F.R.E. Lunch: The Food and Resource Economics Podcast

In this episode of FRE Lunch, hosts Caleb Stair and Alena Poulin discuss statistics released by the National Retail Federation, the American Farm Bureau Federation, the American Pyrotechnic Association, and the American Automobile Association, and how the money spent by consumers during the 2026 Independence Day Holiday period can have a multiplier effect on the economy.  Send us Fan Mail The opin...

In this episode, recent undergraduate alumni Morgan Smith and her honors thesis advisor Dr. Suzanne Thornsbury discuss their work together on understanding the impact a recall notice can have on a food business.  Send us Fan Mail The opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are their sole responsibility do not represent positions, policies or opinion of the University of Florida, UF/IFAS, or t...

Each spring, Earth Day saves as an international reminder about the importance of environmental conservation, which includes preserving rural lands and promoting thoughtful growth. Here in the UF/IFAS Food and Resource Economics Department, assistant professor and extension economist Dr. Nathan Palardy has spent the last several years developing an integrated research and extension program focused...

Send us Fan Mail The opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are their sole responsibility do not represent positions, policies or opinion of the University of Florida, UF/IFAS, or the UF/IFAS Department of Food and Resource Economics. Got thoughts on the episode, questions for us, or an idea for what we should cover next? Reach out to us by email at fre@ifas.ufl.edu Intro and Outro Music - &...

Happy Valentine's Day from FRE Lunch! As many people plan to celebrate this holiday with their loved ones, enjoying gifts of wine and chocolate, we sat down with UF/IFAS Food and Resource Economics Professor Jaclyn Kropp & former American Wine Association executive director John Sporing to discuss how extreme weather events can effect this unique agricultural industry. Send us Fan Mail Th...

Happy New Year From FRE Lunch!  In this episode, Dr. Bachir Kassas, associate professor in FRE and founder of the UF/IFAS Economic Experiment Lab joins us to discuss how the neuroeconomic tools used in his research help  us better understand decision making, and how that understanding relates to policy making, marketing, and individual decision making to promote healthy eating.  For current UF stu...

Happy 100th Birthday to FRE! That's right, 2026 marks the 100th anniversary of our department. To celebrate this season of FRE Lunch will focus on providing an overview of all our different research areas that have impacted the state of Florida, as well as our national and global food systems. To learn more about our plans for events surrounding the Centennial, visit go.ufl.edu/FRE-100-Years...

Did you know that the University of Florida is home to the largest student run plant sale in the United States? Each December, the Environmental Horticulture Club sells thousands of Poinsettias to fund their organization's activities year-round, but the work actually starts all the way back in August when they first receive the plants to raise. To learn more about the logistics behind this pl...

Happy Thanksgiving from the UF/IFAS Food and Resource Economics Department!  In this episode, we're focused on the hard work that sometimes goes unnoticed, but is critical to putting food on the table for our holiday feasts and everyday meals.  FRE undergraduate student Savannah Bailey and AEC assistant instructional professor Dr. Heather Young join us to discuss their experiences growing up...

Happy Halloween from FRE Lunch! While millions of people around the U.S. are getting ready to celebrate and fill their trick or treating bags with delicious candy, the FRE Lunch podcast sat down with UF Double Gator and Master of Agribusiness alumni Joshua Jantz to learn more about how the implementation of precision agriculture technology by his company, U.S. Sugar is helping maximize efficiency...

FRE Lunch is back, with a very seasonal season all about the economics behind some of our favorite holiday traditions in our upcoming special mini-series! Send us Fan Mail The opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are their sole responsibility do not represent positions, policies or opinion of the University of Florida, UF/IFAS, or the UF/IFAS Department of Food and Resource Economics. Got...

Join us for the final episode of our Freshwater Economics Season as we discuss all things tourism!  We are joined today by two expert guests: Dr. Taylor Stein, Professor of Ecotourism in the UF School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences Dr. Sergio Alvarez, Associate Professor of Tourism Economics in Rosen College of Hospitality Management at the University of Central Florida This episode...

In this episode of the Fresh Water Economics Season, we are joined by two guests, Christa Court and Jay Capasso, to discuss Best Management Practices (BMPs) and how they relate to Florida's Agricultural Water Usage. Christa Court is an associate professor in the UF/IFAS Food and Resource Economics Department and Director of the UF/IFAS Economic Impact Analysis Program.  Jay Capasso is the Nor...

