Peter J. Barry has been an active, long-time contributor to agricultural economics. He is an accomplished researcher, an effective teacher, a respected leader, and a responsible professional citizen. He has a strong, consistent record of outreach activities with stakeholder groups. He has also been a loyal and dedicated member of AAEA, and to his three universities (University of Guelph, 1969-71; Texas A&M University, 1971-78; University of Illinois, 1979-present).

Peter's research and education accomplishments reflect a combination of theory, applications, and policy analysis in agricultural finance and risk management. He is especially interested in applying new finance concepts to agricultural problems. Substantive contributions have occurred in financial management, markets, and policies. Examples include the linkages among a firm's financial, production, and marketing decisions; equilibrium analysis under uncertainty; credit relationships, risk assessment, and loan pricing; farmland investment returns and applications of the capital asset pricing model; regulatory changes in financial markets; revisions of public credit programs; and applications of the new economics of organizations to agricultural finance. Recent activities range from working with financial industry groups in evaluating proposed changes in government-sponsored enterprises, to generalizing the time weight of an investor's utility function to reflect changing time attitudes (Amer. J. Agr. Econ., November 1996, pp. 972-81).

Peter has published extensively and is an author or coauthor of several books, including Financial Management in Agriculture (five editions with J.A. Hopkin, C.B. Baker, and P.N. Ellinger), Risk Management in Agriculture (editor), and The Competitive Firms Response to Risk along with Present Value Models and Investment Analysis (both with L.J. Robison). Much of his work has involved regional research projects, graduate students, and other collaborations with colleagues. His policy and outreach work typically involves regulatory agencies and finance trade associations at the federal and state levels.

Peter gained a unique acquaintance with the diversity of people and issues in agricultural economics through lengthy service as a journal editor. From 1976 to 1980, he was the first editor of the Western Journal of Agricultural Economics (now the Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics), soon followed by three years as an associate editor and then five years as editor of the American Journal of Agricultural Economics. He was also a consulting editor to the European Review of Agricultural Economics and to the McGraw-Hill series of books in agricultural economics. In lieu of retirement from editing, he continues as case studies editor of AAEA's new Review of Agricultural Economics.

This lengthy experience with the people and issues in agricultural economics enhanced Peter's role as president of AAEA. The 1992-95 time was (and still is) one of significant change for the Association as it adapted to an evolving environment, with new opportunities for serving current and prospective members. Peter facilitated long-range planning by the AAEA Executive Board and joined with others to implement a Kellogg-funded exploration of the Association's future. He also helped lead the development of the Council on Food, Agricultural, and Resource Economics (C-FARE) to give agricultural economics a stronger voice in federal budgetary, planning, and policy matters affecting agricultural research and education. Congressional testimonies, priority-setting initiatives, communicating about the payoffs of research and education, and collaboration with the administrative and professional leadership of other agricultural sciences illustrate Peter's C-FARE experiences.

Recently, one of Peter's AAEA colleagues described him as a quiet activist. This apt distinction fits well with the nature of his diverse contributions in research, education, outreach, and professional service. His on-going interests and assignments, including work with colleagues in The Center for Farm and Rural Business Finance at the University of Illinois, assure that he will be productively active for a long time to come.