Tyson endows UA chair in Food Policy Economics
May 19, 2009Contact Information:
Rudy Nayga, Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness
479-575-2256 / rnayga@uark.edu
Howell Medders, Division of Agriculture Communications
479-575-5647 / hmedders@uark.edu
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Research on economic factors related to nutrition, obesity, health and other consumer and food policy issues is the focus of a new faculty chair endowed by Tyson Foods at the University of Arkansas.
Lalit Verma, interim dean of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences, and Mark Cochran, associate vice president for research in the U of A System’s Division of Agriculture, recently announced that Rodolfo “Rudy” M. Nayga Jr. was appointed to the Tyson Endowed Chair in Food Policy Economics.
As a professor and chair holder in the department of agricultural economics and agribusiness, Nayga’s appointment is for research in the statewide Division of Agriculture and teaching in Bumpers College.
A $2 million endowment for the chair includes $1 million donated by Tyson Foods and matching funds from the university’s matching fund program. Interest from the endowment will help support Nayga’s research.
Nayga is widely recognized for his research over the past 15 years at Texas A & M University and at Rutgers University in New Jersey.
“The economics of food demand and nutrient consumption and demand are highly relevant to consumer concerns and public policy on obesity, genetically modified crops, nutritional labeling, product health claims, food safety and other issues,” Nayga said.
Nayga has a doctorate in agricultural economics from Texas A & M, an M.S. degree from the University of Delaware and a B.S. degree from the University of The Philippines.