Mathematics and Statistics in Graduate Agricultural Economics Training

To obtain recommendations for improving quantitative techniques, a survey of the present training and of needed improvements was conducted. Some departments have been gradually increasing mathematics and statistics requirements which widen the gap between departments and increase the diversity in training. The only recommendation on which fair unanimity was found is that basic mathematics and statistics courses should include more applications useful to economics. The authors suggest better use of graduate student time through reorganizing the content in mathematics for economists courses and economic theory courses, and through replacing present language requirements with a secondary minor—such as mathematics. Carrying out the recommendations would raise the level of training in quantitative techniques without sacrificing other competencies. Summer courses for teachers and conferences to develop course content and to further consider problems of overall balance between training in quantitative techniques, economics proper and fields with human subject matter related to economics are suggested.