Purdue Agricultural Economics Podcast

Why should we teach our kids economics? As it turns out, there are more reasons than we may think! Listen as Ken and Jessica chat with Jeff Sanson, Executive Director of the Indiana Council for Economic Education, about how and why we can give students a solid grounding in practical, economic basics. If you are interested in learning more, visit: http://www.econed-in.org/.

This podcast is dedicated to honoring our Department's own Professor Freddie Barnard. Dr. Barnard just won the Hovde Award for outstanding service in rural Indiana.  Ken & Jessica chat with this outstanding professor about how he has gone above and beyond in his field to show that he lives his life for the betterment of others. Don't miss this outstanding Purdue Agricultural Economics Professor chatting about the Hovde Award.

Wondering how to best utilize crop insurance after Indiana's unusually wet summer? Dr. Michael Langameier breaks down the insurance options farmers might be utilizing this year. Because there are precious few industries as dependent on the weather as farming, this witty podcast explains a heavy topic in a light and understandable way. Don't miss it!

Doug Eckrote is a senior VP at CDW, a leading provider of technology solutions. So what does he, a tech executive, have in common with Ken and Jessica? Turns out his undergraduate degree was in Ag Econ at Purdue, with a specialty in sales and marketing. It was that degree, he claims, that launched him down this great path. Learn more about how to capitalize in your education and keep your options open in our latest podcast!  

Meet Andrew Johnson, Elizabeth Blinn and Jason Xiao - three undergraduate ag econ trivia masters who defended their title as National Champions for the second year running this past summer at the AAEA 2015 Quiz Bowl Competition in San Francisco. These three students all had different reasons for joining and different strategies for success, but together, they made a great team. This entertaining episode gives an in-depth look at their team's dynamics and how they applied their Purdue education for success.

In this episode, Ken and Jessica talk with Yangxuan Liu, a PhD candidate, on her experience as a panelist at the 2015 World Food Prize Borlaug Dialogue. Under her advisor Dr. Michael Langemeier in Purdue’s Department of Agricultural Economics, Yangxuan is researching how precision agriculture and big data can help increase global food security. When she graduates, Yangxuan hopes to use her knowledge and research to help women and children in developing countries have access to better nutrition.

Purdue Agricultural Economics alumnus Jim Hicks joins Ken and Jessica to discuss the importance of investing in students' futures. Jim Hicks, who graduated from the undergraduate program in 1961, has donated generously to student scholarships over the years and made a huge impact on many lives. Learn more about Jim and the importance of scholarships in this podcast!

Luis Peña Levano & Molly Van Dop are two graduate students in the Department of Agricultural Economics. These two hard-working and bright students put in a lot of time creating a presentation at the AAEA (Agricultural & Applied Economics Association) Conference this summer and went on to earn the AAEA Graduate Student Extension Award. Luis won first place and Molly won second place. These two discuss their educational journeys and their current research interests. Listen to this exciting special honoring some of our top students!