS to build a program to increase the pipeline of diverse members, consistent with our strategic plan. A working committee has been formed to work on this.

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AAEA News

Announcing New AEPP Editor

AAEA is happy to announce that Jerome Dumortier from Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis will be the incoming editor for AEPP. His duties will begin on January 1, 2024. Thank you to all applicants.

Thank you to Mindy Mallory of Purdue University who will be wrapping up her editorial role December 31, 2023.

Free Virtual 2023 AAEA Annual Meeting Sessions

AAEA Farm Bill Subject Matter Experts Survey

The 2018 Farm Bill is scheduled to expire on September 30, 2023. AAEA is working with the House and Senate Agriculture Committees as they conduct hearings and make preparations to reauthorize the Farm Bill. As a part of this process, AAEA is compiling a list of subject matter experts from the AAEA membership who are willing to be a resource to Congressional Staff. https://asumorrison.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_dgktplv0ayJxQCW

Call for Special Issue - Fields of Discord: Understanding the Intersection of Geopolitics and Agriculture

The relationship between geopolitics and agriculture is increasingly important as the world faces numerous challenges related to food security, climate change, and economic development. In addition, the competition for resources and the global interconnectedness of markets and economies make the relationship between geopolitics and agriculture complex and multifaceted. The special issue in Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy will bring together academic scholarship to explore the intersection of geopolitics and agriculture. Selected papers will discuss the challenges and opportunities this complex relationship presents, including the potential for conflict and tension arising from competing interests and priorities considering economic, social, and environmental aspects. The special issue will examine how agricultural practices intersect with global politics, from land use and resource management to trade policies and food security. Submission deadline of September 30, 2023
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Special Issue: Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics Use in the Classroom and Academy

Applied Economics and Teaching Resources is calling for manuscripts about use of artificial intelligence (AI) and data analytics in undergraduate and graduate education in the classroom and across the academy. Submissions of case studies, teaching and extension scholarship and research, educational innovations and methods, extension education innovations and methods, and commentaries about use of artificial intelligence, including use of large language models (LLMs) and platforms, such as ChatGPT, Bing AI, Bard, amongst other, and data analytics in undergraduate and graduate education, extension education, and other learning venues in institutions of higher learning. This special issue is open to a wide array of topics related to artificial intelligence and data analytics across the agricultural and applied economics and agribusiness and management economics disciplines. Topics may include but are not limited to innovative use of AI and data analytics in the classroom; innovative data analytic teaching modules and teaching case studies; teaching case studies about the impact of AI on agriculture, the agricultural industry and society; ethical and academic concerning the use of AI in the academy; assessments of AI for different learning outcomes and tasks; and use of AI and data analytics in extension education programming.
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Government Relations & Washington Outlooks

August 2023

FY 2024 Agriculture Appropriations Update
Congress has left Washington, DC for the August recess with some uncertainty on next steps for the fiscal year 2024 agriculture appropriations bill. Both the House and Senate Appropriations committees have passed their respective versions of the bill, but neither has been brought to the floor for full consideration. The House had planned to take up its version on the floor the last week of July, but ran into problems setting the parameters for amendments in the House Rules Committee.  Legislation must go through the Rule Committee to establish the rules of floor debate and which amendments will be allowed for consideration.  Some Republican members were advocating for larger reductions in overall spending while others objected to provisions related policies around the abortion pill mifepristone. Republicans were unable to resolve these differences prior to August recess so further action on the bill will not occur until September. The Senate has yet to schedule floor action for any of the annual appropriations bills.
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Other News

Food Distribution and Research Society (FDRS) and AgSummit

The Food Distribution Research Society’s annual conference, held in collaboration this year with the National Agriculture Summit, will be held from Sunday, November 12 to Tuesday, November 14 in Washington D.C. We have a great schedule planned, with the Summit theme "Cultivating connection" as well as with FDRS research sessions and events. Please visit our AgSummit website for more information. 

Our joint call for proposals for the Food Distribution and Research Society (FDRS) and AgSummit is now open. We invite individuals and groups to submit a proposed presentation through this online survey. Attached, you can find a pdf version of an abbreviated survey for more information prior to submitting. The FDRS sessions will be on Monday, November 13 and the AgSummit sessions will be on Tuesday, November 14.

The call for proposals will remain open through August 15, 2023.

Call for Applications
Fulbright Postdoctoral Research Fellowships for U.S. Citizens in All Disciplines

Academic Years 2024/25
Fellowships are open to researchers in all academic disciplines and support research programs in Israel for up to 20 months (two academic years).

Benefits:

• Stipend: $95,000 ($47,500 per academic year for two years)
• Reimbursement of up to $1,700 for airfare expenses for Fulbright fellows (and spouses)
• Partial reimbursement of children’s education expenses and fees

Apply by September 15, 2023

Visit the program page on our website at https://fulbright.org.il/USPostdoc

For further information or inquiries, please contact:
Assaf Levinton
Tel: +972 3 5213808
USprograms@fulbright.org.il

Call for Papers: Special Issue of the Agricultural Finance Review on the Farm Bill

The guest editors for a special issue of the Agricultural Finance Review on “New Developments in U.S. Agricultural Lending: Implications for Federal Farm Bill Programs” invite authors to submit articles for consideration. This issue aims to provide timely insights into how the current agricultural credit and financial landscape is relevant for ongoing discussions about the next Farm Bill cycle, which begins this year. This special issue will advance knowledge on agricultural lending and related topics that can inform the upcoming Farm Bill and agricultural policy more generally. We intend to achieve this goal by publishing papers on diverse topics with connections to agricultural lending and policy, including labor, trade, and finance. The focus should be on relating those topics to recent changes that have occurred in the agricultural credit and financial landscape from 2018 onwards, including evaluation of government programs. Novel analyses of agricultural lending that are relevant to agricultural policy would also be suitable.

Articles must be submitted by August 30. Please contact the guest editors (below) for more information or visit this website.

Guest Editors: Anil K. Giri, USDA-ERS: anil.giri@usda.gov; Margaret Jodlowski, The Ohio State University: jodlowski.1@osu.edu; Jennifer Ifft, Kansas State University: jifft@ksu.edu; Dipak Subedi, USDA-ERS: dipak.subedi@usda.gov

68th Annual Conference of the Australasian Agricultural & Resource Economics Society

Date: February 6-9, 2024
Venue: Australian National University Campus, Canberra, Australia

Description: Theme: Grand Challenges at the Frontier of Applied Economics
The Australasian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society (AARES) is the pre-eminent organisation promoting applied economics research and policy engagement in agricultural and resources industries including, agribusiness, food systems, and the environment. Our journal, the Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics (AJARE) publishes original, high-quality, and interdisciplinary research and policy analysis pertaining to agriculture, the environment and natural resources.
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