The same land may hold a secret for climate, wildlife, and economies
For decades, land-use decisions have been framed as a trade-off. Protect forests, wetlands, and grasslands, or convert them into farms, mines, and other sources of economic growth. Gains for nature were assumed to come at a financial cost, but new global maps challenge that assumption. Professor Stephen Polasky of the University of Minnesota led the team behind the study.
Minnesota Council on Economic Education Announces Leadership Transition: Celebrating Dr. Julie Bunn and Welcoming Dr. Bill Bosshardt
The Minnesota Council on Economic Education (MCEE) is proud to announce a significant leadership transition designed to ensure the organization's continued impact and long-term sustainability. After a distinguished tenure serving as Executive Director since 2018, Dr. Julie Bunn is transitioning from her role in June 2026. Following a national search conducted in collaboration with the University of Minnesota’s Department of Applied Economics (ApEc), the MCEE Board of Directors has appointed Dr. Bill Bosshardt as her successor.
How expensive is your part of Minnesota? Compare your basic cost of living
How basic costs of living compare in regions of Minnesota. Professor Liz Davis comments.
Stephen Polasky featured in PNAS
Stephen Polasky, co-author of the study, Regents Professor and co-founder of NatCap TEEMs, discusses how economic growth in low-income countries can also protect biodiversity.
Esteemed emeritus faculty member Bill Easter passes away at 88
Professor Emeritus K. William (Bill) Easter passed away on March 2nd. He was a deeply respected colleague who served on the Applied Economics faculty from 1970-2012. Bill worked in the areas of environmental and resource economics, with emphasis on domestic and international water policy. He will be missed by colleagues who worked with him and students who learned from him.
Consumers show strong willingness to pay for pollinator-friendly produce
New research from the University of Minnesota offers encouraging news for specialty crop growers interested in pollinator-friendly production. Research Fellow Gigi DiGiacomo and Dr. Chengyan Yue found that consumers are willing to pay meaningful premiums for produce grown using practices that support pollinators — particularly when those practices are clearly communicated at the point of sale.
As planting begins, Minnesota farmers wary of war's impact
Pauline Van Nurden, Extension economist at the Center for Farm Financial Management, says the costs of farmland rent, seed, and other expenses, such as interest payments, have remained high.
Building a better food system
When we talk about healthy eating, the conversation often focuses on personal choices. But according to Marc Bellemare, a professor in the Department of Applied Economics at the University of Minnesota’s College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences, changing the way the world eats is a complex puzzle that goes far beyond individual decision-making. For many, the hurdle isn't a lack of intent — it’s a lack of access.
Why you're paying more for tomatoes and lettuce, but a little less for meat-an interview with Charlotte Ambrozek
The consumer price index for March showed grocery prices are up 2% from last year, with tomatoes, lettuce, and nonalcoholic beverages leading the way.
Minnesota's Job Engine Stalled in January - Laura Kalambokidis comments on how to reverse weakness in the labor market
For the first time since May of 2007, Minnesota's unemployment rate ticked higher than the nation's, sitting at 4.4 percent in January on a seasonally adjusted basis. The national rate fell slightly that month to 4.3 percent.
That's according to data released today by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, or DEED, for the month of January.