College of Agriculture & Natural Resources Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics

Since the early years of international activities at Michigan State University, faculty in the Department of Agricultural Economics/Agricultural, Food and Resource Economics have been called upon periodically by Departmental, College, and University leaders to guide the establishment and operations of international activities.  These were sometimes group as well as individual stocktaking and forward-looking exercises, always aimed at keeping international activities alive, growing and producing meaningful as well as integrated contributions to the Departments, as well as to the College and University teaching, research and outreach portfolios.  

A number of milestone guidance documents and other support efforts are listed below starting as early as 1959 and have continued to the present.

These were all directed towards the challenge of helping inform the question of how AEC/AFRE’s and broader MSU’s international involvement could grow and best contribute to a wide range of domestic and international stakeholders.  Since AEC/AFRE was formally established in 1949 until to 2015 there have been 8 different Department Chairpersons and 3 section heads/acting leaders who have each helped guide and support Departmental faculty during their respective tenures.  Four of the first five Chairpersons were each active participants in implementing and shaping international activities (Boger, Hathaway, Riley, and Manderscheid) before taking on Departmental leadership duties.  In more recent times, Connor, Hamm and Hanson have grown into taking important international as well as domestic leadership roles but coming primarily with domestic agriculture experiences.  Connor's summary insights (10 commandments) on international dimensions of the Department have been of lasting value.

Historical Contributions of AEC/AFRE Faculty to Guidance on Departmental and MSU International Programs

•  Towards An International Dimension at Michigan State University. 1959. by Lawrence W. Witt.
• A Report to the President of Michigan State University from the Committee on the Future of the University. 1959. by Dale E. Hathaway
• Report to Dean Cowden by the International Committee of the College of Agriculture. 1963. by Harold M. Riley
• The International Dimension of the Department of Agricultural Economics at Michigan State University. 1964. by Robert D. Stevens, Chairperson
• The International Focus at Michigan State University: Report from the International Programs Review Committee to Review, Evaluation, and Guidelines for International Studies and Programs at Michigan State University. 1967.  by Lawrence L. Boger, Chairperson
• Foreign Educational and Professional Experiences of Members of the Department of Agricultural Economics at Michigan State University before and After Joining MSU. 1966. by Orion Ulrey
• International Activities in the Department of Agricultural Economics - A Position Paper. By Harold Riley, Lester Manderscheid, Carl Eicher and Ed Rossmiller. 1976
• International Activities of the Department of Agricultural Economics.  By Derek Byerlee, Kelly Harrison and G. E. Rossmiller. 1977.
• Ten Commandments for a Good International Programs at MSU. . 1978. by Larry J. Connor
• A Report from the International Review Committee to Reassess the International Dimension of the College and Prepare Recommendations for Future Directions. 1979. by Harold M. Riley
• International Activities of the Department of Agricultural Economics. 1986. By John Staatz and Michael Weber. 
• Departmental Values in Pursuit of Excellence - 1986. by Larry J. Connor.
• A Strategic Plan for Excellence in MSU's Department of Agricultural Economics. 1990.  By the Department of Agricultural Economics
• Highlights of the MSU/AFRE Food Security II/III Cooperative Agreement: Cutting Hunger and Poverty in Africa through Better Programs and Policies. 1995
• Facilitating Effective Food Security Policy Reform. 1996. Policy Brief No. 17. MSU Food Security II faculty team.
• MSU/AFRE and Other Contributions to the Partnership to Cut Poverty and Hunger in Africa: Historical Milestones. 2001
• AEC’s African Food Security Portfolio: Bridging to a More Secure and Productive Future. 2007. By Food Security Project Co-Directors (Boughton, Crawford, Staatz and Weber).
• Improving Food Security in Africa: Highlights of 25 Years of Research, Capacity-Building, and Outreach. 2009. By The MSU Food Security Group. Policy Brief Number 84.
• The MSU/AFRE Food Security Group. 2008 -2014
• Steve Hanson, Chairperson of AFRE, Appointed Dean of MSU International Studies and Programs at MSU. April 2014.
• Historical Milestones of AFRE International Involvement in Teaching, Research, Outreach and Capacity/Institution Building Activities. Draft May 2, 2015.  By Michael T. Weber, Professor Emeritus.
• Weber speaking notes (Ten Commandments for a Good International Program: Then and Now - L.J. Connor, 2/18/87 & M. Weber, 5/15/2015)