The 2026 Agricultural & Applied Economics Association (AAEA) Annual Meeting is taking place in Kansas City, MO, July 26-28
Friedman Community Participates in the 2026 AAEA Meeting
Hosted by the Agricultural & Applied Economics Association (AAEA), a nonprofit dedicated to advancing the work of agricultural and applied economics professionals, the AAEA Annual Meeting brings together leading researchers and practitioners to exchange ideas and discoveries. Below is a summary of our community members’ planned contributions.
Affordability of Dietary Guidelines - (Organized Panel)
Monday, July 27, 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM, 12th Street Room
The United States, and many other countries, issue dietary guidelines that are meant to inform both household consumption patterns as well as other food and nutrition related policies. While these guidelines tend to be promulgated on the basis of our understanding of nutrition, social and economic concerns pose both opportunities and challenges for adherence. Notably, the U.S. government issued new dietary guidelines in January 2026 that are in many ways a departure from the guidance provided over the last forty years. Our expert panel will share their insights and research results on affordability of meeting dietary guidelines. We will begin with brief presentations from our panel members, and then dedicate much of our time to panel and audience discussion.
- Discussant: LaPorchia Collins (faculty)
- Organizer: Sean B. Cash (faculty)
- Presenters: Anne Byrne, Leah Costlow (alumna), Elina Page, William Masters (faculty)
Estimating Negative Willingness to Pay and Positive Willingness to Accept (Oral Paper Presentation)
Tuesday, July 28, 2026, 2:45 - 4:15 PM, Room: Jay McShann A
- Presenter: Shijun Gao (affiliated faculty)
- Co-authors: Nicole Blackstone (faculty), Amin Nikkhah (faculty), Matthew Rousu, Sean B. Cash (faculty)
Differential Associations between SNAP Participation and Food Insecurity Experiences: Evidence from Explanatory Item Response Models (Oral Paper Presentation)
Tuesday, July 28, 2026, 2:45 - 4:15 PM, Room: Andy Kirk B
- Presenter: Yue Zhan (PhD student)
- Co-authors: Parke Wilde (faculty), Matthew Rabbitt, Sean B. Cash (faculty)
Leadership Roles and Awards
- Chair, AAEA's Food Safety and Nutrition Section
- CWAE Mentorship and Outreach Early Career Award, AAEA Committee on Women in Agricultural Economics (CWAE)
- Member, AAEA Membership & Engagement Committee - Appointed by AAEA President-Elect Titus Awokuse for a three-year term (2026-2029)
- Mentor, AAEA's Mentoring Program
Shijun Gao
- Transitioning from current Chair to past Chair of the IBES Section Leadership
- Member, AAEA Executive Board – Elected for a three-year term (2025-2028)
How do we think about food economics at the Friedman School?
Check out our related specializations: Agriculture, Food, and Environment; Climate, Sustainability, and Food; Food Policy, Programs, and Economics; and Food Systems Modeling.
