Roland Roberts
has emphasized multidisciplinary research to help
farmers make economically sound decisions about
the adoption of precision farming technologies,
genetically engineered crops, no-till production
practices, winter cover crops, soybean oil as
a substitute for petroleum oil in fruit production,
management practices for efficient use of fertilizers,
methods to treat mastitis in dairy cows, and many
others. He has also evaluated the effects of government
policies on the demand for fertilizers in Tennessee
and in the United States; the value of non-market
resources; the external costs of waste management
systems; and the effects of government policies
on crop acreage in Tennessee. He developed an
econometric model of the U.S. agricultural sector
and evaluated the effects of government policies
on that sector. He estimated an
econometric model of the Hawaii beef industry
and evaluated the impacts of increased energy
prices on that industry. He linked the U.S. and
Hawaii models and studied the effects of various
government policies on the Hawaii beef industry.
While at the University of Hawaii he evaluated
the impacts of alternative methods of protecting
Hawaii agriculture from foreign competition and
conducted a survey of Hawaii beef consumers to
determine the potential market for less than choice
beef. At Utah State University, he contributed
to the socioeconomic impact statement for oil
shale development by evaluating the impacts on
housing. He has taught graduate courses in agricultural
production economics, international development,
statistical quantitative methods, mathematical
programming and microeconomic theory, and undergraduate
courses in international development, trade, and
farm management.
Current Position:
Professor, Agricultural Economics, University
of Tennessee
Education:
Ph.D. Agricultural Economics, Iowa State University,
1979
M.S. Agricultural Economics, Utah State University,
1976
B.S. Economics, Utah State University, 1975
Professional
Experience:
Professor, Dept. of Ag. Econ., University of Tennessee,
1990-Present.
Agricultural Policy Analyst and Program Manager,
USAID-Indonesia, 1991-1993.
Associate Professor, Dept. of Ag. Econ. and Rur.
Soc., University of Tennessee, 1984-1991.
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Ag. and Res. Econ.,
University of Hawaii, 1980-1984.
Staff Economist and Instructor, CARD and Dept.
of Econ., Iowa State University, 1979-1980.
Research Associate, CARD, Iowa State University,
1975-1979.
Research Assistant, Dept. of Econ., Utah State
University, 1974-1975
Awards and Other Professional Activities:
USAID Administrator's Implementation Award, Economic
Policy Support Office, USAID/Indonesia, 1991;
University of Tennessee Faculty Senate, 2000-2003;
Gamma Sigma Delta Honor Society of Agriculture;
Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society; Blue Key
National Honor Fraternity, Phi Eta Sigma National
Honor Society.
Selected
Publications:
Roberts, R.K., B.C. English,
J.A. Larson, R.L. Cochran, W.R. Goodman, S.L.
Larkin, M.C. Marra, S.W. Martin, W.D. Shurley,
and J.M. Reeves. “Adoption of Site-Specific
Information and Variable Rate Technologies in
Cotton Precision Farming.” Journal of
Agricultural and Applied Economics 36(2004):143-158.
Roberts,
R.K., J.T. Walters, J.A. Larson, B.C.
English, and D.D. Howard. “Optimal Nitrogen
Fertilization Rates in Winter Wheat Production
as Affected by Risk, Disease, and Nitrogen Source.”
Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics
36(2004):199-211.
Roberts,
R.K., S.B. Mahajanashetti, B.C. English,
J.A. Larson, and D.D. Tyler. “Variable Rate
Nitrogen Application on Corn Fields: The Role
of Spatial Variability and Weather.” Journal
of Agricultural and Applied Economics 34(2002):111-129.
Roberts,
R.K., B.C. English, and J.A. Larson.
“Factors Affecting the Location of Precision
Farming Technology Adoption in Tennessee.”
Journal of Extension 40(2002):
http:// www.joe.org/joe/2002february/index.html.
English, B.C.,
S.B. Mahajanashetti, and R.K. Roberts.
“Assessing Spatial Break-even Variability
in Fields with Two or More Management Zones.”
Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics
33(2001):551-565.
Roberts,
R.K., B.C. English, and S.B. Mahajanashetti.
“Evaluating the Returns to Variable Rate
Nitrogen Application.” Journal of Agricultural
and Applied Economics 32(2000):133-143.
McKinley, T.L.,
R.K. Roberts, R.M. Hayes, and
B.C. English. “Economic Comparison of Herbicides
for Johnsongrass (Sorghum halepense) Control in
Glyphosate Tolerant Soybeans (Glycine max).”
Weed Technology 13(1999):30-36.
Roberts,
R.K., R. Pendergrass, and R.M. Hayes.
“Economic Analysis of Alternative Herbicide
Regimes on Roundup ReadyTM Soybeans.” Journal
of Production Agriculture 12 (1999):449-454.
Roberts,
R.K., P.V. Douglas, and W.M. Park. “Estimating
External Costs of Municipal Landfill Siting Through
Contingent Valuation Analysis: A Case Study.”
Southern Journal of Agricultural Economics
23(1991):155-165.
Garrod, P.V.,
and R.K. Roberts. “Prices
as Proxies for Prices.” American Journal
of Agricultural Economics 68(1986):626-633.
Roberts, R.K.,
G.R. Vieth, and J.C. Nolan, Jr. “An Analysis
of the Impact of Energy Price Escalations during
the 1970's on Hawaii Beef Production and Prices.”
Western Journal of Agricultural
Economics 9(1984):90-105.
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