RENK Chair in Agribusiness, Agricultural and Applied Economics
Director, Renk Agribusiness Institute
| E-mail address: | |
| Telephone: | (608) 262-4908 |
| Fax: | (608) 262-4376 |
| Office Address: | 519 Taylor Hall
427 Lorch St.
Madison, WI 53706 |
Prof. Fortenbery's Curriculum Vitae (PDF) 
Prof. Fortenbery's Personal Web Page
Research Interests
My research program currently focuses on agricultural price performance in local and national markets. It looks at impacts of new information on relative prices, as well as overall price levels. I also am engaged in studying the impact of futures price action on the stability of cash prices.
Another part of my research is identifying specific causal effects of recent price action in agricultural markets. It essentially asks what part of recent negative price action can be explained by market structure. This research includes the impact of US futures trading on the price structure in the developing countries of Central America.
Outreach and Extension Interests
My extension program continues a focus on identifying and measuring price risk, and applying risk management strategies to agricultural enterprises. This component involves direct consultation, group teaching, regular outlook presentations, and curriculum development. My activities in Extension expanded in the last year to include work with agribusinesses beyond the farm level. This focus is on business structure, strategy, and risk management.
Recent Publications
- Fortenbery, T. Randall and Hector O. Zapata "Developed Speculation and Underdeveloped Markets - The Role of Futures Trading on Export Prices in Less Developed Countries" European Review of Agricultural Economics 31(December 2004)
- RAI Forecasting System . Fortenbery, T. Randall, Summer 2004. http://www.aae.wisc.edu/renk/software.htm,
- Fortenbery, T. Randall and Bill Dobson "Analysis of Key Non-Dairy Provisions of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002." Department of Agricultural & Applied Economics, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
- Fortenbery, T. Randall "Biodiesel Feasibility Study: An Evaluation of Biodiesel Feasibility in Wisconsin." Department of Agricultural & Applied Economics, University of Wisconsin-Madison. AAE Staff Paper Series
- Zapata, Hector, T. Randall Fortenbery and Delroy Armstrong "Price Discovery in the World Sugar Futures and Dominican Republic Cash Market." Department of Agricultural & Applied Economics, University of Wisconsin-Madison. AAE Staff Paper Series
- Fortenbery, T. Randall and Michael Bennet "Opportunties for Commercial Hemp Production" Review of Agricultural Economics 26(Spring 2004)
Education
Ph.D., Agricultural Economics, University of Illinois-Urbana/Champaign, 1988.
M.S., Applied Economics, Montana State University, 1984.
B.S., Natural Resource Economics, Montana State University, 1982.