AAEA Blog

Members in the News: October 19, 2026

2026-10-19T07:59:52.245-05:00

*Disclaimer - This email is to acknowledge citations of current AAEA members and/or their research in any public media channel. AAEA does not agree nor disagree with the views or attitudes of cited outside publications.Those acknowledged in this issue of Members in the News was either emailed to the AAEA Business Office, submitted on the form below or found via a Google News Search.

National

"Trump’s executive order on dyed diesel will offer little relief, farmers and truckers say"

David Ortega, Michigan State University

AP News
October 7, 2026

"Why soaring diesel prices could hit your wallet in unexpected ways"

David Ortega, Michigan State University
Bernhard Dalheimer, Purdue University

USA Today
October 8, 2026

"Farmers face high fertilizer prices — with no end in sight"

Trey Malone, Purdue University

Market Place
October 16, 2026

"Grocery inflation has been tame, but that may change"

William Masters, Tufts University
David Ortega, Michigan State University

Marketplace
October 15, 2026

Local

"Same storm, different skies: Why U.S. and Argentine farmers see future so differently"

Joana Colussi, Purdue University

Shaw Local
October 3, 2026

"What the exclusion of soybeans from U.S.-China trade talks means for Iowa"

Sunghun Lim, Iowa State University

KTTC
October 8, 2026

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Members in the News: October 12, 2026

2026-10-12T08:17:00.000-05:00

Ricky Volpe, California Polytechnic State University

“Don’t Fear the Digital Price Tag “

By: The Hill – October 5, 2026

“A half century ago, consumer groups fought the use of bar code scanners in grocery stores over concerns that they would make it easier to rip people off and charge higher prices. There was even a concern that the laser would burn people.“

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

Paul Mitchell, University of Wisconsin-Madison

“Diesel Prices Are Hitting Record Highs at a Bad Time for Many U.S. Farmers”

By: Agrinews – September 27, 2026

“Those prices hurt… And it’s not just the harvesting. It’s the hauling of everything, moving the grain or the silage from the field to the farm and then from the farm to wherever they’re selling it.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Agrinews

Amelia Finaret, Allegheny College

“Changes to SNAP Benefits Are in Effect. Here's How Pennsylvanians Could Be Impacted”

By: CBS News – October 1, 2026

"There are new rules about work requirements, and there are new rules about reporting on people's utility bills and their rental and housing costs. These new restrictions will make it more difficult to navigate the program and will likely cost countless families their benefits. Currently, more than 1.7 million Pennsylvanians take part in SNAP.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: CBS News

Kenneth Foster, Purdue University

“Cattle to Feed: Why a Global Meat Crisis is Looming”

By: Dominican Republic Post – Septembe 28, 2026

“Cattle production is constrained by biological supply cycles. It can take a couple of years for a producer who receives a signal from the market to expand production and actually see the resulting animals enter the beef supply. The quickest way to rebuild a herd is to keep female cattle that might otherwise have been sold and use them for breeding. That is what Brazil is now doing.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Dominican Republic Post

Gregory Ibendahl, Kansas State University

“K‑State Agricultural Economist: Diesel Prices Could Remain Figh For Years”

By: The Fence Post – September 28, 2026

“While part of the increase in diesel prices can be traced to higher crude oil prices, the larger driver is a global shortage of diesel fuel. The price of oil has gone from the low to mid-$70s to more than $100 a barrel, and that probably explains about 70 cents of the increase per gallon. But diesel is up more than that. The rest is really because there just isn’t enough diesel fuel in the world right now.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: The Fence Post

Sunghun Lim, Iowa State University

“What the U.S. Ban on Select Canadian Imports Means For Iowa”
By: KTTC – September 29, 2026
"What the Exclusion of Soybeans From U.S.-China Trade Talks Means For Iowa"
By: KTTC - October 8, 2026

Michael Langemeier, Purdue University

Data Centers: Water, Energy Demand, Wisconsin Rapids Recall”
By: WPR – September 29, 2026
"Ag Economy Barometer: Input Costs Drive Sharp Drop in Farmer Sentiment"
By: RFDTV - October 7, 2026

Barry Ward, The Ohio State University

“Business Management Expert Urges Farmers to Focus on Liquidity And Cost Control Heading into 2027”

By: Brownfield – September 30, 2026

“We’ve got elevated cost structures that we’re not going to be able to avoid. Fertilizer, fuel prices, machinery and equipment, cash rents, they’re all elevated. It’s really going to create some challenges for farmers trying to find some profitability.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Brownfield

Claudia Schmidt, Pennsylvania State University

“Corn Mazes, Apple Picking, and Hayrides: More Farms Are Leaning into "Agritourism"”

By: Marketplace – September 30, 2026

“Agriculture prices are going down, there are issues with weather, and also input costs are rising. Diesel prices are in the news at the moment.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Marketplace

Eric Belasco, Montana State University

“High Diesel Prices Squeeze Montana Farmers”

By: Europe Says – October 2, 2026

“For Montana’s agricultural producers, the immediate impact is often a tighter profit margin. Farmers can’t simply stop running combines and other diesel-powered equipment when prices rise. And because they sell into competitive commodity markets. Individual producers have limited ability to raise prices to compensate for higher input costs.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Europe Says

Alexis Villacis, The Ohio State University

"Falling Cocoa Prices Offer Little Relief for Halloween Candy Shoppers"

By: Morning AgClips - October 7, 2026

“Record spending does not necessarily mean stronger consumer demand or a more generous Halloween. It can also reflect households paying more to preserve a tradition while adjusting what they purchase.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Morning AgClips

Ian Sheldon, The Ohio State University

"Trade Tensions With Canada Could Drive Up Ag Equipment Costs"
By: Brownfield - September 17, 2026
"U.S. Trade Dispute Pushes Canada to Explore New Trading Relationships"
By: Brownfield - September 15, 2026
"Canadian Tariffs Take Effect And Economist Says it Could Recreate North American Trade Flows"
By: Brownfield - September 8, 2026
"Recently Enacted Canadian Tariffs Could Affect Ohio Dairy Industry"
By: Spectrum News - September 8, 2026
"Billions at Stake for Ohio as Canada Prepares to Hit Back in Trump’s Trade War"
By: Cleveland.com - September 6, 2026

Ani Katchova, The Ohio State University

"Ohio Farmers Weigh Better Crop Outlook Against Cost Pressures"

By: Morning AgClips - September 20, 2026

“High grain prices and favorable yields offer some relief, but costs rising."

