Agricultural Economics 1950–2000

Abstract

In the past 25 years, agricultural economists have made significant progress, but have experienced substantial turmoil and great anxiety. These years have been a period of great introspection during which we have asked: “What are the fundamental purposes of our profession?” During this quarter century, rural America's practical problems important to our profession have changed rapidly. This rate will likely quicken in the future. Increasingly, we and our institutions will be challenged to “keep up” and to adjust. How well we respond and serve society will depend greatly on (1) our ability to preceive and to anticipate important issues, and (2) the flexibility of ourselves, our discipline, institutions and funds to accommodate to continual and increasing change.