MSU Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics  News > Ag Econ-O-Gram  Archive > Back Issue

Ag Econ-O-Gram

April 15, 2005

FACULTY MEETING
Please mark your calendars for upcoming faculty meetings.  Unless otherwise noted, all meetings will be held at 1:30 pm, Room 75 Agriculture Hall.

April 15
May 6 and 20
June 5-9 is the CSREES External Review.

UPCOMING DEPT. SEMINARS

Thurs., April 14 - Suzanne Thornsbury, Dept of Ag. Econ., MSU.  "Building an Applied Research Program in Global Horticultural Markets and Trade."

Thurs., April 21- Kellie Raper, Dept. of Ag. Econ., MSU.

Mon, April 25 - Alan deBrauw (Williams).  Visiting MSU (previously at Dept. of Ag. Econ., UC-Davis).  "Impact of Migrant Opportunities on Educational Attainment in China's Rural Areas."  (Joint with MSU's Economics Dept)

Thurs., April 28 - Elton R. Smith Distinguished Seminar Speaker. Dan Sumner, Frank H. Buck, Jr. Professor and Director, Agricultural Issues Center, University of California at Davis. "Translating Policy Issues into Research Questions:  The Case of US Cotton Policy and the WTO."

All seminars are 3:30 to 5:00 p.m. in 75 Ag. Hall, unless otherwise noted.

PLAN B DEFENSE
My guidance committee, Drs. Roy Black, Scott Swinton, and Kurt Thelen and I, Ben Chaffin, invite you to my Plan B defense on Wednesday, April 20, in room 75 Agriculture Hall at 1:30 pm.  My Plan B is titled: CROP YIELD AND REVENUE INSURANCE:  Choosing Between Policies That Trigger on Farm Level vs. County Indexes.  The first 30 minutes are open to the public.--Ben Chaffin

HOUSE FOR SALE
House for sale:  three bedrooms in Okemos. Sylvia Samuels (formerly of TELFARM) and her husband are moving permanently to Florida.  For details contact warrensamuels@bigplanet.com

FINAL PROVOST CANDIDATES
Information on the five final Provost candidates - Brian Foster, Virginia Sapiro, Laura Schweitzer, Uday Sukhatme, and Kim Wilcox - is available online at http://provostsearch.msu.edu/index.html. 

CROP & SOIL SCIENCES ACTING CHAIR
As previously announced Dept of Crop & Soil Sciences Chair Doug Buhler began his role as acting associate director of the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station and acting associate dean for research for the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources on March 15.  I am pleased to announce that Jim Kells has agreed to serve as acting chair for the Dept of Crop and Soil Sciences in Dr. Buhler's stead.  

Professor Kells has been a member of the Dept of Crop and Soil Sciences faculty since 1982. In addition to teaching, he also serves appointments as an MAES researcher and MSU Extension project leader, and has served as associate chair of the Dept of Crop and Soil Sciences since 2003. His program excellence has been recognized with the MABA Campus Personnel award, the MSU Outstanding Extension Specialist award and the MAEA Specialist of the Year award, among others. He is also a double graduate of MSU, with both a B.S. in crop and soil sciences and a Ph.D. in weed science.  I am looking forward to working with him in this leadership capacity.
--Jeffrey D. Armstrong

ANIMAL WASTE
April 25 - A Conference on Animal Waste as a Resource: Future Strategies to Ensure Livestock, Dairy and Poultry Production Success in Michigan. Kellogg Conference Center, East Lansing.  See www.maeap.org for agenda and registration form.

MSU Calendar of International Events
April
15   CASID/WID Friday Forum  The Development of Development: A Systems Perspective
15      International Coffee Hour
15      India Week 2005  Spring Festivals of India: "Oral Histories"
15      University Human Rights Film Program
15      The Gallin Lecture:  Laurel Kendall; Auspicious Places in a Mobile Landscape: of Shamans, Shrines, and Dreams
15      "Dieu est Grand, Je Suis Toute Petite"  Romance Languages Film Series
16      India Week  Uthama Chakravarthi: The Ideal King
16      Beyond the Melting Pot: Asian Adoptees in the 21st Century
18      African Studies talk: Reflections on the Current Crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
18      MSU GRADUATE STUDENTS' WORKSHOP for the 200506 Fulbright U. S. Student Program
19      Corporate Governance Evolution in Asia After the Crisis in 1997
19      Corporate Governance Evolution in Asia After the Crisis in 1997
19      "Diplomacy in a SingleSuperpower World" MSU Sesquicentennial Event
20      Food Safety and Biotechnology: Challenges for Scientific Cooperation
20      Intl Awards Ceremony 2005  MSU Sesquicentennial Event
For more info, go to: www.isp.msu.edu/calendar/upcoming.php