(Continued...)
Read more on: Morning AgClips

Gabriel Lade, The Ohio State University

"Ag Economist Warns Red Dyed Diesel Policy Could Raise the Cost For Farmers"
By: Brownfield - October 5, 2026
"Biofuels, Data Centers Shape Ohio’s Agriculture Future"
By: Lancaster Farming - October 5, 2026

Ken Foster, Purdue University

"Cattle to feed: Why a global meat crisis is looming"

By: Al Jazeera- September 28, 2026

"Cattle production is constrained by biological supply cycles, Kenneth Foster, professor of agricultural economics at Purdue University, told Al Jazeera. It can take a couple of years for a producer who receives a signal from the market to expand production and actually see the resulting animals enter the beef supply. The quickest way to rebuild a herd is to keep female cattle that might otherwise have been sold and use them for breeding. That is what Brazil is now doing."

(Continued...)
Read more on: Al Jazeera

Berhard Dalheimer, Purdue University

"U.S. Diesel Prices Just Surpassed a Record $6 Per Gallon. Here Are Three Ways That Affects You"

By: Time - September 11, 2026

“The goods that need lots of refrigeration and are on long routes of transport that are perishable, so the vegetables, meat and dairy, those are more exposed to [diesel costs],” Bernhard Dalheimer, assistant professor in food economics at Purdue University, tells TIME.

(Continued...)
Read more on: Time

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Member Blog: David Zilberman

2026-10-12T08:05:52.392-05:00

Remembering Andy Schmitz

By David ZILBERMAN / October 11, 2026

I was very saddened to learn about the death of Andy Schmitz on October 8, 2026. Andy was a mentor, a colleague, and a friend, and I owe him a lot, both as a scholar and as a person. He was extremely important to me when I was a graduate student and a young faculty member. In many ways, he taught me the ropes about where and how to publish.

I knew about Andy before I came to Berkeley. When I was in Israel preparing to leave, Professor Asher Razin asked me why I was going to Berkeley when I had other opportunities. But then he added, “There is one guy there who is publishing all the time in journals. His name is Schmitz.” When I asked my friend Gershon Feder about the people there, he told me that the leading figures were Kuznets, de Janvry, and Schmitz. Kuznets was a fantastic teacher. De Janvry was in Chile when I arrived, and Schmitz was king of the coffee room.

Room 325 in Giannini Hall was our coffee room. During the year I arrived in the department (1973), some of the graduate students would play cards with some faculty members every day between 10 and 10:30. Others would sit in the room, talking and discussing economics with Andy.

Andy was a character. He had a farm in Saskatchewan, and his mood often depended on the weather on his farm. He would talk with everybody on every topic, and he made you feel like an equal. He used diagrams for his economic analysis, and he had incredible economic intuition and an ability to develop an analysis that addressed a practical situation.

Andy the mentor

I had received my undergraduate degree and taken some master’s-level classes at Tel Aviv University. My impression of economics was that it used very complex mathematical tools to prove common-sense propositions and develop very useful formulas and procedures for policymaking. I did not really understand the moral, ethical, and political importance of economic analysis until I met Andy.

Andy was a big believer in welfare economics. He argued that an efficient outcome was not enough. Whenever there was a change, it was very important to him to understand who gained, who lost, by how much, and what happened to the losers. Was there a way to compensate them?

He applied this approach to many problems. One of his most important papers—and, in my view, one of the top five papers ever produced in the department—was his paper on the tomato harvester, published in the American Journal of Agricultural Economics.^[1] It was part of a huge controversy. The paper argued that the tomato harvester improved the overall economic well-being of California, but the gains went mostly to farmers and consumers, while the big losers were farmworkers. This paper was very important in the fight to develop mechanisms to compensate farmworkers who lost their jobs because of new technology, and to create institutions that could help them. The impact of the debate surrounding this paper continues to this day.

Another thing I learned from Andy was the importance of market structure. Andy was a trade theorist, and he taught me that, when it comes to trade and markets, the competitive model is a nice metaphor and a great benchmark, but it does not always reflect reality. Markets have several levels, and we need to understand the relationships between them. Is there a monopoly? Is there a monopsony? In many cases, there is a middleman. A middleman is a company that may have monopoly power toward its customers and monopsony power toward its suppliers. Apple, for example, has unique products, and it makes a lot of money because it can exercise market power on both sides, in its dealings with suppliers and consumers.

When you worked with Andy and raised a problem, the discussion often led to a journal article. At the time, in the early 1970s, we lived in an era of price controls aimed at protecting consumers. Andy pointed out that much of the analysis behind these policies assumed that there were three main players in the economy—producers of food and other products, consumers, and the government—and ignored intermediaries. One paper resulting from this insight appeared in the American Economic Review^[2]. We developed a formula to calculate the errors resulting from price-support policies that ignore middlemen and derived alternative policies that take their existence into account. Another “coffee room” paper appeared in Science magazine in 1979^[3]. It was written in response to suggestions to slow technological change in order to preserve workers’ income, especially in agriculture. We suggested interventions that would capture the net benefits of technological progress without harming workers—such as worker retraining and severance compensation programs—rather than halting technological growth.

A scholar who helped build the department

As Alain de Janvry noted in his heartfelt tribute to Andy, Andy always emphasized that being agricultural economists does not prevent us from publishing in top economics journals. The opposite is true: we are exposed to real-world problems, and we can use them to develop sophisticated models that can enrich the mainstream economic literature. We should have a balanced portfolio: papers in mainstream journals like the American Economic Review and Econometrica, papers in agricultural economics journals, and papers in journals like Science. He practiced what he taught. In the 1980s, he published fifteen papers with students and other collaborators in top mainstream economics journals, in addition to numerous papers in agricultural economics journals. These papers offered theoretical insights and useful lessons, even though they might not have been the most complex. Andy also influenced the research methods of applied economists through his practical, classic book on applied welfare economics^[4], coauthored with his students Richard Just and Darrell Hueth.

