Members in the News: March 23, 2026

 Ricky Volpe, California Polytechnical State University

“Iran War: Hormuz Crisis Raises Fears For Global Agriculture And Food Security”

By: AA.com – March 1, 2026

“Without a steady supply of high-grade commercial fertilizer, yields really suffer, and that’s going to have direct implications for international agricultural trade and food prices around the world”

(Continued...)
Read more on: AA.com

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Martin Smith, Duke University

“This Year's Fish Fry Might Cost More. Blame Tariffs”

By: Marketplace – March 13, 2026

“That’s what I would call a normal year. And we’re not in a normal year. The main cause of that price spike is tariffs. We import roughly 75% of the seafood that Americans consume. So those tariffs are increasing the price of seafood.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Marketplace

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Alexandra Hill, University of California, Berkeley

“Farmworkers Lament Loss of Hours and Pay”

By: Morning Ag Clips – March 17, 2026

“By 2022, when the overtime law was partially phased in, farmworkers in California were working three to five hours less per week than a decade prior. On average, their weekly income had declined by $80 to $120.

(Continued...)
Read more on: Morning Ag Clips

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Andrew Muhammad, University of Tennessee

“Analyst Says Strategic Trade Moves Could Boost U.S. Farm Outlook”

By: Brownfield – May 17, 2026

“We’re going to have to make our peace with China. Whether it be export sales to China or export sales to something else. Addressing beef exports to China is a good first step… Right now, China has refused to reinstate licenses for the majority of beef exporting facilities in the United States. It was sort of our third largest destination market, well over $10 billion, right up there with Japan and South Korea. That’s pretty much dropped to almost zero.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Brownfield

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David Ortega, Michigan State University

“How Iran War Is Disrupting the Food Supply Chain”

By: Bloomberg – March 19, 2026

“The full impact is likely to take some time to materialize. Food prices tend to respond to prolonged energy shocks, not short spikes, and the effect on grocery prices is typically indirect and delayed."

(Continued...)
Read more on: Bloomberg

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Rabail Chandio , Iowa State University

• “Farmland Values Inch Up in Market Readjustment”
  By: Iowa Farm Bureau – December 3, 2025
• “What’s Behind The Average Increase in 2025 Iowa Farmland Values?”
  By: Farm Progress – December 19, 2025
• “Livestock Land Drives Higher Farmland Values in Iowa”
  By: Iowa Farmer Today – December 10, 2025
• "Land values hold steady in Iowa After a Year of Uncertainty For Farmers"
  By: Iowa Public Radio - December 10, 2025 
• Value of Iowa Farmland Holds Steady, Row Crop Land Sees Decline
  By: We Are Iowa - December 10, 2025 
• "ISU survey: Northwest Iowa farmland values tick up in 2025"
  By: Storm Lake Times - December 10, 2025 
• "ISU Survey: Iowa Farmland Values Stable"
  By: Des Moines Register - December 10, 2025 
• "Iowa farmland with livestock has higher value in annual ISU survey"
  By: Radio Iowa - December 10, 2025 

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Scott Irwin, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

“Tax Credits Keep Struggling Biodiesel Plants Operational”

By: Feed and Grain – March 20, 2026

“Tax credits have become a financial lifeline for U.S. biodiesel plants, with recent federal and state subsidies preventing what would otherwise be continuous shutdown signals since early 2025, according to "Biodiesel Production Profits and Tax Credits by Scott Irwin"

(Continued...)
Read more on: Feed and Grain

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Call for Papers: Special Issue on Latin American Agricultural Economics

Submission Deadline: September 15, 2026

The International Association of Agricultural Economists (IAAE) and the editors of Agricultural Economics invite submissions for a special issue dedicated to Latin America. This initiative follows recent board meetings identifying the region as having low representation in the journal. The goal is to foster deeper engagement with regional researchers and increase the global visibility of their contributions to the field.

Scope and Inclusivity:

We seek papers that align with the broad scope of Agricultural Economics: "from consumption and nutrition to land use and the environment, at every scale of analysis from households to markets and the macro-economy. Applicable methodologies include econometric estimation and statistical hypothesis testing, optimization and simulation models, descriptive reviews and policy analyses. We particularly encourage submission of empirical work that can be replicated and tested by others."

We welcome submissions from scholars globally and we specifically encourage the participation of researchers based in Latin America. We also strongly encourage submissions from early-career researchers, including PhD students and postdoctoral scholars from the region who are currently studying or working abroad.

Regional Workshop:

To facilitate scholarly exchange, authors of accepted papers or papers invited for resubmission will be invited to a workshop in the region in early 2027. The workshop will provide in-depth feedback from the journal's co-editors and IAAE board members. To support participation, the IAAE will fund travel and accommodation for one author per accepted paper from the region. PhD and postdoctoral students from Latin America currently working abroad will also be considered for travel support to facilitate their ongoing connection to the regional research community. Expressions of interest to hold the workshop from universities in the region are welcomed.