BRESLIN CENTER
For information, go to: http://www.breslincenter.com

PAVILION EVENTS
For information, go to: http://www.msu.edu/~pavilion/

WHARTON CENTER
For info, go to https://www.whartoncenter.com

JOB OPPORTUNITIES
AGRIFOOD RESEARCH FINLAND (MTT) is seeking for a Research Professor of economics with a specialization in industrial organization and emphasis on food market;  a fixed-term for five years; located at MTT Economic Research unit in Helsinki;  to provide leadership & develop an internationally recognized research program in analyzing the performance and efficiency of the Finnish food market within the EU market regime and the global food market.  Required:  a Ph.D. in economics or closely related field with a specialization in industrial organization; have demonstrated skills in economic modelling and econometric methods with a strong publication record in international peer-reviewed journals; experience in analyzing efficiency of food market is preferred. Available:  anticipated start date of Nov. 2005.  Deadline: received by May 31, 2005 at 16.15 local time (4.15 p.m.). Please forward applications to the street address MTT, 31600 Jokioinen, FINLAND, or via e-mail to kirjaamo@mtt.fi . The applications will not be returned to the applicant. For more info, contact Director General Erkki Kemppainen, tel+358-3-41882201, cel+358-40-5562477, or Director of Economic Research Kysti Pietola, tel+358-9-56086300, cel+358-400-520905; or go to: www.mtt.fi/english/research/economic/economic.html

CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, Chico, seeks  an Agribusiness, tenure-track Assistant/Associate Professor academic year position with summer research opportunities available. Preference will be given to applicants who demonstrate expertise in agricultural production management or financial management; knowledgeable about and interested in working within a cross-cultural learning environment.  Required: earned Ph.D. in Ag. Business, Ag. Economics or closely related field; experience in undergraduate education; excellence in applied research, scholarly writing & service activities relating to the industry and profession; excellent written and oral communication skills; skills in computer applications ; Agricultural production management or agricultural finance.  Deadline: Review begins April 15, 2005. Applications received after that date may be considered if position is not filled.
For more info., go to website at www.csuchicoag.edu

CLEMSON UNIVERSITY are seeking for two Assistant/ Associate Professor and Extension Specialist, Community and Econ. Development, Dept. of Applied Econ. and Statistics located at Clemson University Institute for Econ. and Community Development (CIECD) at the Sandhill Research & Education Center, Columbia, SC; two (2) tenure-track faculty positions; 12-month appointments with extension & research; s 75% research and 25% extension. Potential econ. development program areas are program analysis, econ. development policy, public finance, fiscal impact analysis, business retention and expansion, environmental and natural resource policy, and land use planning. The community development position is 75% extension and 25% research. Potential community development programs include leadership development, strategic planning, asset identification, social impact assessment, and public officials training. Required:  Ph.D. in economics, agricultural economics, sociology, urban and regional planning, policy studies, community development or related discipline. Experience in economic and community development is required.  Deadline: May 1, 2005 or until a suitable applicant is found.  Available: July 1, 2005. Submit a letter of application including a  resume, transcripts, and three letters of reference under separate cover to David Barkley, Chair, Economic and Community Development Search Committee, Dep. of Applied Economics and Statistics, 238 Barre Hall, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634-0313. Mail to:  dbrkly@clemson.edu. Applicants should specify the position for which they are applying. For more info, go to: http://www.clemson.edu/humanres/Classandcomp/joblist.htm

MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY - Extension seeks:
POS ID #1444 - Extension Educator, CYF/4-H Youth (Urban)-INTERNAL MSUE STAFF ONLY; Full-Time, Continuing employment; located in Grand Rapids, MI (Kent County).  Deadline: April 15, 2005.
Apply for above at web site: http//www.msue.msu.edu/jobs

SAMUEL ROBERTS NOBLE FOUNDATION, INC., Agricultural Div., Ardmore, OK, seeks:
Agricultural Economist (#AG-G040-214) to complete a team of consultants representing several agricultural disciplines. The team provides free technical assistance to farmers, rancher s, and other natural resource managers within a 100- mile radius of Ardmore.  Primary duties will include working within a team environment to assist ag. producers & other stewards achieve their financial, product ion & quality of life goals.  The candidate will be expected to collaborate with other Noble Foundation divisions and departments, universities and various agricultural agencies. Required:  Masters-level (i. e. M.S. or M.Ag.) degree in Ag. Econ. or closely allied discipline with experience communication with ag. producers; ability to communicate; knowledge of general agriculture; and a farmer ranch background is preferred. Complete job description and online application can be found at http://www.noble.org.  E-mail:  NFHR@noble.org; Website: http://www.noble.org/   Applications will be accepted until a suitable candidate is found.
AND
Agricultural Research Economist (AG-G015-190) to provide economic insight and direction in fiscal and budgetary matters for the research and demonstration efforts of the Agricultural Division. Required:  An earned Master's or Ph.D (Ph.D. preferred) in one of the following fields:  ag. econ., resource econ., applied or managerial econ. or a closely related field is required. Course work & practical experience in farm/ranch management, financial management, and marketing is preferred. A demonstrated ability in undertaking applied field research, scenario management, the ability to work effectively in a team setting, and previous experience with statistical analysis and experimental design is preferred.  Visit our website at http://www.noble.org to apply online.  Applications will be accepted until a suitable candidate is found.

U.S. EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) has several Economist positions available in the National Center for Environmental Economics.
http://www.epa.gov/careers/index.html

SOUTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY seeks two Assistant Professors in the Department of Accounting, Agribusiness and Economics.
http://www.scsu.edu/hrm/positions.cfm

Further details available for 30 days by contacting Pat Neumann.

All announcements should be sent to Pat Neumann, Editor, in room 219 Ag. Hall or e-mail: neumannp@msu.edu  NO LATER than 12:00 noon on Thursday; after 12, they will be in the next BI-WEEKLY edition.