Wolf to Present February 5th at NEAFA Annual Forum
By Julie Suarez, Associate Dean for government and Community Relations, College of Agriculture a Life Sciences, Cornell University
Upon joining the faculty of the Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management at Cornell University this Fall, Christopher Wolf becomes the fourth Cornell professor to specialize in dairy sector economics since Leland Spencer became the first professor to claim that specialization at a US university in 1923. Dr. Wolf succeeds Dr. Andrew Novakovic and will be named the second E.V. Baker Professor of Agricultural Economics in January 2020.
Dr. Christopher Wolf
Born and raised on a Wisconsin dairy farm, Chris attended the University of Wisconsin and received the PhD degree from the University of California at Davis. He was hired by Michigan State University, where he served on the agricultural economics faculty for the last 21 years. While at Michigan State, Chris earned distinctions for his research, teaching and extension primarily related to dairy farm management, production economics and the impacts of US policy and markets on the dairy sector.
Chris has also long been a collaborator with Cornell. He has been a key contributor to the National Program on Dairy Markets and Policy, which was established at Cornell by Dr. Novakovic in 1989 and which today is also co-directed by Dr. Mark Stephenson, another former Cornellian who is now on the faculty at the University of Wisconsin. In addition to his applied research and extension, he will be teaching the course in Dairy Markets and Policy and rotating in other courses in farm business management, agribusiness, and agricultural finance.
Dr. Andrew Novakovic
Dean Lynn Wooten shares her colleagues' enthusiasm for Chris' appointment to the Dyson faculty: "Chris is a wonderful addition to the Dyson family. We have every confidence he will continue the 100-year tradition of excellence in the area of dairy markets and policy."
But along with the welcome it’s time to say farewell and wish Dr. Andy Novakovic best wishes in his retirement plans. Dairy farmers throughout New York, as well as long-term stakeholders in the dairy food and farm community have long relied on Andy’s wisdom, sage economics advice, and oftentimes complex explanations of dairy pricing and policies and how the latest market trends will influence dairy.
Dr. Novakovic began his career at Cornell in 1976, with an appointment as Assistant Professor. While his career accomplishments are too numerous to detail, Andy’s career at Cornell included a stint as Department Chair, an appointment as a Senior Economist to the USDA, and he is wrapping up his career of commitment to service to New York as the Director of Land Grant Programs for the Dyson School. Andy has analyzed everything from the 1980’s Dairy Buy-Out program, a plethora of federal order changes, various public and private sector dairy insurance programs, as well as trade conditions and economic conditions for New York dairy farmers. He’s taught generations of future farmers, aspiring economists, and business management students the basics of navigating complex dairy finances.
Kathryn J. Boor, the Ronald Lynch Dean of the Cornell College of Agriculture and Life Sciences said “Andy’s leadership and vision in helping to steer NY dairy stakeholders through all sorts of perambulations in milk pricing is nothing short of legendary. I’m proud that Andy has provided such excellent service to the dairy industry in New York for almost four decades, and his accomplishments and contributions to teaching the next generation of dairy and farm business management minded students will be sorely missed.”