Andy’s leadership and academic achievements were very important in the early 1970s, when the department was on the brink of closure. Andy actively supported our chair, Jim Bowles, in getting new positions and recruiting Richard Just, whose arrival was a turning point for the department. I remember Andy’s excitement about the hiring of Michael Hanemann and Irma Adelman. He told us that, with these additions, we were climbing to the top of environmental and development economics. Andy was one of the few representatives of the department at the AAEA meetings in the 1970s, and in 1985 he became the department’s first AAEA Fellow since I had joined the faculty. Andy was also among the effort to bring a senior Ag Economist to Chair the department in the late 70s to push it to the top, an effort that led to the selection of Gordon Rausser as Chair and a lasting period of eminence of the department.

Andy was chairman of the department from 1989 to 1993. During that period, California voters considered Big Green, a proposition to phase out the use of pesticides on crops. Drawing on research we had done, mostly for the EPA, we organized a conference on the topic. We argued that pesticides needed to be regulated, but a blanket ban did not make sense: our research suggested that the social benefits of appropriately managed pesticide use could substantially exceed the costs. We faced considerable political pressure against this effort, and Andy stood firmly behind me. He was strong in defending me and my right to present the research. Later, a paper based on our work on pesticides appeared in Science magazine^[5].

Long lasting career and friendships

Andy left the department as part of an early retirement program and moved to the University of Florida in 1994. In Florida, he continued to be an active researcher and mentored a lot of younger economists, in particular Chuck Moss, Krishna Kramer, and his son, Troy Schmitz, to produce several edited volumes and papers. He kept his knack for addressing emerging, controversial problems. He and his co-authors applied a public choice theory and political economy models to explain how lobby groups shape tariffs, subsidies, and farm policy to produce a book on agricultural policy, Agribusiness, and Rent-Seeking Behavior^[6]. He continued to develop elegant models to explain and quantify how government compensate strong interest groups in order to modify federal program (elimination of the tobacco and peanut programs)^[7]. About 15 years ago, he led the writing of a book on an emerging topic at the time, The Economics of Alternative Energy Sources and Globalization^[8].

Andy and Carole were always a warm and friendly couple. Their home was a place where faculty and students mingled. You could spend time there relaxing with distinguished professors like Irma Adelman and with students who had just arrived. We would have a good dinner, the wine would flow, and we would talk and sing. Andy had a great voice, and Carol was a good pianist, and everyone had a good time. Andy was very perceptive, and during periods of stress in our lives, including during my divorce, he made sure to invite us to dinner or festivities in his home. Their house also hosted departmental parties and other events, and our children grew up with the department. For many of us, including me as a first-year student, it felt like a second home.

Over the years, we shared many experiences. I visited Andy’s home village in Saskatchewan, and we traveled together extensively around the world. Andy and I organized a conference in Costa Rica, where we had a great time exploring the tropical forest, traveling by boat through the jungle, enjoying the wildlife, and making friends.

I visited him several times after he moved to the University of Florida in Gainesville. Leorah and I stayed with Andy and Carole for a week and had a great trip together to St. Augustine and other places in Florida. Another visit coincided with the terrible day when Prime Minister Rabin was killed. Andy and Carol were extremely supportive during that very difficult moment for me. On another occasion, I gave a seminar and went on a fishing trip with Andy and his faculty colleagues. In 1999, we co-organized a conference in Gainesville on climate change. It was extremely well attended, and Florida officials expressed a great deal of concern about climate change because they worried that parts of the Everglades would be lost. I always loved meeting Andy at AEA conferences. Even two years ago, he showed me on a napkin a nice, clever theoretical result that he was able to draw geometrically, and we spoke about papers and collaboration. He was a real scholar to the end. He really loved economics. He loved people. He loved his family, and we will all miss him.

Andy’s friends and colleagues recognize his contributions and he has an appreciation club in the AAEA. His excellence was also recognized at the University of Florida by citation at the University of Florida.

Members in the News: October 5, 2026

2026-10-05T15:32:15.886-05:00

Amitrajeet Batabyal, Rochester Institute of Technology

“How Do Employers Screen Recent Graduates in India?”

By: Basis Point Insight – September 24, 2026

“Understanding how employers screen recent graduates in India is important because the rapid expansion of tertiary education has created substantial variation in college quality and graduate skills. Identifying which signals employers use can reveal labour-market information frictions, and inform policies designed to improve hiring efficiency and employment outcomes.”

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

Shawn Arita, North Dakota State University

“Report: Food Aid, Trade Policies Need Better Alignment for Growth”
By: Progressive Farmer - September 23, 2026
“Farm Journal Foundation Drops Emerging Ag Markets Report”
By: Agri-Pulse - September 23, 2026

Zach Rutledge, Michigan State University

“Michigan Farms Caught in ‘Ping-Pong’ After Court Strikes Down Trump Admin Wage Cuts”
By: Mlive – September 25, 2026
“Cattle Associations Say ICE Enforcement Has ‘Chilling Effect’ on Ag Community, Beef Prices”
By: Cattle Association – September 26, 2026
“Advocacy Group Warns That Farm Country Has No Margin Left For Workforce Disruptions”
By: KFGO - September 29, 2026

Sunghun Lim, Iowa State University

“What the U.S. ban on Select Canadian Imports Means For Iowa”

By: KTTC – September 29, 2026

“Canada is actually one of our very important trading partners in agriculture. in 2025, two-way agricultural trade totaled approximately $67.5 billion, with the U.S. exporting $28.2 billion and importing $39.3 billion.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: KTTC

Brittney Goodrich, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

“Beef Prices Rise as US Cattle Herd Remains Near Historic Low”

By: WTTW – September 17, 2026

“The economic incentives have really been favoring decreasing herd sizes. Not only have farmers not been able to sell cows for high prices, but persistent drought around the country has driven up the cost of feed. And the more recent spike in fuel prices also cuts into the bottom line for farmers. A small herd size then feeds into a chicken-and-egg — or cow-and-calf — problem for growing the herd. As the herd shrinks, the market for those cattle tightens. That can lead to rapid price swings in response to real or anticipated changes to supply and demand.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: WTTW

Michael Langemeier, Purdue University
Nick Paulson, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

“Record US Diesel Prices Squeeze Farmers; Food Prices May Rise”

By: Reuters – September 19, 2026

“Farm fuel costs are up $11 per acre from last year for corn and $7 per acre for soybeans.”

