John Beghin joined the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2019 as a professor and the Michael Yanney Chair in International Trade and Finance in the Department of Agricultural Economics and the Clayton Yeutter Institute of International Trade and Finance. John is developing research, teaching, and outreach programs with a focus on international agricultural trade and non-tariff barriers.

Prior to joining UNL, John was a Professor of Agricultural and Resource Economics (ARE) at NC State University and Iowa State University. Beghin earned his MSc in agricultural economics at NC State and then received his Ph.D. from UC Berkeley in 1988. After returning to NC State for 10 years, Beghin went on to Iowa to serve as Director of the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute and Marlin Cole Professor of international agricultural economics at Iowa State University, from 1998 to 2016. Beghin returned to NC State in January 2017 and served as department head for 2 years.

Throughout his career Beghin has held various appointments, worked as a consultant for various organizations and private clients, and published over 100 articles and book chapters. He is considered an expert in international agriculture and food markets economics. His areas of interest include nontariff measures, trade and the environment, global food security, and policy analysis. His work is widely cited. He is a Fellow of the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, the main professional association of agricultural economists.

Elliott Dennis is an assistant professor of livestock marketing. He earned a Ph.D. in economics from Kansas State University in May 2019. His graduate work focused on the economic impacts of metaphylaxis use in U.S. feedlots.

His appointment is split between extension and research. His work will focus on the economics of livestock marketing and risk management, including, marketing of livestock under different contract specifcations, outlook reports on livestock prices and markets; the use of derivatives, contracts, and insurance as risk management tools; and public policy.