AMES, Iowa — John Crespi, an economics professor at Iowa State University, has been named the interim director of the Center for Agricultural and Rural Development (CARD).
Crespi became interim director of the center effective Aug. 16, and will serve for one year. He joined the faculty at Iowa State in 2015.
Dermot Hayes, a professor of economics and finance, served as CARD’s interim director from June to August, succeeding Catherine Kling, who served as director from 2013 to 2018. Kling left Iowa State for a position at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York.
Crespi is an agricultural economist who works in the areas of food marketing and business competitiveness. Some of his recent work has examined livestock contracts how they impact the way firms interact and whether the cattle industry will move towards the higher levels of contracting seen in hog and poultry procurement.
He also has researched issues related to how people react to food labels and is part of the ISU Brain Initiative, a team of faculty and staff dedicated to the acceleration of brain research.
Crespi’s teaching duties include undergraduate classes on agribusiness finance and food markets.
He earned two bachelor’s degrees, in English and economics, from California State University, Sacramento; a master’s degree in economics from Colorado State University; and a doctorate degree in agricultural and resource economics from the University of California, Davis.
The Center for Agricultural and Rural Development, established in 1950, conducts innovative public policy and economic research on agricultural, environmental and food issues. CARD combines academic excellence with engagement and anticipatory thinking to inform and benefit society. Center researchers develop and apply economic theory, quantitative methods and interdisciplinary approaches to create relevant knowledge.