UGA Ag & Applied Econ

06/02/2026

05/15/2026

𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗮𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁’𝘀 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗰𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘆!

Thanks to the generous support of our alumni and industry partners, we celebrated the accomplishments of 39 outstanding students across all four of our majors. These recipients exemplify academic excellence, leadership, and a commitment to service—core values of our department and the land-grant mission. We are proud of their achievements and grateful to the donors who make this recognition possible.

In addition, Conner Connects recognized students who have demonstrated exceptional scholastic achievement. Please join us in congratulating our outstanding juniors and seniors:

• 𝗔𝗴𝗿𝗶𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀: Katie McNeese and Analyn Ingram
• 𝗔𝗴𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗘𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰𝘀: Lucy Ray and Anna Clifton
• 𝗘𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗘𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: Henry Bush and Haden Drake
• 𝗛𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗙𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: Maverick Garcia and Jay Lavender

Among our phenomenal graduate students pursuing advanced degrees, we also congratulate this year’s award recipients:

• 𝗟𝘆𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗠𝗰𝗞𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗲𝘆 (Master of Agribusiness)
• 𝗦𝗵𝗶𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗶𝘁 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗷𝘂𝗹𝗶 (Master of Science)
• 𝗦𝘂𝘀𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗮 𝗞𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗶 (Ph.D.)

Congratulations to all our award winners—we are proud of you and look forward to all that lies ahead!

05/02/2026

Each semester, one of the most rewarding parts of our work in the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics at the University of Georgia is celebrating our graduate students as they complete and defend their final research projects.

Please join me in congratulating the following students on successfully defending their technical papers (MAB), theses (MS), and dissertations (PhD):

𝗔𝘀𝗵𝗹𝗲𝘆 𝗚𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗼, MAB Candidate
𝘋𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘚𝘈𝘙𝘌 𝘍𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯 𝘜𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴: 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘙𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘈𝘨𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘚𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘰𝘥𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘝𝘢𝘭𝘶𝘦

𝗥𝗮𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗮 𝗛𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗶𝗻, MS Candidate
𝘌𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘞𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘗𝘢𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘉𝘪𝘰-𝘍𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘭𝘺 𝘗𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨: 𝘗𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘋𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘩𝘪𝘤 𝘏𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘪𝘵𝘺

𝗦𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗡𝗲𝘂𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗲, Doctoral Candidate
𝘐𝘴𝘴𝘶𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩 𝘌𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘤𝘴: 𝘌𝘹𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘊𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘛𝘢𝘹 𝘊𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘵, 𝘊𝘰𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘋𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘋𝘪𝘢𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘴

𝗛𝗮𝗲𝘄𝗼𝗻 𝗢𝗵, Doctoral Candidate
𝘌𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘗𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘺 𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘌𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘤 𝘉𝘦𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘰𝘳: 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩, 𝘞𝘦𝘭𝘧𝘢𝘳𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘶𝘮𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯

𝗦𝗵𝗶𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗶𝘁 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗷𝘂𝗹𝗶, MS Candidate
𝘌𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘤 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘙𝘪𝘴𝘬 𝘐𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘊𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘊𝘳𝘰𝘱 𝘈𝘥𝘰𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘎𝘦𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘪𝘢 𝘙𝘰𝘸 𝘊𝘳𝘰𝘱 𝘚𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘴

𝗦𝗮𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗵 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗮, MAB Candidate
𝘐𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘚𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭-𝘉𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘈𝘌𝘞𝘙 𝘚𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘮 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘧𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘝𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘢 𝘖𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯

𝗡𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗮 𝗧𝗮𝗵𝘀𝗶𝗻, MS Candidate
𝘌𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘚𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘊𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘚𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨: 𝘛𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘜𝘴𝘦 𝘌𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘙𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘌𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘢

𝗧𝘆𝗹𝗲𝗿 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗺𝘀𝗼𝗻, MAB Candidate
𝘜𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘐𝘯𝘥𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘺 𝘗𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘎𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘉𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘗𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘓𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘌𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘱𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵

These projects reflect the breadth of applied economic research in our department, from health and labor markets to agricultural production, policy, and environmental sustainability. Congratulations to each of you on reaching this milestone, and best wishes as you take the next step in your careers.

