Bill Knudson

Bill Knudson is a Professor in the Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics at Michigan State University (MSU), affiliated with the College of Agriculture & Natural Resources. He serves as the Product Marketing Economist at the MSU Product Center Food • Ag • Bio, focusing on applied economic analysis in agriculture, food, and bioeconomy sectors. He is also Director of the Michigan Cooperative Development Program, supporting cooperatives' business development and managing a USDA-RD grant. Knudson holds a Ph.D. from MSU and a B.A. from California State University.

His research interests include state-level agricultural policy, bioeconomy dynamics, agricultural market analysis, agri-entrepreneurship, and rural development. He has taught courses such as Ag Policy, Food Marketing, and Farm Management at Lansing Community College. His recent work emphasizes Michigan-based meat and livestock value chains and farmland ownership trends. Over 9 years as a Policy Advisor for the Michigan Senate Majority Policy Office, he addressed agriculture, higher education, and appropriations issues.

Key publications include analyses of Michigan's agricultural outlook, cooperative governance handbooks, and studies on foreign farmland ownership. His work bridges academic research with practical policy applications, aiming to enhance rural economic resilience and sustainable agri-food systems.