AERS News, April 2023
Message from the Department Head
Welcome to the AERS News. It has been a couple of years since we have been able to put out a newsletter. Thanks to our new communications intern Macy Smith for helping us pull this together. In this edition of our newsletter, you will read about the annual Agricultural Policy Tour (AgEc 410), our award-winning alum Patxi Larrocea-Phillips and undergraduate students working with Extension faculty to develop updated cost and returns estimates for Idaho crops.
It’s late March and the weather is still unsettled in Moscow, but the blooming of crocuses is telling us we will soon have spring weather. Another harbinger of spring is receiving news on faculty promotion and tenure. This year Alex Maas, Liang Lu and Xiaoxue Du were promoted to associate professor with tenure and Norm Ruhoff was promoted to clinical associate professor. Congratulations to all of them. We also recently received news that Associate Professor Katie Lee has been awarded the University of Idaho Mid-Career Award. Congratulations to Katie. We constantly strive for excellence in teaching, research and Extension. It is nice to see those efforts recognized.
There is always a lot going on in AERS. If you find yourself in Moscow for any reason, please stop in and say hello.
Chris McIntosh, Department Head
Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology
Our Stories
Ag Policy Tour
This spring 12 University of Idaho students, including eight students from the Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, took a trip to Boise on the 2023 Ag Policy Tour. While in Boise, the group received a capitol tour, and were able to sit in on both house and senate sessions. In addition, they met with the agricultural affairs committees within both houses. The students attended both the agricultural lobbyist meeting and the Idaho Food Producers meeting and witnessed agricultural policies being proposed and discussed. Many of the students highlighted a dinner with legislators when recapping the week, as well as a presentation from Brandon Wolf on Transparent Idaho. Student EmmaRae Parsons noted it was valuable “to explore how different groups in ag view particular topics.” This trip is taken annually by students enrolled in AGEC 410.
Early Career Achievement Award — Frank “Patxi” Larrocea-Phillips
This year, the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences Early Career Achievement Award was given to Frank “Patxi” Larrocea-Phillips. This award is given for career accomplishments, community service and indication of continuous outstanding success in the future. While at U of I, Larrocea-Phillips earned a bachelor’s degree in agribusiness and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Idaho College of Law. After receiving his degrees, Larrocea-Phillips began working with Sawtooth Law Offices and joined Association Management Group in 2018 where he works with several agricultural commodity groups. He has served as a summer associate for Elam & Burke and completed internships with CALS Development, the Idaho Cattle Association and the Landview Fertilizer Company. Larrocea-Phillips was asked to serve on the Ada County Farm Bureau Board of Directors and to chair the Young Farmer Rancher Program. One year later, he moved into the role of vice president of the organization.
While staying busy working towards academic and career achievements, Larrocea-Phillips does not forget to give back. He has volunteered in the Moscow Volunteer Fire Department, currently serves as a livestock judge for the UI Extension, Canyon County office, and plays an active role in helping to coordinate, educate and facilitate the annual U of I Ag Econ Public Policy Tour. Larrocea-Phillips is a role model for many, and an example of hard work and character to all University of Idaho students.
Economic Students Helping Industry
Faculty members in the University of Idaho’s Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology and UI Extension educators have historically led development of agricultural enterprise budgets used to guide industry decisions.
This year, however, the department is piloting a new approach — including College of Agricultural and Life Sciences undergraduate students in much larger enterprise budget-development teams. The approach enhances sustainability of enterprise budget development while also providing students with real-world experiences. By all accounts, the first student-led input cost report, detailing the cost of raising sugar beets in 2022, was carefully crafted and meets industry standards.
AERS in the News
- UI Extension provides expertise for new Idaho Water Users Association leadership course
- University of Idaho leading USDA-funded project to help potato farmers combat nematodes
- New UI Extension program helps rural residents work from home
- Helping farmers find tax resources
From the Editor
If you have any information that you would like to be included in the Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology newsletter, please contact Macy Smith: smit2220@vandals.uidaho.edu.
Email calsnews@uidaho.edu with feedback or suggestions.
Sign up to receive communications from the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences and University of Idaho Extension.