Applied Economics at Oregon State has long served Oregon and elsewhere with our deep tradition of research, outreach, and extension in agricultural and resource economics and policy. We specialize in natural resource and environmental economics, international trade and development, rural economics, agricultural marketing, and food systems. We aim to improve decision- and policy-making in Oregon and beyond through rigorous economic analysis and training.
Some of our faculty are a part of Oregon State University Extension, which is the go-to resource for the expertise and knowledge every Oregonian needs to live healthy lives, nurture our great state’s ecosystems, and play a vital role in Oregon’s vibrant communities. OSU Extension are committed to creating positive change through programs and providing spaces where each person feels safe and welcome.They partner with people in every county and help them thrive every day — just as they have done for more than 100 years.
OSU Extension's programs, partnerships, and volunteer opportunities are focused on:
- Healthy communities and economies
- Resilient and productive forestry and natural ecosystems
- Sustainable agriculture, food systems, and gardening
- Thriving youth, individuals and families
Applied Economics Extension Publications Include:
Determining the “right” pricing for your products can be challenging for new and experienced farmers and ranchers. Several variables — including cost of production, competition, customer makeup and season — affect pricing. These variables change regularly. Some are within your control, while others are not. Pricing decisions are complex. This publication outlines some key considerations that should affect what you charge. (EM 9361, Published September 2022) Teagan Moran, Heidi Noordijk, Maud Powell, Larry Lev
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Getting Organized: Business Organization and Succession Planning for Oregon Family Farms and Ranches
The purpose of this guide is to provide foundational education for farm and ranch families on how to create a basic business succession and estate plan. In working with farm families, we have identified four fundamental goals for the farm succession planning process: (1) preserving family relationships, (2) strengthening the farm business, (3) protecting the owners and operators from business disruptions, and (4) minimizing the complexity and expense of succession and estate plans. This book is written by AEC Senior Instructor Christy Anderson Brekken, along with Joe Hobson.
Some of Applied Economics Outreach and Extension Programs include:
Outreach Blog
Our Applied Economics Extension Specialists (and others) share their expertise through the Applied Economics Outreach Blog. This valuable resource provides practical information and analysis on economic issues that directly impact Oregon agriculture and rural communities. Stay up to date on market trends and forecasts, as well as in-depth analysis of government policies and programs affecting these vital industries. The blog also covers broader economic issues of interest to all Oregonians. Make sure you're always in the know by subscribing to the blog today!
Enterprise Budgets
Enterprise Budgets can be used by producers, lenders, and others to estimate costs and returns for many crop and livestock enterprises. Budgets are available here in PDF format, with some also in Excel.
We include a list for common crops and livestock. Advanced search, including by region and county, is also available here.
Applied Experimental Economics Lab
The Applied Experimental Economics Lab (AEELab) is a research lab within the Applied Economics department at Oregon State University, dedicated to enhancing our understanding of how people and firms think about economic decisions, deal with questions of inequality and fairness, make consumption choices, react to taxes, subsidies, among some of the research areas.
AEELab is located in 316 Ballard Extension Hall, OSU Corvallis Campus. Anyone (including students, OSU staff, and people not affiliated with OSU) can register to become a participant at the AEELab and receive information about studies currently taking place.
Willamette Water 2100
The Willamette Water 2100 project (WW2100) was a collaborative NSF-funded research project led by OSU faculty working with colleagues from University of Oregon, Portland State University, and others. The objectives were to identify and quantify the linkages and feedbacks among human, hydrologic, and ecologic dimensions of the water system, and to evaluate how policy changes or other interventions might affect future water scarcities.
The WW2100 model allows us to project into the future the ways that changes in climate, population, and income from 2010 to 2100 will alter the supply, demand, allocation, and scarcity of water. The insights from these analyses are found here and here. This OSU Extension Publication describes more results and details from the WW2100 model with a focus on its economic dimensions, i.e., the impacts on people who live in the Willamette Basin.
Tradeoff Analysis Project
The Tradeoff Analysis (TOA) Project develops modeling tools that can be used by research teams to improve the understanding of agricultural system sustainability and inform policy decisions. The goal is to support informed policy decision making. In many cases, data, time and other resources are not available to allow use of the full Tradeoff Analysis system. The Minimum Data model (TOA-MD version 4) was developed to enable analysts to provide timely information by utilizing all available data for quantitative analysis of agricultural systems. The latest software (TOA-MD version 5) extends the minimum-data version by modeling the whole farm system (crops, livestock, aquaculture, non-farm income) and simulating economic indicators (per-capita income, income-based poverty) and mean and threshold indictors for any other quantifiable economic, environmental or social outcome associated with the systems.
Ag Biz Logic
As farmers and ranchers work to feed our nation, they depend on the weather to help their crops and animals thrive. But the climate is changing. Temperatures are rising, along with carbon dioxide levels. With the right tools, today's farmers and ranchers have the resilience it takes to respond to climate change. OSU produced two online tools: AgBizLogic and AgBizClimate. You can use these tools to create budgets and access local-level climate information. https://www.agbizlogic.com/