Farmers often lament the land lost to suburban sprawl, but across the South, a land mass roughly the size of New Jersey is stuck in a legal limbo known as heirs’ property.
Agricultural Economics & Rural Sociology Articles
Latest
Agriculture degrees set graduates apart from the pack
By Mike Jernigan Why major in agriculture today? There are many reasons, and some of them have a certain degree of urgency. Food insecurity is one of the greatest problems facing our planet. Solving the problems of producing more food in an increasingly hungry world...
Research examines effects of food proximity on waste
There’s lot of waste in this land of plenty, with an estimated 30% of the edible food produced annually in the U.S. being wasted. This amounts to more than 133 billion pounds and $160 billion worth of food, with a significant portion wasted at the consumer level. This...
Researcher seeks to understand how cover cropping prevents weather-related planting loss
The agriculture industry in the United States is one of the most vulnerable to climate change because of its reliance on favorable weather. Because of this, an Auburn...
Native Habitat cofounder visiting April 13
The College of Agriculture will host well-known forester Kyle Lybarger at the invitation of Assistant Professor Ryan Thomson. Lybarger is scheduled to speak April 13 at...
Research shows effects of stricter work requirements for SNAP
As Congress begins debating a new Farm Bill — including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) — an Auburn University research project reveals one of the...
Young man on a mission
Ben Brinkerhoff sees his ag econ degree from a mission-field perspective.
Auburn College of Agriculture honors exceptional alumni
AUBURN, Ala. —Nine successful and influential professionals who hold degrees from Auburn University’s College of Agriculture have been selected as winners in the college’s newly established alumni awards program. The honors, formally presented Friday, April 18,...
Auburn College of Ag, AAES honor top faculty, staff for 2013
AUBURN, Ala.—Fifteen Auburn University College of Agriculture/Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station scientists who collectively brought in more than $5.84 million in extramural research funding in 2013 were among the more than two dozen faculty and staff members...
Meet Stefanie Christensen Francisco
Stefanie Christensen Francisco is the communications director for Conservation Alabama, a non-profit organization that lobbies the state legislature on behalf of our state’s natural resources. Previously, she worked in national news production at CNN, Politico, and...
Scientists urge gluten intolerant to make voices heard
by JAMIE CREAMER The number of Americans who have jumped on the gluten-free bandwagon has soared in recent years, largely in response to a plethora of celebrity testimonials and magazine articles extolling the virtues of eliminating gluten—a protein found in wheat,...
Beyond Auburn
Two study abroad students highly recommend international tours by WENDY REED and JAMIE CREAMER Derrick Robinson has never been one to pass up a great opportunity, so when the Auburn University agricultural economics master’s student received an email announcement in...
Fields to chair Auburn ag econ, rural sociology department
AUBURN, Ala.—Deacue Fields, an agricultural economist who has served on the Auburn University faculty for 11 years, has been named to a three-year term as chair of the Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, effective Aug. 16. Fields was hired at...
Safe and secure
$4.8 million grant will enhance safety of local foods by JAMIE CREAMER Animal sciences assistant professor Christy Bratcher and a multidisciplinary team of scientists from Auburn and Tuskegee universities have been awarded a five-year, $4.8 million grant from USDA’s...
Taking the lead
Auburn ag alum wins farmers federation presidency by JAMIE CREAMER On Dec. 3, 2012, College of Agriculture alumnus and fifth-generation Chilton County farmer Jimmy Parnell eked out a victory to become president of the Alabama Farmers Federation and, subsequently,...
Ag, forestry dominate state's economy, study shows
AUBURN, Ala.—Agriculture, forestry and their related industries account for 41 percent of Alabama’s $174 billion economy and provide 22 percent of all jobs in the state, a new report from Auburn University’s Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology...
Lord Kwakye Ameyaw
Lord Kwakye Ameyaw completed a Master of Science Degree in Rural Sociology from Auburn University in 2013. He recently completed a PhD in Environmental and Forest Sciences at the University of Washington in Seattle. Lord works as an Agroforester with the Nebraska...
College of Ag, AAES honor top faculty, staff
AUBURN, Ala.— Twenty College of Agriculture/Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station scientists who landed a combined $11.4 million-plus in grants and contracts over the course of a year were honored as 2012 Grantsmanship Award winners and 21 other faculty and staff...
Auburn ag economist Bill Hardy granted emeritus status posthumously
AUBURN, Ala.—The late William E. “Bill” Hardy Jr., a faculty member in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology at Auburn University for almost 39 years, has been posthumously awarded the status of professor emeritus. The College of Agriculture...
Survey of coastal seafood, restaurant industries under way
AUBURN, Ala. — Seafood fishers, processors and wholesalers as well as seafood restaurant chefs and owners are the focus of a survey under way along the Alabama-Mississippi Gulf Coast aimed at evaluating how those involved in the seafood supply chain are faring after...
Riva Denny
Riva completed her MS in rural sociology at Auburn in 2012 where she wrote her master’s thesis on the differences between red meat inspection regulations at the state and federal levels and the implications that these differences have for small slaughterhouses and the...
MICHELE VITALE
Michele completed his MS in Rural Sociology at Auburn in 2007; his thesis analyzed the socio-economic, cultural and geographic barriers that Hispanic residents face to access primary care services in rural Georgia. He completed his PhD in Geography at Wilfrid Laurier...
Who is Emily Blejwas
Emily Blejwas directs the Gulf States Health Policy Center in Bayou La Batre, AL. She previously worked in research and community development for the Community Foundation of South Alabama and the Economic & Community Development Institute at Auburn University. She...
