Weir Joins Penn State Faculty

Becca Weir, Ph.D., has been named Assistant Professor of Agricultural Economics in Penn State’s Department of Agricultural Economics, Sociology, and Education, in the College of Agricultural Sciences. Prior to joining Penn State in September, Becca received her Ph.D. in Applied Economics from the University of Minnesota. Becca also holds an M.S. degree in Applied Economics from the University of Minnesota, a B.A. degree in Economics from Minnesota State University-Moorhead, and an A.S. degree in Liberal Arts from the North Dakota State College of Science.

In this position, Becca aims to develop an Extension program centered on farm and risk management, agricultural finance, and agricultural policy, as these are the cornerstones of her research program. Through her integrated research and extension programs, she aims to identify management strategies and effective policy implementation that enhance the economic viability of the ever-evolving agricultural industry.

Weir said, "Farms are businesses, and finding strategies to achieve financial success is increasingly important due to market volatility. Market conditions have a significant impact on a farm’s profitability, so it's essential to control the controllables within an operation. My goals within this position are to identify strategies for producers to manage their risk and volatility, to understand federal and state policy interventions that impact farmers, and to share these insights to assist with decision-making."

Becca will contribute to several Extension teams, including the dairy and livestock teams. Weir said, "I am excited for the opportunity to immerse myself in the dairy and livestock industry in Pennsylvania and support producers through Extension programming."

Becca grew up on a dairy farm in central Minnesota, and she leverages her on-farm experiences within her research portfolio. As a researcher, her philosophy is to answer applied research questions that have tangible impacts on agricultural producers. She has previously worked on analyzing the Dairy Margin Coverage program, a federal dairy risk management program. She has also estimated the relationship between genetics and farm profitability, identifying genetic selection based on the net merit index as an effective strategy for dairy producers.

In her free time, Becca enjoys sampling local dairy products, such as ice cream and chocolate milk. She also enjoys playing volleyball, staying active, and spending time with friends and family.