College of Agriculture & Natural Resources Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics

Publications on Google Scholar

Dr. Feng is a fixed-term associate professor at the Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics, Michigan State University. Dr. Feng conducts research and teaches in the areas of agriculture, the environment, and the interface of the two. She has contributed to the understanding of agriculture as a managed ecosystem and examined incentives, policies, and ecological consequences related to various agricultural and land use practices. One area of her current research is the trends and determinants of land uses and agricultural production systems in the United States. Another current research area investigates farmers’ strategical and operational decision making with a behavioral economics approach. Examples of specific research topics include how climate and social infrastructure have impacted the evolution of regional land use patterns in the U.S. Cornbelt; what are the likely intended and untended consequences of agro-environmental policies; and what roles economic, psychological, and social factors play in farmers’ decisions making (regarding, e.g., land uses, crop insurances, grazing practices, and antibiotics use). Dr. Feng collaborates closely with other economists and colleagues from other social and natural science disciplines.

Research and Outreach Interests

• Environmental and Resource Economics, Agricultural Economics
• Example research topics include agricultural and environmental policies, climate change, land use changes, GHG emissions, crop insurance, the economics and biophysical modeling of water and soil quality, tradable permits, biofuel policies, green payments, and carbon sequestration

Teaching Experience

• Natural Resource Economics (Michigan State University, EEP 460)

• Decision Making in Ag-Food System (Michigan State University, ABM/FIM 100)

• Data Analysis for the Agri-Food System (Michigan State University, ABM 203)

• Teaching experience at Iowa State University: The Economies of China and India (Econ 387, co-taught), Environmental and Resource Economics (Econ/Env S 380), Public Finance (Econ 344).