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© 2025 F.R.E. Lunch: The Food and Resource Economics Podcast
Description
Have you ever wondered why the chicken crossed the road and now costs twice as much at your local grocery store? Maybe you're curious about how alligators, beer, and Bigfoot can all be major drivers of economic activity.
Then join us at the table for a monthly serving of F.R.E. Lunch, the official podcast of the UF/IFAS Food and Resource Economics Department (FRE).
Whether you're an aspiring economist or an inquisitive individual who wants to learn more about how consumer behavior shapes our relationship with food and natural resource systems, this is the podcast for you!
In each episode, we'll serve bite-sized lessons on the latest research in agricultural and applied economics, showcasing the many ways FRE students and faculty are using research to understand and address the complex issues facing agricultural and natural resource industries.
So we hope you'll join us. Our easily digestible format will be sure to bring you back for seconds.
Class Notes can also be found on our website, a teaching resource designed to allow episodes to be seamlessly incorporated into existing classroom curriculums.
20 Episodes
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Happy Halloween from FRE Lunch! While millions of people around the U.S. are getting ready to celebrate and fill their trick or treating bags with delicious candy, the FRE Lunch podcast sat down with UF Double Gator and Master of Agribusiness alumni Joshua Jantz to learn more about how the implementation of precision agriculture technology by his company, U.S. Sugar is helping maximize efficiency and sustainability in the production of sugarcane, one of the sweeteners responsible for many of ...
FRE Lunch is back, with a very seasonal season all about the economics behind some of our favorite holiday traditions in our upcoming special mini-series! Send us a text The opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are their sole responsibility do not represent positions, policies or opinion of the University of Florida, UF/IFAS, or the UF/IFAS Department of Food and Resource Economics. Got thoughts on the episode, questions for us, or an idea for what we should cover next? Reach out to ...
In this episode of the Fresh Water Economics Season, we are joined by two guests, Christa Court and Jay Capasso, to discuss Best Management Practices (BMPs) and how they relate to Florida's Agricultural Water Usage. Christa Court is an associate professor in the UF/IFAS Food and Resource Economics Department and Director of the UF/IFAS Economic Impact Analysis Program. Jay Capasso is the Northeast Florida Regional Specialized Extension Agent focusing on water resources. He is based at t...
In this episode we are joined by three guests to tackle two topics that are causing major disruption to Florida's freshwater ecosystems: Harmful Algal Blooms and Invasive Species! Abhishek Rajan and Liam Corcoran are graduate students in the Food and Resource Economics Department, whose work with Dr. Olesya Savchenko has focused on the management of hydrilla: Florida's most expensive aquatic plant invader. Dr. Lisa Krimsky is a Regional Water Resources Extension Agent (RSA) IV for the U...
In this episode, Drs. Weizhe Weng, Andrea Albertin and Yilin Zhuang join us to discuss rules, regulations, and treatment for Florida's drinking water systems. More Resources Hall, N.D. The Safe Drinking Water Act at 50 years. Nat Water 2, 1132–1133 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44221-024-00356-wFlorida Well Owner Network website: https://water.ifas.ufl.edu/well/ What Homeowners Should Do if Public Wastewater Treatment Plants Are Disrupted After a Hurricane https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu...
Olesya Savchenko, assistant professor of food and resource economics, and Don Rainey, UF/IFAS Extension Specialist, discuss Reclaimed Water reality and perceptions and how it impacts Florida Agriculture. Send us a text The opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are their sole responsibility do not represent positions, policies or opinion of the University of Florida, UF/IFAS, or the UF/IFAS Department of Food and Resource Economics. Got thoughts on the episode, questions for us, or an ...
A Rose by any other name would smell as sweet - but does word choice impact our opinions? In this episode, Dr. Sadie Hundemer, assistant professor of Agricultural Education and Communication, discusses the study of human behavior, and how understanding mental models and trusted sources can improve the way we talk about water science issues. Send us a text The opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are their sole responsibility do not represent positions, policies or opinion of the...
From precipitation to perception, this season of FRE Lunch is all about the economics of fresh water! Today we are joined by podcast guest Dr. Matt Cohen, Director of the UF Water Institute to provide an overview of Florida's freshwater and the challenges associated with its management. The Water Institute brings together collaborators across disciplines at UF, and will be partnering with us this season to highlight the interdisciplinary research and solutions related to Florida freshwater th...
Known as the Sunshine State, Florida is also synonymous with water. And so, it’s no surprise that as our state’s flagship university, the University of Florida is renowned for its expertise in water-related research. That is why, we are excited to announce the launch of our second season of FRE Lunch – The Food and Resource Economics Podcast. This season, we will be partnering with the UF Water Institute to bring you a total of 8 episodes all about Florida’s fresh water and the research...
