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F.R.E. Lunch: The Food and Resource Economics Podcast
Have you ever wondered why the chicken crossed the road and now costs twice as much at your local grocery store? Maybe you're curious about how alligators, beer, and Bigfoot can all be major drivers of economic activity.
Then join us at the table for a monthly serving of F.R.E. Lunch, the official podcast of the UF/IFAS Food and Resource Economics Department (FRE).
Whether you're an aspiring economist or an inquisitive individual who wants to learn more about how consumer behavior shapes our relationship with food and natural resource systems, this is the podcast for you!
In each episode, we'll serve bite-sized lessons on the latest research in agricultural and applied economics, showcasing the many ways FRE students and faculty are using research to understand and address the complex issues facing agricultural and natural resource industries.
So we hope you'll join us. Our easily digestible format will be sure to bring you back for seconds.
Class Notes can also be found on our website, a teaching resource designed to allow episodes to be seamlessly incorporated into existing classroom curriculums.
F.R.E. Lunch: The Food and Resource Economics Podcast
Forestry & Finance: The Economics of U.S. Christmas Tree Farms
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 Christmas tree farms were impacted by Hurricane Helene this year.
Additional Resources:
- NC State Extension - Christmas Trees Program
- Dr. Jamie Bookwalter - Directory Page
- Dr. Will Kohlway - Directory Page
Statistics from Today's Episode:
- Oswalt , S. (2019, April). The state of the Forest. USDA.
- Florida Forests. Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
- (December 2023) 2023 U.S. Forestry Economic Contributions by State. Arkansas Center for Forest Business.
- (November 2024). Christmas tree: plans among U.S. consumers in 2024. Statista.
- (November 2021). Time to put up the Christmas tree in the United States 2021. Statista.
- (January 2024) 2023 Season Recap. National Christmas Tree Association.
- (November 2024) Christmas tree: plans among U.S. consumers in 2024, by age group. Statista.
- Ferrell, J. & Richardson, S. (December 2024) Real v. Artificial: The Christmas Tree Decision. Red River Radio.
- (November 2024) Planned expenditure for Christmas decorations in the United States 2024. Statista.
- Camberg, N. (December 2024). Mapped: Where US Christmas trees come from. WMTW.
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 be email at fre@ifas.ufl.edu
