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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.
Episodes
27 episodes
Crops over Concrete: How Agricultural Conservation Easements Keep Florida Green
Each spring, Earth Day saves as an international reminder about the importance of environmental conservation, which includes preserving rural lands and promoting thoughtful growth.Here in the UF/IFAS Food and Resource Economics Departmen...
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Wine and Weather: Adaptation of the Global Wine Industry
Happy Valentines Day from FRE Lunch!As many prepare to celebrate their loved ones with gifts of chocolate, and candle-lit dinners paired with wine, we sat down with two experts to adjust how the wine industry is adapting to increase resi...
New Year, New Field: The Tools Shaping Modern Experimental Economics Research
Happy New Year From FRE Lunch! In this episode, Dr. Bachir Kassas, associate professor in FRE and founder of the UF/IFAS Economic Experiment Lab joins us to discuss how the neuroeconomic tools used in his research help us bett...
Celebrate 100 Years of Food & Resource Economics - Special Centennial Season
Happy 100th Birthday to FRE!That's right, 2026 marks the 100th anniversary of our department. To celebrate this season of FRE Lunch will focus on providing an overview of all our different research areas that have impacted the state of F...
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Perfect Poinsettias Purchased Periodically: The UF Environmental Hort. Club's Annual Plant Sale
Did you know that the University of Florida is home to the largest student run plant sale in the United States? Each December, the Environmental Horticulture Club sells thousands of Poinsettias to fund their organization's activities year-round...
Farms & Feasts: A Thanksgiving Tribute to Agricultural Production
Happy Thanksgiving from the UF/IFAS Food and Resource Economics Department! In this episode, we're focused on the hard work that sometimes goes unnoticed, but is critical to putting food on the table for our holiday feasts and every...
Trick, Treat or Technology? Precision Agriculture in Florida's Sugarcane Industry
Happy Halloween from FRE Lunch!While millions of people around the U.S. are getting ready to celebrate and fill their trick or treating bags with delicious candy, the FRE Lunch podcast sat down with UF Double Gator and Master of Agribusi...
Tis the Season for Economics!
FRE Lunch is back, with a very seasonal season all about the economics behind some of our favorite holiday traditions in our upcoming special mini-series!
From Currents to Capital: The Economics of Freshwater Tourism & Recreation Management
Join us for the final episode of our Freshwater Economics Season as we discuss all things tourism! We are joined today by two expert guests:Dr. Taylor Stein, Professor of Ecotourism in the UF School of Forest, Fisheries,...
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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 Agricultural Water Usage.Christa Court is an as...
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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 Liam Corcoran are graduate students in ...
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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 ResourcesHall, N.D. The Safe Drinking Water Act ...
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 Agriculture.
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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, discusses the study of human behavior, and how...
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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 an overview of Florida's freshwater a...
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-related research. That is why, we...
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 two-part episode, we're divi...
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, and some of the strategies such...
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 episode of 2024 as we discuss the economic impacts...
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 major to running it, and the research project...
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 visited by a ghost - I mean guest - from episod...
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 the policies surrounding beer sales in the Uni...
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 provide...
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 Professor and marine economics speci...