The American Meat Science Association (AMSA) is honored to announce Jayson Lusk, Professor and the Willard Sparks Endowed Chair in the Agricultural Economics department at Oklahoma State University, will present a keynote address entitled “The Food Police: A Well-Fed Manifesto about the Politics of Your Plate” at the AMSA 67th Reciprocal Meat Conference (RMC) on Monday, June 16, 2014 in Madison, WI. In his presentation Dr. Lusk will take a critical look at the politics behind food and agriculture.  Lusk argues that the “food movement” is built on ever-greater government involvement in the nation’s grocery stores and kitchens, and that consumers should be wary of who is redesigning their food system. Dr. Lusk will then moderate a panel of AMSA members to discuss their insights on current issues, project what issues the food industry needs to start preparing for and what will need to be done to ensure future successes. 

Dr. Lusk’s research - focuses on predicting and understanding consumer behavior as it relates to food. Since 2000, he’s published more than 120 articles in peer reviewed scientific journals on a wide range of topics ranging from the economics of animal welfare to consumer preferences for genetically modified food to the impacts of new technologies and policies on livestock and meat markets to analyzing the merits of new survey and experimental approaches eliciting consumer preferences.

Following many years of studying food regulation at Oklahoma State University and comparing costs and benefits of policies in question, Lusk grew disenfranchised with a movement that he feels ignores the realities facing most American consumers and farmers. Lusk argues that the “food elite” in America have made food more expensive (putting the less fortunate at a disadvantage), and prevented us from taking full advantage of emerging technologies in the food industry. His book The Food Police: A Well-Fed Manifesto about the Politics of Your Plate is a critical account of food and agriculture economics.

Dr. Lusk has been listed as one of the most prolific and cited food and agricultural economists of the past decade in a variety of outlets, won numerous research awards, and given lectures at over 30 universities in the U.S. and abroad. He has served on the editorial councils of seven academic journals including the American Journal of Agricultural Economics and the Journal of Environmental Economics and Management.

For more information and registration regarding the AMSA 67^th RMC please visit: http://www.meatscience.org/rmcor contact Deidrea Mabry 1-800-517-AMSA ext. 12 or dmabry@meatscience.org.

Source: AMSA