In this episode we are joined by three guests to tackle two topics that are causing major disruption to Florida's freshwater ecosystems: Harmful Algal Blooms and Invasive Species! Abhishek Rajan and Liam Corcoran are graduate students in the Food and Resource Economics Department, whose work with Dr. Olesya Savchenko has focused on the management of hydrilla: Florida's most expensive aqu...

In this episode, Drs. Weizhe Weng, Andrea Albertin and Yilin Zhuang join us to discuss rules, regulations, and treatment for Florida's drinking water systems. More Resources Hall, N.D. The Safe Drinking Water Act at 50 years. Nat Water 2, 1132–1133 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44221-024-00356-w Florida Well Owner Network website: https://water.ifas.ufl.edu/well/   What Homeowners Should D...

Olesya Savchenko, assistant professor of food and resource economics, and Don Rainey, UF/IFAS Extension Specialist, discuss Reclaimed Water reality and perceptions and how it impacts Florida Agriculture. Send us Fan Mail The opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are their sole responsibility do not represent positions, policies or opinion of the University of Florida, UF/IFAS, or the UF/IFA...

A Rose by any other name would smell as sweet - but does word choice impact our opinions? In this episode, Dr. Sadie Hundemer, assistant professor of Agricultural Education and Communication, discusses the study of human behavior, and how understanding mental models and trusted sources can improve the way we talk about water science issues.  Send us Fan Mail The opinions expressed by guests on thi...

From precipitation to perception, this season of FRE Lunch is all about the economics of fresh water! Today we are joined by podcast guest Dr. Matt Cohen, Director of the UF Water Institute to provide an overview of Florida's freshwater and the challenges associated with its management. The Water Institute brings together collaborators across disciplines at UF, and will be partnering with us...

Known as the Sunshine State, Florida is also synonymous with water. And so, it’s no surprise that as our state’s flagship university, the University of Florida is renowned for its expertise in water-related research.  That is why, we are excited to announce the launch of our second season of FRE Lunch – The Food and Resource Economics Podcast . This season, we will be partnering with the UF Water...

Happy Valentine’s Day from F.R.E. Lunch ! Whether you're enjoying a romantic dinner out or cooking a meal at home, there’s one big question—where are your leftovers going? In part two of our first-ever two-part episode, we're diving deeper into the behavioral science behind efforts to reduce food waste on college campuses with guest expert Dr. Olesya Savchenko, assistant professor of foo...

Did you know that, according to the National Resources Defense Council, 22 million pounds of food is wasted annually on college campuses?  In today's episode, we'll discuss the economics of food waste, and some of the strategies such as composting, trayless dining, and educational efforts that are being used by the University of Florida to reduce food waste on campus. We are joined by ex...

As temperatures drop this December, we sat down with Dr. Jamie Dinkins Bookwalter and Dr. Will Kohlway, two Christmas tree specialists from North Carolina State Extension. Join us for the final episode of 2024 as we discuss the economic impacts of the forestry industry, the ecosystem services forests provide, the unique Christmas Tree farm industry in North Carolina, and how North Carolina's...

November is National Entrepreneurship Month! To celebrate, we interview Food and Resource Undergraduate alumnus Emma Biggers about her small business, how she applies the lessons learned through her major to running it, and the research project it inspired where she sought to evaluate the economic feasibility of an entirely local cotton t-shirt supply chain in Florida where the cotton would produc...

Happy Halloween! In this very special episode, we sit down with the UF Smathers Libraries marketing and communications team to discuss their latest Sasquatch themed marketing campaign and are even visited by a ghost - I mean guest - from episode 1, Dr. Christa Court, to learn about the direct and indirect effects of Cryptid Tourism on local economies. Send us Fan Mail The opinions expressed by gue...

In this episode, Nathan Palardy, assistant professor of Food and Resource Economics, joins the F.R.E. lunch podcast team to discuss how craft breweries impact local economies, and his research into the policies surrounding beer sales in the United States. Note: This episode was initially scheduled for release in September, but was delayed due to the wide-ranging impacts of Hurricane Helene across...