Former Assistant Department Head Takes the Helm
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture has named Chris Boyer as the head of the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, effective June 1, 2024. He transitions into the new role following his service as assistant department head since 2023.
“Chris Boyer is a dynamic faculty member who has earned the respect of his colleagues through his outstanding and innovative work,” said Keith Carver, senior vice chancellor and senior vice president of the UT Institute of Agriculture. “We are excited to see him take on this important role in a department known for its excellence in teaching, research, and Extension initiatives.”
Boyer replaces Chris Clark, following his move to UTIA’s executive leadership team. Bill Johnson, Jerry L. Gibbs Professor of Practice in the department, has been serving as interim head since August 2023.
“I am extremely honored to be selected for this position,” said Boyer. “We have outstanding faculty who embody the Volunteer spirit and land-grant mission in the classroom and across the state. I am very excited about the future of our department.”
Joining the department in 2012, Boyer rose through the faculty ranks to attain the rank of professor in 2022. Much of his teaching and research programs focus on farm business management, specifically analyzing ways to help producers increase profits and manage risk to enhance the long-term economic sustainability of farm businesses in Tennessee and across the United States. Frequently working in multidisciplinary teams of scientists and Extension specialists, he and his colleagues identify relevant real-world issues and develop practical solutions. He authored or coauthored 112 refereed journal articles and 26 UT Extension reports on these topics. His research has been featured in numerous popular press outlets such as BEEF, Farm Press, Farm Progress, Progressive Farmer, Southern Ag Today, Crop & Soils magazine, and Progressive Forage.
To date, Boyer has held numerous leadership positions, such as serving as director for the Southern Agricultural Economics Association from 2019-2021 and currently serving as editor for the Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics. Boyer was most recently selected to participate in LEAD21, an immersive professional development program for academic leaders from the land-grant system. He was named an AgResearch Faculty Fellow in 2022-2023 for UTIA, served on its Faculty Innovation Council, and previously chaired the Institute’s advisory council. Additionally, he codeveloped a successful study-abroad course to Argentina that focuses on the country’s global agricultural supply chain.
Boyer has garnered numerous awards, such as the Mid-Career Faculty Research Excellence Award, the Distinguished Professional Contribution Award from the Southern Agricultural Economics Association, the T.J. Whatley Distinguished Young Scientist Award, and the Glynn and Lynda Newton Entrepreneurial Development Award, to name a few.
Boyer holds a doctorate in agricultural economics from Oklahoma State University. He earned his master’s degree in agricultural economics and a bachelor’s in agribusiness, both from Texas A&M University.
The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture is comprised of the Herbert College of Agriculture, UT College of Veterinary Medicine, UT AgResearch and UT Extension. Through its land-grant mission of teaching, research and outreach, the Institute touches lives and provides Real. Life. Solutions. to Tennesseans and beyond. utia.tennessee.edu.