Rebecca Weir

Rebecca (Becca) Weir is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Applied Economics at the University of Minnesota. She obtained her M.S. in Applied Economics from the University of Minnesota in 2022. 

Becca grew up on a dairy farm in central Minnesota and her research focuses on farm management and agricultural policy. Her dissertation, “Exploring the future of Minnesota’s agriculture: Shifts in livestock technology, programming, and composition,” focuses on Minnesota agricultural topics, which can be extended to nationwide audiences. Becca’s dissertation chapters include (1) analyzing the impact of genetic selection as a management strategy on dairy farm profitability for Minnesota dairy farms, (2) estimating the impact of state-level support (MN’s DAIRI policy) for a federal program (DMC) on farm participation and profitability, and (3) evaluating the impacts on county-level economic indicators resulting from a change in the livestock industry, namely livestock consolidation. 

As a graduate student, Becca seeks out opportunities to enhance her training and development as an agricultural economist. These opportunities include doing a graduate student residency at Cornell University, selection and participation in the Agricultural Scholars program through the Farm Foundation and interning with USDA-ERS. These experiences contribute to and inform Becca’s research and teaching programs, including her role as a graduate instructor for APEC 3811 – Principles of Farm Management during Fall 2022 and Fall 2023.