Agricultural and Resource Economics Professor Honored with Distinguished Cooperative Extension Award

Colorado State University’s Alumni Relations office will honor Dana Hoag, professor in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, with the Distinguished Cooperative Extension Award at a special ceremony on Friday, Feb. 17. The award is given as a part of the Distinguished Alumni Award series.

Hoag received his bachelor’s in farm and ranch management from Colorado State in 1980, and in 1981, he graduated with his master’s in agricultural economics. He went on to Washington State University to complete his doctorate.

"Dana is an alumnus of Colorado State University who has attained national attention for his work with Cooperative Extension and research in agricultural economics and agricultural policy," said John Loomis, professor in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics.  

Hoag is active in working with Cooperative Extension faculty in his department, on campus and in Colorado. He obtained funding for the RightRisk program for farmers. The program helps farmers and ranchers understand risks to their profits and learn how their management decisions affect those risks. This program won the Cooperative Extension Team Award in 2004 and the State Team Award in Colorado from the Epsilon Sigma Phi Cooperative Extension Professionals, also in 2004.

Hoag also was instrumental in bringing the Colorado Institute of Public Policy to Colorado State. CIPP encourages problem-solving among the environment, agriculture and people through research.

A professor in the agricultural department, Hoag also serves as the president of the Western Agricultural Economics Association. Several of his journal articles have been published, as well as a popular book entitled "Agricultural Crisis in America: Contemporary World Issues." He was also instrumental in developing the "Western Economic Forum" publication of the Western Agricultural Economics Association and served as its co-editor from 2002-04.

Hoag’s research into manure application and irrigation and soil issues has appeared in widely read journals, including "Journal of Soil and Water Conservation" and "Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics."

At Colorado State, Hoag has served as the chair of the research strategic planning committee and has been an active participant on Colorado State’s assessment committee.

"Dana’s teaching, graduate advising and Cooperative Extension work at Colorado State University is an important decision aid for farmers throughout Colorado, Wyoming and the intermountain West," Loomis said.  "He is the embodiment of the land grant university’s call to integrate one’s research with real world applications via extension."

-30-