JANICE FREW DYER
Janice Frew Dyer completed her MS in Rural Sociology in 2007 and her PhD in Forestry in 2012, both at Auburn University. Janice spent several years teaching Sociology at Calhoun Community College in North Alabama, and Sustainable Food Systems at Lipscomb University in...
VANESSA CASANOVA
Dr. Casanova earned a BA in International Studies from the University of Alabama, MS in Rural Sociology and PhD in Forestry from Auburn University with postgraduate training in the fields of labor studies and public health. She joined the faculty of the University of...
James Hutchins
James Hutchins is a 1997 graduate of the Master of Science program in Rural Sociology. He focused on integrated conservation and development and he researched the establishment of a community forest concession in the Maya Biosphere Reserve for his thesis. He has...
Young man on a mission
Ben Brinkerhoff sees his ag econ degree from a mission-field perspective.
Auburn College of Agriculture honors exceptional alumni
AUBURN, Ala. —Nine successful and influential professionals who hold degrees from Auburn University’s College of Agriculture have been selected as winners in the college’s newly established alumni awards program. The honors, formally presented Friday, April 18,...
Auburn College of Ag, AAES honor top faculty, staff for 2013
AUBURN, Ala.—Fifteen Auburn University College of Agriculture/Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station scientists who collectively brought in more than $5.84 million in extramural research funding in 2013 were among the more than two dozen faculty and staff members...
Meet Stefanie Christensen Francisco
Stefanie Christensen Francisco is the communications director for Conservation Alabama, a non-profit organization that lobbies the state legislature on behalf of our state’s natural resources. Previously, she worked in national news production at CNN, Politico, and...
Scientists urge gluten intolerant to make voices heard
by JAMIE CREAMER The number of Americans who have jumped on the gluten-free bandwagon has soared in recent years, largely in response to a plethora of celebrity testimonials and magazine articles extolling the virtues of eliminating gluten—a protein found in wheat,...
Beyond Auburn
Two study abroad students highly recommend international tours by WENDY REED and JAMIE CREAMER Derrick Robinson has never been one to pass up a great opportunity, so when the Auburn University agricultural economics master’s student received an email announcement in...
Fields to chair Auburn ag econ, rural sociology department
AUBURN, Ala.—Deacue Fields, an agricultural economist who has served on the Auburn University faculty for 11 years, has been named to a three-year term as chair of the Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, effective Aug. 16. Fields was hired at...
Safe and secure
$4.8 million grant will enhance safety of local foods by JAMIE CREAMER Animal sciences assistant professor Christy Bratcher and a multidisciplinary team of scientists from Auburn and Tuskegee universities have been awarded a five-year, $4.8 million grant from USDA’s...
Taking the lead
Auburn ag alum wins farmers federation presidency by JAMIE CREAMER On Dec. 3, 2012, College of Agriculture alumnus and fifth-generation Chilton County farmer Jimmy Parnell eked out a victory to become president of the Alabama Farmers Federation and, subsequently,...
Ag, forestry dominate state's economy, study shows
AUBURN, Ala.—Agriculture, forestry and their related industries account for 41 percent of Alabama’s $174 billion economy and provide 22 percent of all jobs in the state, a new report from Auburn University’s Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology...
Lord Kwakye Ameyaw
Lord Kwakye Ameyaw completed a Master of Science Degree in Rural Sociology from Auburn University in 2013. He recently completed a PhD in Environmental and Forest Sciences at the University of Washington in Seattle. Lord works as an Agroforester with the Nebraska...
College of Ag, AAES honor top faculty, staff
AUBURN, Ala.— Twenty College of Agriculture/Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station scientists who landed a combined $11.4 million-plus in grants and contracts over the course of a year were honored as 2012 Grantsmanship Award winners and 21 other faculty and staff...
Auburn ag economist Bill Hardy granted emeritus status posthumously
AUBURN, Ala.—The late William E. “Bill” Hardy Jr., a faculty member in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology at Auburn University for almost 39 years, has been posthumously awarded the status of professor emeritus. The College of Agriculture...
Survey of coastal seafood, restaurant industries under way
AUBURN, Ala. — Seafood fishers, processors and wholesalers as well as seafood restaurant chefs and owners are the focus of a survey under way along the Alabama-Mississippi Gulf Coast aimed at evaluating how those involved in the seafood supply chain are faring after...
Riva Denny
Riva completed her MS in rural sociology at Auburn in 2012 where she wrote her master’s thesis on the differences between red meat inspection regulations at the state and federal levels and the implications that these differences have for small slaughterhouses and the...
MICHELE VITALE
Michele completed his MS in Rural Sociology at Auburn in 2007; his thesis analyzed the socio-economic, cultural and geographic barriers that Hispanic residents face to access primary care services in rural Georgia. He completed his PhD in Geography at Wilfrid Laurier...
Who is Emily Blejwas
Emily Blejwas directs the Gulf States Health Policy Center in Bayou La Batre, AL. She previously worked in research and community development for the Community Foundation of South Alabama and the Economic & Community Development Institute at Auburn University. She...
JANICE FREW DYER
Janice Frew Dyer completed her MS in Rural Sociology in 2007 and her PhD in Forestry in 2012, both at Auburn University. Janice spent several years teaching Sociology at Calhoun Community College in North Alabama, and Sustainable Food Systems at Lipscomb University in...
VANESSA CASANOVA
Dr. Casanova earned a BA in International Studies from the University of Alabama, MS in Rural Sociology and PhD in Forestry from Auburn University with postgraduate training in the fields of labor studies and public health. She joined the faculty of the University of...
James Hutchins
James Hutchins is a 1997 graduate of the Master of Science program in Rural Sociology. He focused on integrated conservation and development and he researched the establishment of a community forest concession in the Maya Biosphere Reserve for his thesis. He has...