Happy Valentine’s Day from F.R.E. Lunch! Whether you're enjoying a romantic dinner out or cooking a meal at home, there’s one big question—where are your leftovers going? In part two of our first-ever two-part episode, we're diving deeper into the behavioral science behind efforts to reduce food waste on college campuses with guest expert Dr. Olesya Savchenko, assistant professor of food and resource economics. This episode explores her research into how food waste in college dining halls can...
Did you know that, according to the National Resources Defense Council, 22 million pounds of food is wasted annually on college campuses? In today's episode, we'll discuss the economics of food waste, and some of the strategies such as composting, trayless dining, and educational efforts that are being used by the University of Florida to reduce food waste on campus. We are joined by expert guest Maddie Kowalewski, Sustainability Manager for Florida Fresh Dining. For students inte...
As temperatures drop this December, we sat down with Dr. Jamie Dinkins Bookwalter and Dr. Will Kohlway, two Christmas tree specialists from North Carolina State Extension. Join us for the final episode of 2024 as we discuss the economic impacts of the forestry industry, the ecosystem services forests provide, the unique Christmas Tree farm industry in North Carolina, and how North Carolina's Christmas tree farms were impacted by Hurricane Helene this year. Additional Resources: NC State Exte...
November is National Entrepreneurship Month! To celebrate, we interview Food and Resource Undergraduate alumnus Emma Biggers about her small business, how she applies the lessons learned through her major to running it, and the research project it inspired where she sought to evaluate the economic feasibility of an entirely local cotton t-shirt supply chain in Florida where the cotton would produced, processed into textiles, and distributed to clothing stores like hers all in state. Send us a...
Happy Halloween! In this very special episode, we sit down with the UF Smathers Libraries marketing and communications team to discuss their latest Sasquatch themed marketing campaign and are even visited by a ghost - I mean guest - from episode 1, Dr. Christa Court, to learn about the direct and indirect effects of Cryptid Tourism on local economies. Send us a text The opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are their sole responsibility do not represent positions, policies or opinion o...
In this episode, Nathan Palardy, assistant professor of Food and Resource Economics, joins the F.R.E. lunch podcast team to discuss how craft breweries impact local economies, and his research into the policies surrounding beer sales in the United States. Note: This episode was initially scheduled for release in September, but was delayed due to the wide-ranging impacts of Hurricane Helene across the Southeastern United States. Some areas mentioned in this episode, such as Asheville, NC. w...
This month's episode of F.R.E. Lunch: The Food and Resource Economics Podcast explores the potential threats posed by a zoonotic disease outbreak to the U.S. Cattle Industry and provides a unique look into the undergraduate research opportunities available to UF/IFAS College of Agriculture & Life Sciences students looking to complete an honors thesis project. In this episode, Shelby Sumner, a Spring 2024 alumnus of the Food and Resource Economics Program and current graduate student...
Since 2022, United States policy has made it illegal to sell or buy shark fins in the United States. In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Andrew Ropicki, UF/IFAS Food and Resource Economics Assistant Professor and marine economics specialist for Florida Sea Grant, to discuss the economic considerations behind the policy and other efforts to reduce shark finning. Send us a text The opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are their sole responsibility do not represent positions, po...
Dr. Christa Court is an Assistant Professor of Regional Economics in the UF Food and Resource Economics Department and Director for the UF/IFAS Economic Impact Analysis Program. In this episode, Dr. Court joins us to explain how her team uses economic research to estimate the short term impacts of Agriculture Damages and Losses sustained when a hurricane hits Florida. Additional Resources Mentioned in this Episode: Economic Impact Analysis Program: https://fred.ifas.ufl.edu/extension/econom...
Join us for the final episode of our Freshwater Economics Season as we discuss all things tourism! We are joined today by two expert guests: Dr. Taylor Stein, Professor of Ecotourism in the UF School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics SciencesDr. Sergio Alvarez, Associate Professor of Tourism Economics in Rosen College of Hospitality Management at the University of Central FloridaThis episode covers a wide range of topics including how tourism serves as a way to provide a valuation for...
Send us a text The opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are their sole responsibility do not represent positions, policies or opinion of the University of Florida, UF/IFAS, or the UF/IFAS Department of Food and Resource Economics. Got thoughts on the episode, questions for us, or an idea for what we should cover next? Reach out to us by email at fre@ifas.ufl.edu Intro and Outro Music - "Just Kidding" - Ahjay Stelino. Used under the Mixkit Stock Music Free License.
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