R.J.
Hildreth Award for Career Achievement in Public Policy Education,
1998
Ronald D. Knutson has had a career of scholarship and innovation
in teaching, leadership in the development of extension public
policy education programs, leadership in the development of professional
input into the policy decision process, and professional service
to Farm Foundation and AAEA.
Scholarship and Innovation in Teaching
Knutson is the lead author of the undergraduate policy textbook,
Agricultural and Food Policy--the first to recognize that agricultural
policy includes international, resource, and food policy components,
as well as domestic farm policy. This book, having served the
professional test of time, was redesigned in the 5th edition to
communicate with agricultural economics majors, non-majors, and
policy makersTo give students experience in the policy process,
Knutson created the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life
Sciences Congressional Intern Program. This program, now administered
by the Dean's office, has given over 298 students experience in
congressional and state legislative offices.
Leadership in Extension Public Policy Education Programs
From his arrival in 1975 at Texas A&M University, Knutson
provided leadership for development of nationally distributed
public policy education materials for every farm bill through
the 1996 bill. These materials were utilized by policy educators
throughout the US and also used in classrooms.
While well known and relied on by policy makers for his expertise
in domestic farm policy and dairy policy, Knutson also provided
national and state leadership in other areas where voids in knowledge
of policy options and consequences are apparent. In 1987 he was
national co-chair for the development of a set of extension education
materials on rural development policy options and consequences
that received the AAEA Quality of Communication Award.
Professional Input into the Policy Process
Knutson fostered, developed, and administered means of providing
direct professional input into the policy process. The best example
of this is the Agricultural and Food Policy Center at Texas A&M
University. Knutson was involved from its inception in development
of AFPC's congressional funding base. AFPC farm impacts analyses
became linked to FAPRI's analyses of sector impacts of policy
changes.
While Knutson does not take credit for development of the Cornell
University Dairy Markets and Policy Program, it grew out of the
same congressional funding base as AFPC, and Knutson has been
an active participant in developing education materials for that
program since its inception. As a result of his continued involvement
in the Cornell program and his extensive background in dairy marketing
and policy research, Knutson has been called upon by two Secretaries
of Agriculture to head up a Milk Pricing Advisory Committee and
a University Study Committee on Milk Pricing. Both made major
contributions to changes made in Federal Milk Marketing Order
pricing policy.
Professional Service
Knutson played a key role in fostering implementation of the so-called
big tent concept designed to serve all members of the profession.
His service in this capacity began prior to his election as a
member of the AAEA board through active participation in the strategic
planning process. As a board member Knutson was an active proponent
of sections as a means of achieving increased relevance. As chair
of AAEA's priorities and governance committee, he provided leadership
for section involvement in the nomination of officers and in program
development.
Knutson's role on the Farm Foundation board of directors and as
its first academic chair, has been to provide leadership for board
input into program development, to ensure that it maintains a
neutral stance regarding policy issues, and to provide opportunities
for agricultural economists to continue to provide leadership
for Farm Foundation programs in the face of other vested interest
challenges.
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