Sarahelen Thompson
Division Director
202-694-5201
Email:
sthompson@ers.usda.gov
Briefly:Sarahelen (Sally) Thompson is the acting Administrator of the
Economic Research Service. In addition to her research
administration experience, Sally brings to ERS special skills,
knowledge and research experience in agricultural and food
marketing, the economic performance of futures markets, the effect
of information technologies on agricultural and food markets, and
agricultural economic history.
Background:Sally has most recently been Professor and Head of the
Department of Agricultural Economics at Purdue University. Prior to
that, she was Professor of Agricultural and Consumer Economics at
the University of Illinois, and Interim Assistant Director of the
Illinois Agricultural Experiment Station.
Education:Sally received B.A. and M.S. degrees from the University of
Minnesota, and a Ph.D. from the Food Research Institute, Stanford
University in 1984.
Professional Affiliations:Sally has been an active and contributing member to the
profession of agricultural economics. As chair of the Food and
Agricultural Marketing Consortium, she initiated the effort for the
Consortium to become the Food and Agricultural Marketing Policy
Section of the American Agricultural Economic Association. From
1998 to 2001, she was co-editor of the journal, Review of
Agricultural Economics. She has served as a member of the Board of
Directors of the American Agricultural Economics Association, the
International Food and Agribusiness Management Association, and the
Council on Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics.