If you are interested in using economics and business management to address the challenge of feeding 7.5 billion people with a limited set of natural resources then the Food and Resource Economics (FRE) program will take your interest to a whole new level. You may choose to specialize in applied economics by taking courses that focus on natural resource economics, economic development and international trade, or you may choose to obtain a broader skill set by combining courses in economics, business management and science (e.g., “Nutrition Concepts and Controversies”). The option to work closely with a professor by doing a directed studies and/or a six-credit thesis will help prepare you for subsequent graduate studies.

Specializations Offered

The Food and Resource Economics program is a major in itself. However, there are three topic areas that you can choose to either specialize or mix and match. After you explore these topics you’ll find more information about the Bachelor of Science in Food and Resource Economics program, including a brief summary of what’s involved, some courses you might take, and career possibilities.

Topic 1: Food Markets and Development

Combine popular ECON courses such as “Understanding Globalization” and “International Trade”, and popular FRE courses such as “Introduction to Global Food Markets”, “The Economics of Food Consumption” and “International Agricultural Development” to critically analyze local and global food markets.

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Topic 2: Land, Resources & Environment

FRE courses such as “Land Economics”, “International Trade and the Environment” and “Economics of Global Resource Use and Conservation” provide an excellent foundation for the study of natural resources and the environment, especially as they relate to food production and distribution.

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Topic 3: Food and Resource Management

Combining a suite of commerce courses and management-focused FRE courses provides diversity to your Food and Resource Economics degree. Learn the principles of finance, marketing, operations management and business data analytics to prepare for today’s rapidly-evolving food sector.

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Meet the Instructors

Jonathan Proctor

Dr. Jonathan Proctor

Assistant Professor

I’m interested in quantifying how the climate influences human wellbeing. I enjoy developing new approaches for measuring socio-environmental outcomes using satellite imagery and using these estimates in scientific inference and policy evaluation.

Matias Margulis

Dr. Matias E. Margulis

Associate Professor, Food and Resource Economics (jointly appointed with the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs)

My research examines the global governance and politics of agriculture and food security. I am particularly interested in the interaction among states and non-state actors, including business, civil society and international organizations, in shaping and contesting the rules governing how food is produced, distributed and consumed across borders. Specific areas where I have expertise include global food security, agricultural trade, the WTO Agreement on Agriculture, global land governance, certification of agricultural commodities, and the human right to food.

James Vercammen

Dr. James Vercammen

Professor, Food and Resource Economics (jointly appointed with the Sauder School of Business)

My primary area of research is the economics of agri-environmental contracts. This includes the efficient design of agri-environmental payment schemes, incentives for conservation with asymmetric information and conservation easements for the preservation of farmland. Other research areas include commodity futures markets and agricultural credit markets. An emerging research area is the measurement of productivity growth in Canadian agriculture.

Carol McAusland

Dr. Carol McAusland

Professor, Food & Resource Economics

My current research investigates how the environmental impacts of international trade vary depending on the underlying motive for trade, be it consumers’ quest for novel product varieties or firms’ need for cheap inputs. I am also examining the implications of skilled labor migration for the global provision of public goods.

Frederik Noack

Dr. Frederik Noack

Assistant Professor, Food and Resource Economics Group

I am interested in the impacts of improved market access and property rights on land use and natural resources such as fish stocks, forests and biodiversity. I use mathematical models to guide my empirical analysis and to derive testable predictions. I often collaborate with environmental scientists to better understand and quantify the environmental changes and drivers.

Sumeet Gulati

Dr. Sumeet Gulati

Professor, Food and Resource Economics

Alongwith my co-authors I ask: at their modest values, do carbon taxes reduce gasoline consumption? Do they encourage people to buy fuel efficient vehicles? Do older consumers, especially women, perform better or worse while negotiating a price for a new car? What are the economics of car sharing—like Car2Go, and Evo? And what explains the autonomous emergence of electric rickshaws in India?

Richard Barichello

Dr. Richard Barichello

Professor, Food and Resource Economics

Regulated agricultural markets and farm quotas, world food markets, trade policy, poverty alleviation, food security, rural-urban linkages (note - only considers students with a strong background in economics or agricultural economics)