Dave Weatherspoon

Dave Weatherspoon is a Professor in the Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics at Michigan State University (MSU), where he also serves as Associate Provost of Enrollment and Academic Strategic Planning. He holds a Ph.D. in Food & Resource Economics from the University of Florida, an M.S. from Penn State, and a B.S. from MSU.

His academic roles include teaching courses on food industry marketing and industrial organization. Professionally, he leads research and policy initiatives to address food insecurity, poverty, and equitable access to education and resources. He has collaborated globally with institutions like the World Bank, FAO, and USAID to combat poverty through agribusiness and food system interventions.

Research interests focus on food supply chain economics, food security, nutrition policy, and international development. His work has been featured in major publications like the New York Times and BBC. Notable contributions include analyzing food deserts, evaluating SNAP program impacts, and studying armed conflict effects on food systems.

He has received the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR) Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Award (2020) for empowering minorities in academia. His administrative role involves strategic enrollment planning and policy development to enhance undergraduate student success and reduce opportunity gaps at MSU.

Weatherspoon’s research spans 30+ countries, emphasizing solutions for poverty and malnutrition. Current projects explore food access economics and the interplay between food systems and health outcomes in low-income regions like Malawi and Rwanda.