public-professor

Cockwombles, Cornucopias and the Curious Task of Economics

About the talk:

Financial pressures. Environmental concerns. Technological change. Shifting consumer preferences. Infrastructure limitations. Government interventionism. These factors, and more, contribute to the complexity and challenges owned by farmers, ranchers and others in the agri-food industry in Canada. Agri-entrepreneurs and producers operate at an intersection of scarcity, uncertainty, natural resource stewardship and business efficiency — a balance that seems increasingly difficult to maintain, or even to achieve.

Economic science enables us to better grasp the source, the nature and the consequences of these issues. It helps guide decision making and informs what the implications of those choices are, both intended and unintended. Economics is not about money, being able to predict the future, or what the level of something should be. It is about people; it is who we are and the omnipresent trade-offs we each face. Join Dr. Danny Le Roy as he highlights his application of economic principles in view of better understanding and resolving problems in Canadian agriculture and agri-food.

Dr. Danny Le Roy is an Associate Professor of Economics at the University of Lethbridge and Senior Fellow with the Fraser Institute. His research focuses on production, marketing and trade of agricultural commodities. He is particularly interested in the effects of government interventionism. Dr. Le Roy teaches courses in agricultural systems modeling, commodity marketing, agricultural policy and microeconomics. He has served as the coordinator of the Agricultural Studies Program since 2010 and is a former Chair of the Department of Economics at ULethbridge. He has received the Agricultural Students Association Distinguished Teaching Award on two occasions and was the Prairie Baseball Academy’s Professor of the Year in 2018. He received his BA (Honours) in Economics from Carleton University and his MSc and PhD in Agricultural Economics and Business in from the University of Guelph.

Thank you to our sponsors:

The 2025-2026 PUBlic Professor Series has been generously supported by Knud Petersen, Dr. Dennis Connolly (LLD ’17), Dave and Kathy Greenwood, Dr. Michelle Helstein, Dr. Digvir and Manju Jayas, Deborah Lucas, and Dr. Dena McMartin.

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About the Series:

In June 2014, the Faculty of Arts & Science launched something special: the PUBlic Professor Series. In 2023, we expanded the series to include talks by researchers from across the University. This monthly lecture series is designed to spark thought-provoking discussions and bring a diverse group of experts and researchers from our campus right into the community.

While the series' scope has grown, its core mission remains unchanged. These talks will continue to offer valuable insights into topics that pique interest, inspire questions, and foster open and engaging conversations. The PUBlic Professor Series provides an excellent opportunity for the community to come together, connect with one another, and dive into meaningful discussions.

This series is a natural extension of the popular Public Professor column, co-edited by Dan Johnson and James Linville, which you may have enjoyed reading in the Lethbridge Herald. Over the span of three years, they published a total of 146 regular Saturday columns, each penned by our talented faculty, sharing intriguing aspects of their research with you.

Together, let’s explore the fascinating world of knowledge, one conversation at a time.

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