The Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, or AAEA, selected Rachael Goodhue, a UC Davis professor in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, a 2024 fellow.

Becoming a fellow is the highest honor to be bestowed by the association and recognizes significant contributions in the field. Goodhue was one of six selected along with experts from Michigan State University, Texas A&M University, the University of Guelph in Canada and elsewhere.

Goodhue is the 20th person from her department to be a named an AAEA fellow.

“I am extremely honored to be part of this group,” she said. “This recognition by professional colleagues has really inspired me to move forward expanding the frontiers of my research and the mentorship of students. Mentoring students is incredibly important to me.”

A letter nominating Goodhue described her significant contributions, leadership and scholarship work during her career. Her area of focus in agriculture includes contracts, economics of pesticides and industrial organization.

“Goodhue has compiled an enviable record of accomplishment, combining excellence in teaching, research, and outreach with exemplary leadership in public and university service, very much in the land-grant tradition,” the letter said. “Both by being an outstanding role model and through her funding, advising, and mentoring of graduate students and post-docs, Professor Goodhue has done much to advance the status of women in the profession.”

Goodhue came to UC Davis 1998, serving as an assistant, associate and full professor during her time on campus. From 2016 through Jan. 1, 2024, she was chair of the department. Since 2020 she has also been director of the California Agribusiness Executive Seminar program, which is offered by the department, UC Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and Wells Fargo Bank.

She won the UC Davis Graduate Studies Distinguished Graduate and Postdoctoral Mentoring Award in 2022.

Tiffany Loveridge, ARE's outreach coordinator, contributed to this report.