04/22/2026

The 𝟮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 in the UGA Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics challenged graduate students to present their research in just three minutes using a single slide. It is a simple format, but not an easy one.

This year’s competition highlighted the strength and relevance of our graduate research. Students tackled complex questions across agriculture, policy, and environmental systems, and translated them into clear, engaging presentations for a broad audience.

The ability to communicate research beyond academic settings is critical. Our students demonstrated not only strong analytical work, but also the ability to connect that work to real-world decisions.

Congratulations to all of our participants, and especially to this year’s award winners:

𝗗𝗼𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
1st Place: Susmitha kalli
2nd Place: Kealey Collison

𝗠𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿’𝘀 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
1st Place: Katie Harper
2nd Place: Shiksh*t Parajuli

We also recognize the strong presentations from our additional participants: Aadesh Subedi, Kuhelika Ghosh, Ryan D'Aurelio, Saurabh Sharma, and Xinyu Zeng.

Thank you to our judges - Aaron Hrozencik, Ellen McCullough, and Lusi Xie - and to our faculty for supporting this event and continuing to build a strong culture of graduate research and communication.

04/01/2026

Agricultural economics is about more than markets. It is about understanding how people make decisions and how those decisions shape livelihoods around the world.

A new feature from the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences highlights the work of 𝗘𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻 𝗠𝗰𝗖𝘂𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 and how applied economics can be used to address global challenges in agriculture and development.

McCullough’s research spans food systems transformation, agricultural productivity, and household decision-making in low income countries. From collaborating with the Ethiopian government on soil and profitability models to developing innovative methods for measuring how women allocate their time, she brings new insight into labor, productivity, and economic opportunity.

𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗸𝗲𝘆 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲, 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹-𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮. Her research shows that traditional survey methods can misrepresent how households allocate time, particularly for unpaid labor. Improved measurement leads to better policy design and more effective development programs.

The feature, written by Maria Lameiras with photography by Katie Walker, does an excellent job highlighting both the innovation in McCullough's research and its real-world implications.

Read more on the 𝗖𝗔𝗘𝗦 𝗙𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁:

From studying food systems at Stanford to advising the United Nations, Ellen McCullough uses data-driven research to understand how agricultural policy, labor and household decision-making affect livelihoods worldwide, especially for women in developing countries.

10/31/2025

Congratulations, Yangxuan, on this well-deserved recognition!

🌟 Congratulations are in order for Associate Professor and UGA Extension economist Yangxuan Liu!

Associate Professor Liu has been honored with the 2025 AAEA Distinguished Extension/Outreach Program Award for professionals with less than 10 years of experience from Agricultural & Applied Economics Association (AAEA) for professional excellence in Extension and outreach.

➡️ Read more here: https://ugacaes.org/4hqDlJq
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UGA Ag & Applied Econ

10/09/2025

This summer, 𝗝𝗼𝘀𝗵𝘂𝗮 𝗘𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗲𝗹, a graduate student in our 𝗗𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝗴𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗘𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰𝘀, gained invaluable hands-on experience as an Agricultural & Natural Resources intern with UGA Extension in Dougherty County.

Working alongside County ANR Agent 𝗩𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗸 𝗕𝗶𝘀𝘁 (𝗠𝗔𝗕, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯), Joshua contributed to applied agricultural research and delivered timely Extension programs to local growers, gardeners, and youth. His work spanned laying out pecan fungicide and cotton varietal trials, assisting with drone and precision agriculture workshops, calibrating sprayers with farmers, and engaging in 4-H and Master Gardener programs.

We are proud of Joshua’s initiative and professionalism throughout his internship. Experiences like this embody UGA Extension’s philosophy of “learning by doing” and prepare the next generation of agricultural leaders.

Read more about Joshua’s summer internship here:

My summer internship with the UGA Extension has been a very exciting experience for me that combined applied agricultural research with dissemination of the timely crop and garden management recommendations to the local growers and gardeners. As a Agricultural & Natural Resources (ANR) summer intern...

