Agricultural & Applied Economics Association
A professional association serving people working in agricultural and applied economics.
Last updated August 25, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
The Agricultural & Applied Economics Association (AAEA) is a United States-based professional association for people engaged in agricultural economics, applied economics, research, teaching, policy analysis, and related fields. Its work is centered on developing and disseminating economic knowledge concerning agriculture, food systems, natural resources, rural communities, and other applied policy questions. The association functions as a scholarly and professional network rather than a commercial consumer brand, providing platforms through which economists and allied researchers can exchange findings, publish research, participate in conferences, and contribute to public discussion. AAEA traces its institutional history to the American Farm Management Association, established at Iowa State University in 1910. In 1919, that organization adopted the name American Farm Economics Association, reflecting the growing formalization of economics as a field concerned with farm management and agricultural decision-making. A later organizational division occurred in 1968, when a group separated from the existing association and established the American Agricultural Economics Association. The organization subsequently adopted its current Agricultural & Applied Economics Association name, signaling a broader scope beyond agriculture-specific analysis and a stronger emphasis on applied economic research. A central activity of AAEA is its annual meeting, which brings together academics, researchers, policy specialists, educators, and other professionals for presentations, discussion, networking, and the exchange of research. The association also supports scholarly communication through three Wiley-published journals: the American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, and the Journal of the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association. These publications cover agricultural and food economics as well as broader applied economic perspectives and policy issues. The Journal of the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association was launched in 2021, adding a newer publication outlet to the association's established journal portfolio. AAEA also recognizes leading contributors to the discipline through honors such as its Fellows program. The association's Fellows have included Scott H. Irwin and Elisabeth Sadoulet. Overall, AAEA serves as a professional and scholarly institution linking economic research with practical questions in agriculture, food, resources, development, and public policy. Available reference material does not identify a commercial parent, listed security, principal owner, current headquarters, or named founder for the association.
History
The association's recorded institutional history begins in 1910, when the American Farm Management Association was founded at Iowa State University. Its initial identity reflected the practical concerns of farm management and the need to develop organized economic analysis for agricultural decision-making. As agricultural economics matured as an academic and professional field, the organization changed its name in 1919 to the American Farm Economics Association. The new name placed greater emphasis on economics as the discipline underlying farm management, agricultural production, and related rural questions. A significant structural change took place in 1968. A group departed from the existing organization and formed the American Agricultural Economics Association. This created a distinct association focused explicitly on agricultural economics and marked an important stage in the organizational development of the profession. The organization later broadened its name to the Agricultural & Applied Economics Association. That change reflected an expanded intellectual remit: although agriculture remained central, the association also represented applied economic research addressing food, resources, rural economies, development, policy, and other real-world economic issues. AAEA's professional role has been expressed through recurring meetings and scholarly publishing. The association holds an annual meeting that provides a venue for research presentations, professional discussion, and interaction among economists and related specialists. Its publication program includes three journals published by Wiley: the American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, and the Journal of the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association. Together, these outlets support disciplinary research, policy-relevant analysis, and broader applied-economic scholarship. The Journal of the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association began publication in 2021, adding a contemporary journal to the association's established portfolio. The association also maintains professional recognition traditions, including its Fellows designation. Referenced Fellows include Scott H. Irwin and Elisabeth Sadoulet, illustrating the association's role in recognizing influential contributions to agricultural and applied economics. The available reference material does not provide a current headquarters address, a complete leadership roster, membership totals, financial information, or a detailed account of programs beyond the annual meeting, journals, and professional recognition. Accordingly, the documented history is strongest on the association's name changes, organizational split, meeting tradition, and journal publishing activities.
- 2021
New journal launched
[1]The Journal of the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association was launched as a new scholarly publication associated with AAEA.
- 1968
American Agricultural Economics Association established
[1]A group left the existing organization and formed the American Agricultural Economics Association.
- 1919
Renamed American Farm Economics Association
[1]The association adopted the American Farm Economics Association name, emphasizing the growing role of economics in the study and management of agriculture.
- 1910
American Farm Management Association founded
[1]The organization that ultimately developed into AAEA was founded at Iowa State University under the name American Farm Management Association.
Products and positioning
A professional and scholarly association connecting agricultural and applied economists through research publication, annual meetings, professional exchange, and recognition of contributions to the field.
Academic journal
American Journal of Agricultural Economics
A Wiley-published scholarly journal associated with AAEA and focused on research in agricultural economics and closely related areas. It forms part of the association's established publication program and provides a channel for academic work addressing agricultural markets, production, policy, resources, and related economic questions.
Academic journal
Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy
A Wiley-published journal in the AAEA portfolio that emphasizes applied economic perspectives and policy-relevant analysis. Its positioning extends beyond narrowly agricultural topics toward economic work intended to inform interpretation, policy discussion, and practical decision-making.
Academic journal · 2021
Journal of the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association
A Wiley-published journal launched in 2021 under the AAEA banner. The publication broadens the association's scholarly outlets for agricultural and applied economics research and complements its longer-established journals.
Professional conference
AAEA Annual Meeting
AAEA's recurring annual meeting is a professional forum for presenting research, discussing economic and policy issues, and building connections among agricultural and applied economists and related specialists.
Recent events
- 2021
Launch of the Journal of the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association[1]
Product launch
AAEA launched the Journal of the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, expanding its portfolio of scholarly publications alongside the American Journal of Agricultural Economics and Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy.
Sources2 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/agricultural-and-applied-economics-association · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled