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.
- Update frequency
- every 27 days
- Average duration
- 15 minutes
- Episodes
- 17
- Years Active
- 2024 - 2025
Befuddled by BMPs? A Guide to Florida's Agricultural Water Usage
In this episode of the Fresh Water Economics Season, we are joined by two guests, Christa Court and Jay Capasso, to discuss Best Management Practices (BMPs) and how they relate to Florida's Agricultu…
HABs & Invasive Species: Fighting Florida's Ecosystem Disruptors
In this episode we are joined by three guests to tackle two topics that are causing major disruption to Florida's freshwater ecosystems: Harmful Algal Blooms and Invasive Species!
Abhishek Rajan and L…
From Wells to Wellness: Understanding Florida's Drinking Water Systems
In this episode, Drs. Weizhe Weng, Andrea Albertin and Yilin Zhuang join us to discuss rules, regulations, and treatment for Florida's drinking water systems.
More Resources
- Hall, N.D. The Safe Drinkin…
Reclaimed Water Reservations: Unpacking the "Yuck’"Factor
Olesya Savchenko, assistant professor of food and resource economics, and Don Rainey, UF/IFAS Extension Specialist, discuss Reclaimed Water reality and perceptions and how it impacts Florida Agricult…
Nutrients & Nuance: The Complicated Science Behind Effective Water Communications
A Rose by any other name would smell as sweet - but does word choice impact our opinions?
In this episode, Dr. Sadie Hundemer, assistant professor of Agricultural Education and Communication, discusse…
The Soggy Sunshine State: Figuring Out Florida's Freshwater
From precipitation to perception, this season of FRE Lunch is all about the economics of fresh water!
Today we are joined by podcast guest Dr. Matt Cohen, Director of the UF Water Institute to provide…
Season 2 Coming Soon! Join us for a Deep Dive into Freshwater Economics with the UF Water Institute
Known as the Sunshine State, Florida is also synonymous with water. And so, it’s no surprise that as our state’s flagship university, the University of Florida is renowned for its expertise in water-…
Love Your Leftovers: Tackling Food Waste on College Campuses
Happy Valentine’s Day from F.R.E. Lunch! Whether you're enjoying a romantic dinner out or cooking a meal at home, there’s one big question—where are your leftovers going?
In part two of our first-ever…
Scrapped Snacks - Exploring Food Waste Reduction on College Campuses
Did you know that, according to the National Resources Defense Council, 22 million pounds of food is wasted annually on college campuses?
In today's episode, we'll discuss the economics of food waste…
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 episo…
Small Businesses, Big Impact: Potential Futures for Clothing Production in Florida
November is National Entrepreneurship Month! To celebrate, we interview Food and Resource Undergraduate alumnus Emma Biggers about her small business, how she applies the lessons learned through her …
Buying into Bigfoot: Cryptid Tourism’s Boost to Local Economies
Happy Halloween! In this very special episode, we sit down with the UF Smathers Libraries marketing and communications team to discuss their latest Sasquatch themed marketing campaign and are even vi…
Beer and Business - The Economic Impact of Craft Beer in America
In this episode, Nathan Palardy, assistant professor of Food and Resource Economics, joins the F.R.E. lunch podcast team to discuss how craft breweries impact local economies, and his research into t…
How Potential Disease Outbreaks Could Impact the United States Cattle Industry: The Economic Considerations
This month's episode of F.R.E. Lunch: The Food and Resource Economics Podcast explores the potential threats posed by a zoonotic disease outbreak to the U.S. Cattle Industry and provides a unique loo…
The United States Shark Fin Ban
Since 2022, United States policy has made it illegal to sell or buy shark fins in the United States.
In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Andrew Ropicki, UF/IFAS Food and Resource Economics Assistant…
How Hurricanes Affect Florida Agriculture: Assessing Short-Term Economic Impacts
Dr. Christa Court is an Assistant Professor of Regional Economics in the UF Food and Resource Economics Department and Director for the UF/IFAS Economic Impact Analysis Program. In this episode, Dr. …
Introducing F.R.E. Lunch
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 Depa…