“Corn, soy and wheat futures all have rallied significantly since mid-August and hit multi-year highs in early September. Still, farmer margins remain thin compared to historical averages. High fuel prices could raise costs next year for seed and fertilizer.”

“Higher diesel prices raise costs in every step of the food supply chain, from harvesting on farms to freight delivery that carries food to grocery stores. The majority of our food moves on trucks and those trucks use diesel.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Reuters

Matthew Gammans, North Dakota State University
Hongxi Zhao, North Dakota State University

“Conservation Bill Stirs Controversy”

By: Wyoming Livestock Roundup - October 2, 2026

“Depending on the easement type, these restrictions may limit development, subdivision, drainage, conversion or certain agricultural uses,” the authors write. “These agreements can shape landowners’ production options and affect land values in regions where farming and ranching are major economic activities.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Wyoming Livestock Roundup

Frayne Olson, North Dakota State University

“US Railroads’ Fuel Surcharges Reach Record Highs”

By: Data Portuaria – September 20, 2026

"What's causing real fits and desperation is how quickly fuel prices are changing. When you think about an industry where your profit margin is just a couple of cents per bushel, that makes a big difference.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Data Portuaria

Gregory Ibendahl, Kansas State University

“K‑State Agricultural Economist: Diesel Prices Could Remain High for Years”

By: Ad Astra Radio – September 21, 2026

“The price of oil has gone from the low to mid-$70s to more than $100 a barrel, and that probably explains about 70 cents of the increase per gallon. “But diesel is up more than that. The rest is really because there just isn’t enough diesel fuel in the world right now.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Ad Astra Radio

Pei Zhou, Cornell University

“‘Healthy’ Food Labels May Not Mean What Shoppers Think, Study Finds”

By: Newsweek – September 28, 2026

“Consumers should avoid assuming that a single claim reflects the overall nutritional quality of a product. I would say: read the claim literally, not as a judgment of the whole product. 'Reduced sodium' tells you about sodium; 'high protein' tells you about protein. Neither necessarily means the product is healthier overall.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Newsweek

Pei Zhou, Cornell University
Miguel Gomez, Cornell University

“Front-of-Package Health Claims Don’t Guarantee Healthier Foods, Finds Cornell Study”

By: Nutrition Insight – September 28, 2026

“Our study does not suggest that a single attribute-based claim should be expected to reflect a product’s entire nutritional profile. These claims are designed to communicate specific product characteristics and may be accurate for those attributes.”

“We provide some direction for policymakers in our paper. The general idea is to transition from single claims to a broader nutrient profile style. In countries like Chile or Mexico, they use traffic stop signs to warn consumers about high salt, sugar, and fat, and this limits the positioning of products in the supermarket.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Nutrition Insight

Jada Thompson, University of Arkansas

“The Global Appeal of Nashville Hot Chicken”

By: Marketplace – September 23, 2026

“The value proposition is there. I also think it's a very versatile protein.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Marketplace

James Oehmke, Rutgers University

“Most Expensive Harvest Season on Record Hits American Farmers”

By: CBS – September 20, 2026

(Continued...)
Read more on: CBS

Nelson Villoria, Kansas State University
Matin Qaim, University of Bonn

“How El Niño Will Drive up the Cost of Foods You Love — and Some Critical Staples”

By: Yahoo! News – September 26, 2026

“There can be a time lag between an El Niño and its effects on food prices. Tropical commodities such as palm oil, coconut oil, coffee and fishmeal, show the largest increases. With vegetable oils and coffee, prices can stay elevated for up to a year after an El Niño.”

El Niño-related weather extremes will likely hit agricultural production in South and Southeast Asia and Western Africa the most. I am really concerned especially about the poorest of the poor, who have to spend a large part of their income on food anyway and will be able to afford less with much higher prices."

(Continued...)
Read more on:Yahoo! News

Ellen Van Loo, Purdue University

“The Money-Saving Grocery Strategy Hiding in Your Pantry”

By: Money Talks News – September 25, 2026

“Grocery marketing can influence what you buy. For example, eggs may be labeled “hormone-free,” but U.S. law prohibits using hormones in egg production. Van Loo also recommends comparing package weights and serving sizes because large-looking packages can contain more air.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Money Talks News

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NCCC-134 Call for Papers

2026-09-30T10:59:31.212-05:00

The NCCC-134 Multi-state Research Coordinating Committee on Applied Commodity Price Analysis, Forecasting, and Market Risk Management invites paper proposals for presentation at its upcoming conference to be held April 19-20, 2027 in Chicago, Illinois. We are excited to meet again in Chicago, a global hub of commodities trading.

We encourage paper proposals on all aspects of commodity price analysis and risk management, especially those related to agricultural commodities and agribusiness risk management. Proposed papers should emphasize applied research. The deadline for submissions is November 20, 2026. The Committee will notify all submitting authors of their decision by January 2027. One author must be registered for the meeting by February 2027. Completed papers are due in June 2027 for posting in the NCCC-134 paper archive.

Full instructions on how to submit, including format (a two page extended abstract) and a sample proposal, plus other information about the conference can be found on the NCCC-134 website. Please share this call widely and encourage your colleagues, collaborators, and graduate students to submit and attend the conference.

Contact us

More information about NCCC-134 can be found on the NCCC-134 website. Questions about future programs can be directed to NCCC-134 co-chair Andres Trujillo-Barrera. Questions about future meeting logistics can be directed to NCCC-134 co-chair Joe Janzen.

We hope to see you all in Chicago next April!

