The International Agricultural Trade Research Consortium (IATRC or Consortium) is a unique international association of agricultural trade researchers and policy practitioners. Started in 1980 by six United States agricultural economists, the membership has since grown to about 200 economists from academia, government, and other research institutions in 31 countries. Over the past quarter century, the Consortium has established itself as one of the premier institutions for advancing the frontiers of knowledge on agricultural trade and trade policy that has informed both policy formulation and public debate.

The objectives of the IATRC are to:

  • Enhance the quality and relevance of international agricultural trade research and policy analysis
  • Encourage collaborative research
  • Facilitate communication among trade researchers and analysts drawn from universities, government agencies and the private sector in a range of countries
  • Improve public understanding of international trade and trade policy issues.

Objectives, Organization, Operations, and Origins [PDF]

The Blue Book

December 2015
Edition VIII

The International Agricultural Trade Research Consortium (IATRC or Consortium) is a unique international association of agricultural trade researchers and policy practitioners. Over the past 30 years, the Consortium has established itself as one of the premier institutions for advancing the frontiers of knowledge on agricultural trade and trade policy that has informed both policy formulation and public debate.

This is the April 2010 version, prepared by the 2008 Executive Committee and includes updated contact and financial administration information. This document outlines the objectives, organization, operations and origins of the IATRC. It updates the corresponding versions issued in June 1985 (original edition), July 1988 (Edition II), October 1991 (Edition III), October 1997 (Edition IV), and September 2007 (Edition V) by incorporating decisions taken at meetings of the general membership and the Executive Committee since that time. Separate occasional documents and the IATRC website present historical and upcoming plans for the IATRC meetings.

2024 Executive Committee

The Executive Committee has general responsibility for the direction and operation of the Consortium but seeks the advice of the membership on all pertinent matters.

Amanda Countryman
2024 Chair and U.S. Universities Representative
2023-2025

Colorado State University
Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics
Clark B-329
Fort Collins, CO  80523-1172
United States

Felix Baquedano
2024 Vice-Chair and ERS/USDA Representative

Economic Research Service
US Department of Agriculture
805 Pennsylvania Avenue
Kansas City, MO 64105
United States

Irene Gallagher Jones
2024 IATRC Secretary and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Representative

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
1341 Baseline Tower 7, Floor 4, Room 337
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0C5
Canada

Sylvanus Kwaku Afesorgbor
Non-U.S. Universities Representative 2024-2026

tel: 519-824-4120
safesorg@uoguelph.ca

University of Guelph
Department of Food, Agricultural, and Resource Economics
Room, MacLachlan Building
50 Stone Road East
Guelph, Onatario N1G 2W1
Canada

Shawn Arita
OCE/USDA Representative

tel: 202-401-0497
Shawn.Arita@usda.gov

Office of Chief Economist
U.S. Department of Agriculture
112A Whitten Building
1400 Independence Ave. SW
Washington, DC 20250
United States

Bernard Cantin
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Representative

tel: 613-773-2055
Bernard.Cantin@canada.ca

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Policy Analysis Division
1341 Baseline Road, Tower 7
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0C5
Canada

Steve Neff
FAS/USDA Representative

tel: 202-690-0855
steve.neff@fas.usda.gov

Foreign Agricultural Service
U.S. Department of Agriculture
1400 Independence Ave SW
Washington, DC  20250
United States

Sandro Steinbach
U.S. Universities Representative 2022-2024

tel: 860-486-1923
sandro.steinbach@uconn.edu

University of Connecticut
Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics
1376 Storrs Road
Storrs, CT  06269
United States

Sharon Sydow
OCE/USDA Representative

tel: 202-720-6186
Sharon.Sydow@usda.gov

Office of Chief Economist
U.S. Department of Agriculture
112A Whitten Building
1400 Independence Ave. SW
Washington, DC 20250
United States

Past Executive Committee Members are listed in Appendix A of The Blue Book [pdf].

2024 Program Committee

The Program Sub-Committee provides the Executive Committee recommendations on specific topics of Public Symposia and Theme Days and suggests topics for Commissioned Papers and Trade Issues Papers.

Sylvanus Kwaku Afesorgbor

2022-2024

tel: 519-824-4120
safesorg@uguelph.ca

University of Guelph
Department of Food, Agricultural, and Resource Economics,
Room 325, MacLachlan Bldg
50 Stone Road East
Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1
Canada

Lesley Ahmed

2022-2024

Formerly with U.S. International Trade Commission
500 E Street SW
Washington, DC 20436
United States

Charlotte Emlinger

2023-2025

tel: 33 (0)1 53 68 55 55
charlotte.emlinger@cepii.fr

CEPII
20 avenue de Ségur
TSA 10726
75334 Paris cedex 07
France

Shida Henneberry

2023-2025

USDA Economic Research Service
International Trade and Development
Markets and Trade Economics Division
805 Pennsylvania Ave.
Kansas City, MO  64105
United States

Core financial support for IATRC is provided by the USDA (Economic Research Service, Foreign Agricultural Service, Office of the Chief Economist) and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

Economic Research Service

Foreign Agricultural Service

Office of the Chief Economist

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Both financial and in-kind support has been provided for selected IATRC activities by the European Commission, the World Bank, the U.S. Agency of International Development, the U.S. International Trade Commission, and other numerous institutions over the past quarter century. Some recent contributors include the Farm Foundation, the Giannini Foundation, Seoul National University, the Korea Rural Economic Institute, and Beijing University. A complete list of sponsors for each IATRC activity can be found in the Activities section. In addition, Consortium Members’ home institutions provide travel support for meeting attendance and participation.