Submission Process:

The submission portal opens on March 15, 2026. Authors should submit manuscripts via the Agricultural Economics online submission portal and select the "Latin America Special Issue" option.

Review Process:

Submissions will undergo expedited peer review, with initial decisions expected within two months.

For questions regarding the scope or the workshop, please contact the Lead Guest Editor, Nelson Villoria (nvilloria@ksu.edu).

2026 Extension Competition for Graduate Students

The AAEA Extension Competition for Graduate Students provides an opportunity to develop and/or get feedback on programs that communicate research and practical information to Extension (usually non-economist) audiences. Entries can be based upon graduate student research for a thesis, dissertation or other academic work. The competition is sponsored by the Extension and Graduate Student Sections. Applications due by Friday, May 8, 2026.

Who’s Eligible?

Graduate students currently engaged in topics related to agricultural economics, agribusiness, natural resources, and/or community economic development, as well as those who graduated from such programs in Spring 2026 or later.

Participants must identify and work with a mentor with experience in outreach or extension activities.

The Application:

Applications should be addressed to Will Maples at will.maples@msstate.edu and must include:

1.            Student’s name, university, department, address and contact information.

2.            Title of the extension program to be delivered.

3.            A summary of the proposed extension program. This should include project outcomes, target audience, delivery plans, communication methods and activities planned for distributing the information to the public such as fact sheets, reports, web sites, spreadsheets, and presentations (4 page maximum). If the applicant was part of a team, the role of the applicant within the team must be made clear. If the proposed project is building upon the success of other extension programs, the summary should include a description of the previous program and the innovative approach of this proposed project.

4.            An educational popular press article limited to 500 words and no more than two graphics (tables, charts, etc.). This should be an addendum to your submission packet. Examples include: https://farmdocdaily.illinois.edu/2023/01/us-price-inflation-focus-on-farm- prices.html and https://southernagtoday.org

5.            A detailed evaluation plan. This should be an addendum to your submission packet. You may choose to develop your project using a logic model (which is not required). You can see more information on logic models.

6.            A profile of the applicant’s background and research (1 page maximum).

7.            The mentor’s name and description of the mentor’s role in the project.

Finalists at AAEA

Finalists will be selected to make a 15-minute presentation at the AAEA meeting in Kansas, MO on Sunday July 26, 2026, to a panel of judges, who will then ask 5 minutes of questions. The competition will begin at 8AM CDT. Selection of the finalists will be based on the material submitted and the criteria listed above. Finalists will be notified by June 5, 2026. The top three finalists are expected to make presentations during an AAEA Extension track organized symposium if present in Kansas City, MO. Date and time during conference to be determined.

Awards

Cash awards will be given to those judged to be the top three graduate students in this competition. Award funding is provided by the AAEA Extension Section through membership dues and via support provided by sponsors. Awards are:

·         First Place: $1,000 and a plaque

·         Second Place: $300 and a certificate

·         Third Place: $200 and a certificate

·         Other finalists receive finalist certificates.

The top 3 competitors selected will be recognized at the AAEA Awards ceremony. All finalists will be provided tickets to the Extension Luncheon during the AAEA annual meetings.

 

Submission Deadline: Midnight EDT on Friday, May 8, 2026. Email entries to Will Maples, Competition Committee Chair at will.maples@msstate.edu. Finalists will be notified by June 5, 2026.

Members in the News: March 16, 2026

 Sandro Steinbach, North Dakota State University

“Are Tariffs Raising Your Farm Input Costs?”

By: Iowa Soybean Association – March 5, 2026

"Tariffs have certainly impacted selling prices, but what about the price of inputs? Dr. Sandro Steinbach explains how the cost of production has changed for farmers and what we can expect for exports."

(Continued...)
Read more on: Iowa Soybean Association

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Sandro Steinbach, North Dakota State University
Shawn Arita, North Dakota State University

“NDSU Study Shows Difficult Situation For Dry Bean Growers”

By: AG Week – March 3, 2026

“Northarvest Bean Growers Association requested the $30,000 study called “Trade, Input Costs and Net Revenue Snapshot for Dry Beans." The report was prepared by Sandro Steinbach and Shawn Arita, both NDSU Agriculture Risk Policy directors.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: AG Week

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Shawn Arita, North Dakota State University

“It Is Not Too Late to Turn This Around': Minnesota Farmers Demand Trade Fix As $50 Billion in Losses Push US Agriculture Toward Widespread Collapse”

By: MSN Money – March 6, 2026

“Those include the costs for fertilizers, costs for chemicals, for machinery products, for machinery inputs that have run up in inflation over the past few years.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: MSN Money

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William Ridley, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

“Illinois Families May Not See Direct Tariff Refunds, Expert Warns”

By: WCIA – March 3, 2026

“While the Supreme Court ruling is significant, the logistics of returning funds are far from straightforward. I think one of the reasons the Supreme Court didn’t rule about the refunds is that it’s just such a mess trying to figure out how to pass the money back to the people it’s owed to.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: WCIA

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Shadi Atallah, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

“Management Practices Can Enhance Soil Microbiome Functions in Plant Defense”

By: Ag Update – March 5, 2026

“As economists, we typically survey farmers and ask whether they would adopt a practice given a hypothetical outcome. Here we had the opportunity to link the whole sequences from beliefs to practices to lab-measured microbiome outcomes to economic consequences. This is very novel and exciting."