Joe Janzen, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Andres Trujillo-Barrera, University of Idaho

NCCC-134 co-chairs

Member Blog: David Zilberman

2026-09-29T14:30:14.423-05:00

The Origin of the Galbraith Award

By David ZILBERMAN / September 29, 2026
The Origin of the Galbraith Award – Professor Zilberman

For more than two decades, the Galbraith Award and lecture have been a major feature of the summer meetings of the Agricultural & Applied Economics Association, or AAEA. At this event, a leading scholar, usually an economist, delivers a lecture presenting new ideas and methods and exploring their relevance to agricultural economists.

The annual T.W. Schultz Memorial Lecture serves a similar purpose at the winter Allied Social Science Associations meetings. Introduced in 2006, the Schultz event followed the Galbraith model. Both events aim to build a bridge between agricultural economists and the wider economics community.

How the idea began

As I recall, the idea emerged during a meeting of the AAEA Foundation, now the AAEA Trust, in 2003. Members of the Foundation’s board were considering how the AAEA might celebrate its approaching centennial. We wanted to recognize agricultural economists whose contributions had changed economics and public life. Two obvious names were Theodore Schultz, the Nobel laureate, and John Kenneth Galbraith, who had become one of the world’s most recognizable economists and public intellectuals.

During the discussion, I suggested that a commemorative award could also bring major thinkers from economics and other disciplines to our meetings. They could inspire our members, challenge our assumptions, and introduce us to new questions. At the same time, these visitors would become more familiar with our association and the contributions of agricultural economists.

The foundation board appointed members of the Galbraith Initiative Committee, with me as chair. Turning the idea into an ongoing event took considerable effort. One memorable step was writing to Professor Galbraith to ask permission to establish an award in his name. His response was enthusiastic:

“This letter is to tell of my pleasure and, of course, full acceptance of the award and honor.”

You can see the history of the award in the attached brochure from the first Galbraith Commemorative Project. The first event was held in Montreal in 2003. John Kenneth Galbraith could not attend the meeting, but his son, James Galbraith, a professor at the University of Texas, joined us. Leaders from two institutions central to Galbraith’s career—Gordon Rausser, who was a dean at Berkeley, and Derek Bok, president of Harvard at the time—spoke about Galbraith’s career and contributions. We aimed to attract outstanding speakers. Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz received the award in 2004, followed by Michael Porter, the most cited business scholar, in 2005 and Kenneth Arrow in 2006. Stiglitz and Arrow won the Nobel before they received the Galbraith Award, but we have been successful judges of talent: six other speakers received the Nobel Prize after delivering their Galbraith lectures.

Why Galbraith

Learning more about Galbraith strengthened my appreciation of the choice. He began in agricultural economics but went on to address some of the largest questions facing modern societies: Who holds economic power? How are consumer preferences formed? Why can a wealthy society neglect its public institutions?

Born in Canada, Galbraith earned his doctorate in agricultural economics at Berkeley in 1934. He began teaching at Harvard that year and later became a professor of economics there. During World War II, he held senior positions in the Office of Price Administration, overseeing price controls at a time when inflation management was central to the war effort. He also served as President John F. Kennedy’s ambassador to India from 1961 to 1963. Harvard’s chronology of Galbraith’s life

I met him once. He was an exceptionally tall man (6 feet 9 inches) who avoided playing basketball, but his intellectual presence was even more striking. His career showed how someone trained in agricultural economics could become an influential participant in national policy and international affairs.

Galbraith was an institutional economist: he wanted to understand the organizations and power relationships through which economies actually operate. Rather than assuming that competition among many small firms explained modern capitalism, he examined large corporations, organized labor, and government. He brought these questions to a broad audience through accessible, often witty prose. Harvard’s memorial tribute

Galbraith’s books supplied both arguments and a vocabulary that continue to shape economic discussion. He introduced the notion of countervailing power in his book American Capitalism (1952). Large businesses were not necessarily restrained by small competitors. Their power could instead be checked by other organized groups, including unions and large buyers, with government helping to sustain those checks.

In The Affluent Society (1958), he challenged the conventional wisdom that expanding private production should remain society’s overriding goal. He asked why increasing private wealth could coexist with neglected schools, inadequate infrastructure, and poor public services. He also emphasized that consumer wants are not independent of producers: advertising and salesmanship can help create the desires that production then satisfies.

In The New Industrial State (1967), he described the technostructure—the managers, engineers, and other specialists who collectively guide large corporations. Their decisions, he argued, reflected organizational planning and the pursuit of stability as much as the choices of individual entrepreneurs responding to market prices.

One need not agree with every argument to appreciate the questions he raised. Galbraith made power, public investment, and the balance between private consumption and public needs central to discussions of economic performance.

What the award represents

The purpose of the Galbraith Award was never to require agreement with Galbraith. It was to honor his example of intellectual ambition and public engagement while bringing new perspectives into our meetings.

Agricultural economics begins with practical problems, but those problems lead naturally to broader questions about markets, institutions, technology, poverty, and the environment. Galbraith’s career demonstrated how far that foundation could take a scholar.

Looking back, I am pleased that an idea discussed among colleagues became an enduring part of our association’s intellectual life. The award gives our members access to important thinkers and gives those thinkers an opportunity to engage with our field. That continuing exchange is the contribution I hoped we would make.

Members in the News: September 28, 2026

2026-09-28T10:00:00.000-05:00

Sandro Steinbach, North Dakota State University

“Iowa Farmers Warn Save Our Bacon Act Could Lead to More Farm Consolidation”

By: Iowa Starting Line – September 10, 2026

‘USDA data shows the wholesale price increase from Prop 12 has actually been modest—about 4 cents per pound—and that the larger jump in retail prices mostly reflects retailers “exploiting a perceived opportunity” to raise prices once they had something to point to, not the cost of compliance itself.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Iowa Starting Line

David Ortega, Michigan State University

“How Energy is Driving Inflation- and How it is Not”
By: The Wall Street Journal – September 11, 2026
“US Lettuce Prices Wilt As Costs For Other Goods Remain Stubbornly High”
By: The Guardian – September 11, 2026
“Record US Diesel Prices Squeeze Farmers; Food Prices May Rise”
By: Reuters – September 18, 2026
“It’s Only a Matter of Time Before Rising Diesel Prices Show Up in the Grocery Aisle”
By: Marketplace – September 16, 2026
“Impact of High Fuel Costs Reach Beyond the Pump, Expert Says”
By: CBS Washington DC – September 15, 2026

Amitrajeet Batabyal, Rochester Institute of Technology

“Does Alignment of Elected Representatives with State Governments Affect Security?”

