Courses

AAEC 4514: Advanced Agribusiness Marketing

Instructor (2025)

This course is a project-based focused on applying concepts, principles, and analytical tools in developing a strategic marketing plan for an existing or new agri-food product or service. Teams of students will design the market, perform competitive marketing analysis, and outline market assumptions and objectives in order to develop their own marketing strategy for an agri-food product.

Sample Course Materials: Syllabus and Slides

AAEC 3454: Small Business Management and Entrepreneurship

Instructor (2026)

In this course, the student will learn about entrepreneurial thinking and apply this mindset, particularly within the agricultural industry. The focus is on early-stage entrepreneurial activities, with the main objectives including:

•Assessing your personal entrepreneurial capacity.

•Experimenting with idea generation techniques to better create and shape ideas into opportunities.

•Evaluating opportunities using rigorous feasibility studies and experimentation processes.

•Developing, defining, and clearly communicating a business concept to determine its feasibility.

Sample Course Materials: Syllabus and Slides

AAEC 2434: Foundations of Agribusiness

Instructor (2026)

This course introduces students to the agricultural and food industries through the lens of both new venture creation and the management of established agribusiness operations. Students will explore fundamental economic, financial, and management tools relevant to careers in agribusiness and agriculture-related fields. Using real-world case studies and a semester-long team project, students will learn how agribusinesses are conceived, structured, and operated across the supply chain. Key skills include interpreting and analyzing financial statements, applying budgeting and risk management tools, and developing strategies for marketing, operations, human resources, and sustainability. By the end of the course, students will be able to connect core concepts to practical decision-making in both entrepreneurial and established agribusiness contexts.

Sample Course Materials: Syllabus and Slides

AAEC 3504: Marketing Agricultural Products

Instructor (2025)

Focus on the economics of the U.S. and Virginia agricultural and food marketing system; agricultural commodity marketing channels from farm gate to consumers’ plates; how prices, consumer tastes and preferences, government regulations, and international competition influence agricultural marketing channels; consumers' responses to food prices; the organization and market structure of the processors, wholesalers, retailers, and food services; alternative food marketing outlets; contracts, vertical integration; firms' market power and antitrust behavior in agricultural markets; and developing commodity marketing channel analyses

Sample Course Materials: Syllabus and Slides

AGEC 115: Decision Tools For Ag Economics and Agribusiness

Instructor (2024)

Development of foundational computer-based empirical skills that address economic and business issues in food and agriculture. Students will be taught various features of Microsoft Excel to approach real-world issues and problems. AGEC 115 has an Empirical and Quantitative Reasoning K-State 8 tag. This course is designed to prepare students for advanced courses in the Department of Agricultural Economics. AGEC 115 is required for AGEC 501: Data Analysis and Optimization. It is recommended for AGEC 500: Production Economics and AGEC 513: Agricultural Finance.

Sample Course Materials: Syllabus and Slides

AGEC 632: Agribusiness Logistics

Instructor (2023)

A number of recent events and trends that include globalization, urbanization, public health and agro-industrialization are placing increasing demands on the organization of agrifood chains and networks. In this course we study supply chain and logistics from a practical standpoint to realize that a significant competitive advantage derived from the management of materials. To study firm logistics, we use planning for efficient and resilient uses of transportation, storage and processing facilities in the handling of raw materials and products for agribusiness firms. This course adds elements of inventory, purchasing, and information to provide a complete overview of the agrifood supply chain.

Sample Course Materials: Syllabus and Slides

AGEC: R Programming Language Camp

Instructor (2023, 2024)

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Sample Course Materials: Notebook