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Read more on: Ag Update

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Amitrajeet  Batabyal, Rochester Institute of Technology

“Do Elections Shape India’s Rural Infrastructure Programmes?”

By: Basis Point – March 12, 2026

”Even programmes designed to be rules-based and insulated from political discretion can still bend subtly to electoral incentives. New research on India’s rural roads programme suggests that elections shape more than how much infrastructure gets built. They also influence when projects are approved and which ones move up the queue.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Basis Point

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Rabail Chandio , Iowa State University

• “Iowa Farmland Sale Hits Record $32,000 Per Acre in Sioux County”
  By: Successful Farming – December 3, 2025
• “How has farmland leasing changed?”
  By: Illinois Farmer Today – November 18, 2026
• “As Farmers Face Falling Incomes, Are Land Prices Next?”
  By: Iowa Public Radio – October 9, 2025

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Alexis Villacis, The Ohio State University

“‘I Took Two Bites And Had to Spit it out’: Candy Makers Are Phasing Out Real Cocoa in Chocolate”

By: The Guardian – March 11, 2026

“The volatile cocoa market is, in fact, a major factor in chocolate pricing. Since 2020, the climate crisis has led to a cycle of droughts and floods in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire, which, combined, produce 70% of the world’s chocolate. This led to diseases that destroyed the cocoa plantations and decimated the cocoa supply.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: The Guardian

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David Ortega, Michigan State University

• “Can Price Caps Bring Down Grocery Bills?”
  By: Marketplace – March 12, 2026
• “How the Iran War and Surging Oil Prices Are Affecting Consumers at the Gas Pump and Beyond”
  By: AP News – March 11, 2026
• “The Price of Eggs is Down More Than 40% Since 2025”
  By: Marketplace – March 11, 2206
• “War in the Middle East is Pushing Up Agricultural Commodities’ Prices”
  By: Marketplace – March 9, 2026

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David Ortega, Michigan State University
Zachariah Rutledge, Michigan State University

“ICE Raids Are Reported To Have 'Chilling Effects' On Farmers — And It Will Impact Groceries”

By: Huff Post – March 9, 2026

“It depends on where you live… Currently, we’re seeing anecdotal reports of localized disruptions, but not broad, national‑level indicators that would suggest a systemic impact on food availability or prices.”

“Even if the data — or what’s showing up on shelves — hasn’t caught up everywhere, some workers are staying home rather than risking getting swept up in a crackdown.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Huff Post

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Ricky Volpe, California Polytechnical State University
David Ortega, Michigan State University

“Oil and Fertilizer Prices Are Climbing. Your Grocery Bill May Follow”

By: Fortune – March 13, 2026

“Energy is one of the most critical inputs for the food supply chain, which means the impacts of the war could show up on your grocery receipt. There’s a very strong correlation between the movement of energy prices and the movement of food prices. We’ve seen oil top $100 a gallon before and that happened to coincide with significant food price inflation.”

“However, prices aren’t expected to increase just yet. It could take time to see any impact in the short-term. “There’s a lag between when the shock happens and when you see the full effect on your food prices. It could be the better part of a full year before we’re seeing the full impact show up at the grocery store.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Fortune

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Gregory  Ibendahl, Kansas State University

“Kansas State Warns Fuel Prices May Climb”

By: Iowa Ag Connection – March 6, 2026

“Based on the latest oil price increase, gasoline prices could reach $3.10 to $3.16 per gallon within about a month. Gasoline prices often follow oil price movements quickly, sometimes within the following week. However, the effects may continue for several weeks when uncertainty in oil-producing regions remains high.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Iowa Ag Connection

 

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Craig Carpenter, Michigan State University

“The Lasting Impacts of Now-Illegal Housing Discrimination”

By: WZZM13 – February 26, 2026

“The term was actually originally popularized in the 1960s by civil rights activists, housing rights activists, when they were fighting against behavior, discriminatory behavior by banks and lenders. But more recently, it's become associated with behavior by the federal government in the 1930s."

(Continued...)
Read more on: WZZM13

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Jaime Luke, Michigan State University

“Will Coloradans See Higher Beef Prices if JBS Workers Go on Strike?”

By: Canon City Daily Record – March 13, 2026

“When we think about this plant closing, that changes the location of where cattle are processed, but it doesn’t change that we have such a low number. A reduction in processing capacity helps other facilities run more volume.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Canon City Daily Record

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