By: Basis Point Insight – September 10, 2026

“Given the size of and diversity within India, it is of considerable interest to know if the political alignment of local representatives with state governments affects public security. Does the answer depend on the region that is being studied? And if so, how?”

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

Ricky Volpe, California Polytechnic State University

“Expert Breaks Down How Transportation and Rare Ingredients Could Lead to $60 Bread”
By: Fox News – September 16, 2026
“From Campbell’s to Conagra, Food Industry Warns of Price Hikes”
By: News Tribune – September 13, 2026
“If That Grocery Store Receipt Was Already Making Your Eyes Water … Just Wait”
By: Daily Caller – September 13, 2026
“Professor: Grocery Inflation Likely to Accelerate Through Year-End”
By: Food Trade News – September 18, 2026
“FMI Experts: Food Inflation Likely to Rise This Fall”
By: The Fence Post – September 21, 2026

Rabail Chandio, Iowa State University

“Nearly 8,500 Iowa Farmland Acres Are Headed to the Auction Block in September”
By: Successful Farming – August 30, 2026
“Iowa Farm Sells for $16,900 per Acre, Driven by Local Demand”
By: Successful Farming – August 7, 2026

Steven Deller, University of Wisconsin-Madison

“Manufacturing Closures Hit Rural Communities in Tomahawk, Marshfield”

By: WPR – September 16, 2026

“Wisconsin has been a heavy manufacturing state throughout the years… But nationally, manufacturing has not been a growth industry, particularly when you’re looking at growth in terms of jobs.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: WPR

Shawn Arita, North Dakota State University

“People & Profit - Food Security Under Pressure From Conflicts, Extreme Weather”

By: France 24 – September 17, 2026

“Transport problems outweigh supply concerns. The food does exist, the availability does exist. The main issue currently speaking is that the movement is broken."

(Continued...)
Read more on: France 24

Zach Rutledge, Michigan State University

“California Grows a Third of the Nation's Vegetables — Here's What a Labor Squeeze Really Costs”

By: Latin Times – September 18, 2026

“The dollar figure getting the most attention traces back to a single piece of modeling. Agricultural economist Zachariah Rutledge, working with the advocacy campaign Grow It Here, built a formula linking farm employment to crop prices and concluded that a nationwide 10% drop in farm labor would push prices for roughly $115 billion worth of specialty crops up by about 3% — close to $3.4 billion out of shoppers' pockets. It's a projection of what could happen, not evidence that farm employment has actually fallen by that much. Citrus and avocado grower Lisa Tate, who joined the same briefing, put the long-term risk this way: labor gaps quietly weaken our resilience of our food system.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Latin Times

Andrew Stevens, University of Wisconsin–Madison

“Farm Bill About to Expire, Bond Market Explained, Land Preservation in Door County”
By: WPR – September 21, 2026
“Trump Administration’s Trucking Crackdown Sparks Debate Over Safety and Labor”
By: The Badger Herald – September 16, 2026

Brittney Goodrich, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

“Will Foreign Beef Lower Burger Prices? Agricultural Economists Say It's Unlikely”
By: NBC Chicago – September 21, 2026
“How Tariffs, Imports and Droughts Are Impacting Beef Prices”
By: PBS – September 17, 2026

Andrew Griffith, University of Tennessee

“How the Restaurant Burger Went From Cheap Indulgence to Luxury Meal”

By: Yahoo! Life – September 16, 2026

“Beef consumption per person has remained broadly flat for several years, between 55 and 57 pounds a year, though consumption has dropped by more than a third since 1976, when Americans ate 89 pounds annually, according to the Agriculture Department. The flat rate is still notable, given the sharp increase in price. The whole point of higher prices is to ration consumption of a product. We definitely see that in the marketplace where there are certain consumers that would rather not spend that many dollars on their beef consumption."

(Continued...)
Read more on: Yahoo! Life

Mckenzie Boyce, Oklahoma State University
Brian Whitacre, Oklahoma State University

“OSU Experts Weigh in on Oklahoma’s Data Center Debate”

By: Fox 25 - September 14, 2026

(Continued...)
Read more on: Fox 25

Nelson Villoria, Kansas State University

“Foods That Could Become More Expensive During El Niño”

By: Newsweek - September 16, 2026

“Declining yields for items like corn will be “largely offset by production in other states” and that despite a potential slowdown in imports, “the U.S. is unlikely to experience shortages of major food groups.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Newsweek

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Members in the News: September 21, 2026

2026-09-21T08:49:24.628-05:00

Sunghun Lim, Iowa State University

"Republican Candidates Some Nations Most Competitive Races Are Treading Carefully Local Industries Brace President Trumps Tariffs"
By: The Washington Post – September 12, 2026
“Student visa policy changes impact international students across Iowa”
By: Iowa Public Radio – August 29, 2026
"In Iowa, Rollins defends Trump decision to import more ground beef"
By: Des Moines Register – August 24, 2026

Andrew Muhammad, University of Tennessee

"Map of Trump Approval Rating in Biggest Farming States as Diesel Costs Soar"

By: Newsweek – September 16, 2026

“We need diesel for farm machinery and equipment. Obviously we're approaching harvest time, and you need diesel to run harvesters and combines. We need diesel to run planters,” he said. “The entire farm machinery process, whether it's planting to harvest, requires diesel fuel directly.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Newsweek

Steven Deller, University of Wisconsin-Madison

"Wisconsin industries brace for uncertainty amid U.S.-Canada tariffs"

By: WSAW-TV – September 13, 2026

"Steven Deller, an emeritus professor in the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Department of Agriculture and Applied Economics, said it will take at least a year, and possibly two, for the impact of the tariffs to work through the economy and reach consumers."