09/12/2025

In south Georgia, agriculture is more than an industry. It is a way of life passed down through generations. The UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at UGA-Tifton has long supported that legacy by offering students from rural communities a top-tier education close to home.

Few families embody this better than the Hancocks. 𝗚𝘂𝘆 𝗛𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗼𝗰𝗸, now an agricultural data scientist and Extension specialist in the 𝗗𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝗴𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗘𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰𝘀, first came to UGA through the Young Scholars Internship Program. His path was shaped by mentors at UGA-Tifton and by experiences in federal agricultural policy as a Congressional Agricultural Fellow.

His brother Ben Hancock also began as a Young Scholar, mentored by 𝗗𝗿. 𝗘𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗴𝘂𝗲 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗴 𝗙𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗮𝗵, professor of agricultural and applied economics. That mentorship set him on a journey that ultimately led to law school and his current career as an attorney in Tifton.

The Hancock brothers’ stories reflect how UGA-Tifton opens doors to diverse opportunities, from agricultural research and Extension to law and agribusiness, while keeping students rooted in the communities they serve.

Read the full story here:

At UGA-Tifton, students build agricultural careers in rural Georgia

09/11/2025

Cut flowers are no longer reserved for special occasions. They are now part of everyday life, from the grocery aisle to the gas station. New research from the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, led by agricultural economist 𝗕𝗲𝗻 𝗖𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗹 and horticulturist 𝗝𝘂𝗹𝗶𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗹, explores how and why Americans buy flowers.

A nationally representative study of 8,500 consumers identified 𝟭𝟯 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲 𝗳𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝘂𝘆𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗲𝗴𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀, ranging from Valentine’s Day traditionalists to everyday self-purchasers. Beyond spending habits, the research shows that flowers offer clear emotional benefits, boosting mood, reducing stress, and improving morale.

The story, written by 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗮 𝗟𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗶𝗿𝗮𝘀 with photography by 𝗦𝘂𝗲 𝗠𝘆𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗦𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗵, provides valuable insights for growers, retailers, and marketers on how to connect with customers and expand opportunities in the U.S. floral industry.

Read more on the 𝗖𝗔𝗘𝗦 𝗙𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁:

University of Georgia researchers found that Americans are buying flowers more often in everyday places like grocery and convenience stores, with distinct consumer groups and emotional benefits shaping a growing market for both imported roses and locally grown seasonal blooms.

08/25/2025

Representing the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics at UGA, 15 of our graduate students attended the 2025 Agricultural and Applied Economics Association annual meetings in Denver, Colorado.

They showcased their research, competed in the Extension case study competition, built new professional connections, and, of course, had some fun along the way.

Please join us in congratulating 𝗠𝗱 𝗔𝗹 𝗔𝗺𝗶𝗻, 𝗡𝗶𝗻𝗮 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝘂𝗻, 𝗦𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗵𝗶𝘁𝗮 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗸𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘆, 𝗬𝘂𝗻 𝗙𝗮𝗻, 𝗦𝗵𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗶 𝗚𝘂𝗽𝘁𝗮, 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗴𝗸𝗲𝗼𝗻 𝗝𝗼, 𝗛𝘄𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘄𝗼𝗻 𝗟𝗲𝗲, 𝗛𝗼𝘀𝘂𝗻𝗴 𝗡𝗮𝗺, 𝗛𝗮𝗲𝘄𝗼𝗻 𝗢𝗵, 𝗗𝗶𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗶𝘁 𝗣𝗼𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗹, 𝗕𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗥𝗼𝗯𝘀𝗼𝗻, 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗮, 𝗦𝗮𝗺𝘆𝗮𝗺 𝗦𝗵𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗵𝗮, 𝗬𝗮𝗻𝘄𝗲𝗻 𝗪𝗮𝗻𝗴, and 𝗫𝗶𝗻𝘆𝘂 𝗭𝗲𝗻𝗴 for representing UGA AAEC with excellence and sharing their innovative research!