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Southwest Florida Research & Education Center

Southwest Florida Research & Education Center

Agricultural Natural Resources Economics

Dr. Tara Wade is an Agricultural Resource Economist in the Food and Resource Economics Department and the Southwest Florida Research and Education Center (SWFREC) at the University of Florida. She specializes in determining the economic factors that affect choices to adopt environmentally benign agricultural practices. Her research interests are costs of ecosystem services, conservation policy design, and climate change adaptation. Dr. Wade’s extension and research programs focus on helping farmers to reach their economic and conservation goals in efficient ways.

Prior to working at SWFREC. Dr. Wade was a Postdoctoral Research Associate with North Carolina A&T State University and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Economic Research Service. There she specialized in the economic factors that affect farmers’ choices to adopt conservation practices. Dr. Wade received a master’s in Mathematics and a Ph.D. in Energy and Environmental Systems and Economics from North Carolina A&T State University. Her graduate work dealt with estimating the cost of conservation tillage adoption by corn and soybean farmers.

Research / Extension

Farm Economics

  • Federal & State Policies

Natural Resources & Environment

  • Water Quality & Quantity
  • Conservation Practice Adoption
  • Conservation Program Design
  • Precision Agriculture & Integrated Pest Management

Research  Publications

Extension Publications

  • Education
    • Ph.D. Energy and Environmental Systems and Economics, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Greensboro, NC, 2011
    • M.S. Applied Mathematics, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Greensboro, NC, 2005
    • B.S. Mathematics, Livingstone College, Salisbury, NC, 2003
  • Professional Experience
    • April 2017 - Present
      Assistant Professor, Agricultural Resource Economics, University of Florida
    • February 2013 - April 2017
      Postdoctoral Research Associate, Conservation and Environment Branch, Resource and Rural Economics Division, Economic Research Service, US Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC
    • January 2012 - February 2013
      Postdoctoral Researcher, Department of Economics, College of Business and Economics, North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, NC
    • August 2007 - December 2011
      Research Assistant, Department of Economics, College of Business and Economics, North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, NC
    • August 2006 - July 2007
      Mathematics Instructor, Bennett College for Women, Greensboro, NC
    • August 2005 - May 2006
      Adjunct Mathematics Instructor, North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, NC
  • Awards and Honors
    • NCA&TSU College of Arts and Sciences Outstanding Graduate Student of the Year (2012)
    • AAEA Travel Grant (2012,2013)
    • Best Seminar Presentation (2008)
    • Excellence in Academic Performance (2008-2010)
    • Valedictorian (2003)
  • Publications
  • Other Professional Activities
    • Agricultural and Applied Economics Association
    • American Economic Association
    • USDA Economists Group
    • Northeastern Agricultural and Resource Economics Association
    • Canadian Agricultural Economic Society
    • Southern Agricultural Economics Association
    • Florida Climate Institute
    • University of Florida Water Institute