(Continued...)
Read more on: WSAW-TV

Joshua Rosenbloom, Iowa State University

“Astronomy, Materials Science Awards Plummet at NSF”

By: AIP– September 9, 2026

"Even if the low funding proves temporary, the uncertainty makes it more difficult for researchers to cope, said Joshua Rosenbloom, a professor at Iowa State University who studies the economics of science. “If people view what’s changing as a temporary deviation, then they have more capability to bridge various things, because they understand that stability is important,” Rosenbloom said. “But in a world where what you have done is create a degree of uncertainty — is this a one-off or is this a true change in direction, and what is the destination? — then it becomes harder for people to justify digging into their pockets and spending some of what they have squirreled away as rainy-day money.”"

(Continued...)
Read more on: AIP

Lee Schulz, Ever Ag
Glynn Tonsor, Kansas State University

“Wholesale pork demand―It matters to the entire industry”

By: National Hog Farmer– September 14, 2026

"Prosperity of every participant in the pork industry ultimately traces back to one thing―consumer demand. Strengthening consumer demand boosts value along the entire supply chain. When demand softens, everyone feels the squeeze. Consumer demand comes from both domestic consumers and foreign consumers."

(Continued...)
Read more on: National Hog Farmer

Paul Mitchell, University of Wisconsin-Madison

"Diesel prices are hitting record highs at a bad time for many US farmers"

By: Capitol City Now– September 12, 2026

“Those prices hurt,” said Paul Mitchell, a professor of agricultural and applied economics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. “And it’s not just the harvesting. It’s the hauling of everything, moving the grain or the silage from the field to the farm and then from the farm to wherever they’re selling it.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Capitol City Now

Becca Weir, Pennsylvania State University

“Chobani's Lehigh Valley plans are a ‘huge' win for Pa. farmers, could reverse decades of declines"

By: Mahoning Matters– September 13, 2026

“Chobani said they won’t begin production until 2027 and that isn’t going to be the year that they hit that 3-billion-pound mark," she said. "It’s going to be a bit of a ramp-up, so you take baby steps to get up to full production. I think that we have time to shift things around to match supply and demand.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Mahoning Matters

Claudia Schmidt, Pennsylvania State University

"Pa. farmers face crop losses, rising diesel costs as fall celebrations begin"

By: MSN – September 12, 2026

"“Many entertainment-focused operators I have observed keep admission fairly constant. I expect most will absorb this spike in their own margin and reprice for next season,” Schmidt wrote."

(Continued...)
Read more on: MSN

Juan Sesmero, Purdue University

“Are agrivoltaics the future of Indiana's solar farms?”

By: The Republic– September 12, 2026

“[With elevated panels], you have both solar and ag production, which is great, but you also have a huge capital expenditure," said Juan Sesmero, a Purdue professor of agricultural economics and researcher with MARC.”

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

John Hewlett, University of Wyoming

“Worth Noting, Sept. 11”

By: Laramie Boomerang– September 11, 2026

“John Hewlett, a University of Wyoming ranch and farm management specialist in the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, has worked with the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City to organize Wyoming's participation in the two-hour regional roundtable, according to a news release.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Laramie Boomerang

Michael Langemeier, Purdue University

“Indiana Farmland Values Stay Steady Despite Market Adjustments"
By: Indiana Ag Connection– September 9, 2026
"Ag Economy Barometer: Farmers are seeing AI as a tool for strategic planning"
By: Brownfield - September 9, 2026

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Members in the News: September 14, 2026

2026-09-14T12:51:57.458-05:00

Amitrajeet Batabyal, Rochester Institute of Technology

“New DHS Rule Stirs Concern at Higher Ed Campuses”
By: Rochester Beacon – August 26, 2026
“Who Loses When Standardized Tests For College Admissions Are Optional?”
By: Rochester Business Journal – September 11, 2026

Rabail Chandio, Iowa State University

“New Series Offers Insight Into How Farmland Values Are Determined”
By: High Plains Journal – May 27, 2026
“More Than 8,700 Acres of Iowa Farmland Head to the Auction Block in August 2026”
By: Successful Farming – July 28, 2026

Glynn Tonsor, Kansas State University

“Trump Faces Down Beef Backlash. Will Import Plan Pay Off?”

By: AOL – September 5, 2026

“The odds of this deal lowering prices and helping ranchers are about zero. If there's something that reduces beef prices for consumers, by definition, that reduces the dollars going back into the industry, because the price clearing the market for retail beef is lower, and therefore one has to pause and say, is that good for producers?”

(Continued...)
Read more on: AOL

Cory Walters, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

“Why farmers are fuming – Lake County Record-Bee”

By: Santa Maria Times – September 5, 2026

"It's just a massive shock to our markets… A second act of betrayal has been Trump's war on immigrants, documented and undocumented, who provide the bulk of farm labor.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Santa Maria Times

Jayash Paudel, University of Oklahoma

“As the US and Canada Slap New Tariffs on Goods, American Farmers Are Stuck in the Middle”

By: WPR – September 8, 2026

“Trade data tells a different story — especially for farmers and agriculture-related manufacturers. Canada bought $28 billion in U.S. agricultural goods last year, making it the second-largest export market behind Mexico. It’s not really about winning or losing here. I think ultimately the heat is going to be felt by Americans.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: WPR

Alejandro Gutierrez-Li, North Carolina State University

“Policy and Automation Are Key Solutions to Ag Labor Shortages”
By: Morning Ag Clips – August 31, 2026
“Federal proposal sets a fee of $103,265 for certain H-1B petitions: What would this mean for North Carolina?”
By: Enlace Latino NC – September 3, 2026

Chris Bastian, University of Wyoming

“Wyoming Ranchers Struggling Amid Drought, Higher Costs And New Pressures from Beef Imports”

By: CBS News – September 7, 2026

“The tariff plan won't do much to lower prices for U.S. consumers, given that the amount of beef represents about 2% of what Americans consume. But it could hurt U.S. ranchers by discouraging them from rebuilding their herds, which could keep beef supplies in short supply.

If we continue down the road of importing beef, that's going to continue to create risk and uncertainty for producers.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: CBS News

Michael Langemeier, Purdue University

“A Fair Deal: Which Ag Lease Agreement is Right For You?”

By: Agrinews – Septmeber 8, 2026

“The lease structure you choose can change your farm’s risk, cash flow and upside — even when long-run returns look surprisingly similar. Over the past 20 years, no single lease type consistently outperformed the others. But depending on when you were in each lease, returns could differ by more than $100 per acre in a given year — yes, $100 per acre in a given year. So, the real question isn’t which lease is best. It’s which lease matches your risk tolerance?”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Agrinews

Daniel Sumner, University of California, Davis

“Can the Next Generation Afford to Farm in California?”

By: Comstock Mag – September 8, 2026

“Farming has become more complicated, and the rewards have not grown, at least for the small farm operator. It takes more resources to make a living. For a long time, farmers were poor people and doing all the work themselves. These days you are a smart, hardworking person and those people can do something else. Could be a banker or trust fund manager.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Comstock Mag

Jeffrey Dorfman, North Carolina State University

“North Carolina Farms Support One Million Jobs”

By: Michigan Ag Connection – September 10, 2026

“The report was developed by Jeffrey Dorfman, an agricultural and resource economics professor at NC State University. His analysis examined the full agricultural value chain to provide a comprehensive picture of the industry's role in the state economy.”

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

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Members in the News: September 8, 2026

2026-09-08T14:20:09.384-05:00

Ian Sheldon, The Ohio State University

“Tariffs And The Economy”
By: NYT - August 11, 2026
“Pending Canada Tariffs Could Ripple Through Ohio Auto Industry”
By: Spectrum News – August 27, 2026
“How Will a Trade War with Canada Affect Ohio?”
By: Ohio Capital Journal – August 28, 2026
“New Canadian Dairy Tariffs Highlight Long-Running USMCA Market Access Dispute”
By: Brownfield – August 5, 2026

Rabail Chandio, Iowa State University

“Farm Acres Reap More in Sales Than in Crops”

By: NYT – August 24, 2026

“Traditionally, the value of farmland was mostly based on the profitability of its crop production. Now many owners treat farmland as a separate asset, she said, divorced from the crops grown on it, instead of a farm input, like seeds and fertilizer.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: NYT

Amitrajeet Batabyal, Rochester Institute of Technology

“Empowering Women in India Economically also Improves their Mental Health”

By: Basis Point Insight – September 3, 2026

“It is reasonable to think that the economic empowerment of Indian women might have a positive impact on their mental health. This is because greater access to resources and property can attenuate financial stress and vulnerability, while stronger bargaining power can enhance women’s voice and social standing within the household. These sort of changes may foster greater self-esteem, independence, and life satisfaction, while reducing feelings of insecurity and psychological distress. However, if this kind of thinking is to form the basis for policy, then we need credible evidence demonstrating the nexus between economic empowerment and improved mental health.”

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

Alejandro Gutierrez-Li, North Carolina State University

“Policy and Automation Are Key Solutions to Ag Labor Shortages”

By: Morning Ag Clips – August 31, 2026

“Labor is a top issue for farmers, large and small. Given the rising costs and political bottlenecks surrounding immigration and guest workers, further automation of routine, physically demanding tasks could be the answer for American farmers.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Morning Ag Clips or Global Agriculture

David Ortega, Michigan State University

“The Fight Over Food Prices Won’t End Soon”
By: Bloomberg – September 4, 2026
“US Diesel Prices Hit a Record High, Pushing Up Transportation Costs for a Long List of Goods”
By: The Associated Press – September 4, 2026
“A ‘sleeper Issue' in Red States This Fall: Diesel Prices”
By: Politico – September 1, 2026

James Mitchell, University of Arkansas
Glynn Tonsor, Kansas State University

“Beef Packers Adjusting to Low Cattle Inventory - High Plains Journal”

By: High Plains Journal – August 28, 2026

“It is difficult for an outsider to assess Tyson’s situation… These decisions should help by bringing Tyson’s packing capacity in line with cattle numbers, but I don’t think closing plants or reducing shifts alone is the answer. Some other strategic decisions are likely forthcoming.”

“I am not surprised that we have seen additional closures and adjustments. It is widely recognized that the packing sector has too much physical capacity (nationally).”

(Continued...)
Read more on: High Plains Journal

William Ridley, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

“U.S.-Canada Tariffs Add Pressure to Farmers' Thin Margins”

By: Iowa PBS – August 28, 2026

The U.S. imposed tariffs of up to 50% on roughly $20 billion in Canadian imports after trade negotiations broke down. Canada responded with tariffs on U.S. goods, including dairy products and agricultural equipment. Economist William Ridley says farmers may feel the greatest effects through higher input costs.

(Continued...)
Read more on: Iowa PBS

Daniel Sumner, University of California, Davis

“With Shoppers Wary of Illness, Farmers Destroy Millions of Heads of Lettuce”

By: Press Democrat – August 29, 2026

“It is unclear how long customers will avoid leafy greens, given how fast information travels on social media and a larger lack of trust in institutions.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Press Democrat

Jaime Luke, Michigan State University

“Trump Wants To 'Allow' Cattle Farmers To Process Their Own Beef. Are We Sure This Is A Good Idea?!”

By: Huff Post – August 26, 2026

“Nearly all meat produced in the U.S. is processed off the farm. Processors vary in size, with the largest firms controlling a commanding share of the market.”

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

Joseph Glauber, International Food Policy Research Institute

“What’s Driving the Financial Crisis on Minnesota Farms?”

By: Minn Post – August 31, 2026

“The tariffs had mixed effects on U.S. agricultural exports, with exports to China and Canada falling partly because of retaliatory tariffs and consumer reactions. Soybean farmers were particularly hard hit by the U.S. tariff actions. China implemented retaliatory tariffs against a wide range of U.S. agricultural products in February 2025 following U.S. imposition of so-called fentanyl tariffs against China.”

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

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