Teaching/Communication/Extension/Profession,

Harris, Harold M., Jr.

English

Research Papers in Economics

SOUTHERN JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS  JULY,  1989
THE  SAEA: AFTER TWENTY YEARS: DISCUSSION
Harold M.  Harris
My perspective on the history of our associa-  subsequent meetings, I have barely suppressed
tion  is  unique-my  name  has  gone  up  in  giggles  at  seeing  some  of the  "leading  edge"
nomination  for office  more  times  and  I have  Penn referred to being brought, at least tem-
been  defeated  more  times than  anyone  else.  porarily, back  down to the solid earth where
Your  current  editors  call  me  the  Harold  the  rest  of  us  toil.  Such  incidents  are  well
Stassen  of  Southern  Ag  Economics.  So  the  worth the price of membership,  even though
first inference you may wish to draw from this  they may occur only once every several years.
paper is that this proves that over the years  The sad part about it is that  some excellent
the Association has had sound leadership  and  discussions have been omitted from the Jour-
a knowledgeable  membership.  nal over the years because of the major flaws
I have  chosen  to look  at our Association's  in the invited address.
brief history from a personal view. The reader
who is interested  in a more  detailed  chronol-  LOOKING  BACK
ogy of the development of the organization  is  In  1969  we were  well into the programs of
referred to Havlicek.  The Great  Society.  The Vietnam  war was in
Note that I am not a charter member-a fact  full swing. There were  3 million  farms in the
that was pointed out to your Past President,  United  States representing  5  percent  of the
who  organized  this  session.  The  lie  I  have  population  compared  with  2  percent  today.
been  telling  is  that  this  is  because  of my  Farm exports were a paltry $5.7 billion, much
youth,  but  the  sad  truth  is  that  the  initial  of this subsidized. Gross farm income was $55
meeting in Mobile coincided with preliminary  billion, about the same as net farm income to-
exams at Purdue.  I  do have  a vivid recollec-  day. The per capita income of the farm popula-
tion of J.B., upon  his return  from the  initial  tion was $2,431, three-fourths that of nonfarm.
meetings, telling a group of us that they were  Corn  sold  for  $1.15/bushel,  and  average
excellent.  I  concur with  his assessment  that  yield was 80  bu/acre. Farmland in the  South
the  Association's  performance  has  continued  was valued at $200/acre. The USDA reported
at high levels.  that a family of four could  eat for about $35 a
I had participated  in earlier meetings of our  week under the moderate  cost food plan,  and
Association's  predecessor  groups,  the  many  of us on  graduate  assistantships  were
Agricultural  Economics  and  Rural  Sociology  trying to do it for less. There were  50 million
and the Marketing Sections of the Association  fewer Americans  than today. Under the mas-
of Southern  Agricultural  Workers.  At one of  sive  welfare  programs  of the Great  Society,
these, I experienced the terrifying situation of  4 million  people received  Food  Stamps, com-
delivering  my  first  professional  paper.  The  pared to 20 million  today.
stupid answer  I gave to a very good question  Closer  to  home,  starting  salaries  for  new
still haunts me.  Ph.D.s  were  about  $12,000,  and  some
At another, I watched in awe as the late Joe  southern Ag Econ Departments were having
Chappell of North Carolina State literally tore  a  hard  time  competing  with  USDA  and
into a respected elder statesman of the profes-  universities  in  other  regions.  The  charter
sion in  a discussion such  as this. He attacked  members paid $3.00 in dues.
his  assumptions,  his  methodology,  his  conclu-  What about  the makeup of our Association,
sions, and perhaps even his mother. I thought,  whose members were grappling with the prob-
"My  God,  what  am  I getting  into?"  But  at  lems  of that day?  Keep in mind, however, that
Harold M. Harris  is a Professor, Department of Agricultural Economics  and Rural Sociology, Clemson  University.
Invited  discussion  presented  at the annual  meeting  of the  Southern  Agricultural  Economics  Association,  Nashville,  Tennessee,
February 6-8, 1989.  Invited discussions are routinely published in the July SJAE without editorial council review but with review of the
copy  editor (as per Executive Committee action June 25,  1982).
Copyright  1989,  Southern Agricultural  Economics Association.
61as J.B.  pointed out, while  we were wrestling  ficers had to pledge personal assets so that the
with some big problems, the Association  was  organization  could continue to function until a
formed with a much baser motive-to increase  new  higher  dues  structure  took  effect.  We
the number of publications  outlets.  owe  a  debt  of  gratitude  for  such  personal
The Association was a men's club. Of the 519  sacrifices  that  have  been  necessary  for  the
original members only a handful were women.  survival of the Association.
Some  of  these  were  Home  Economists  by  Part of the history of SAEA is evidenced by
training.  When  the  female  membership  the listing of past officers  in  the SJAE.  But
started  growing  rapidly,  many  of  us  we  do  not list the  names  of those  who  have
"southern  gentlemen"  were  perplexed.  We  worked  the  hardest  over  the  years-the
didn't  know  whether  to  open  the  door  for  editors.  Rod  Martin  was  the  first  editor,
them  or  treat  them  as  one  of  the  fellows.  followed  by  Gerald  Doekson,  the  late  John
When  a woman  entered the  room at the an-  Nixon,  Leo Guidry,  Al Schupp,  Bob Shulstad,
nual meetings, heads would turn. There were  then  by  coeditors,  Rob  Martin  and  John
whispers.  Is  that  the  one  from  VPI?  From  Adrian,  and current editors, Steve Miller and
Georgia? From Florida? Now, a number of the  Gary Wells.  The growing quality of the SJAE
brightest  and best agricultural  economists  in  is tribute to the efforts  of these individuals.
the  region  are  women.  To  steal  a  line  from  Concluding  this  personal  history  on  a  sad
John Holt, "Roses  Among the Thorns."  note, many of the 519 charter members are no
At its inception,  the  SAEA was lily white.  longer with us. Among those who touched my
Integration  of  the  student  bodies  of  the  life,  both  professionally  and  as  friends,  are
southern  1862  LGU's  had just  occurred.  As  John  Nixon,  Ben  Lanham,  Leo  Strickland,
with women,  there  were a handful  of blacks  Steve  Lytle,  Jerrold  Pitman,  Ralph  Kline,
like  Dr.  Victor  Hurst  of S.C.  State  College.  Wayne  Burkhart,  and  Gene  McMurtrey.
The  welcome  address  at  this  meeting  by  Others  who  were  not  charter  members  in-
Dr.  Handy  Williamson,  Department  Chair-  elude  William  Alexander,  Fred  Prochaska,
man  at Tennessee,  shows  how  far we  have  and  Lowell  Wilson.  Most of you have  similar
come in this regard.  lists. Let us not forget these  and others  like
Most all of the early members, like me, were  them who have  made  differences  in our lives
farm boys.  We didn't want to go back to the  and  contributed greatly  to the  profession  in
farm or we  couldn't, but we wanted  a career  the South.
involved  with  agriculture.  The  charter
members  brought  with  that  background  a  WHERE  TO NOW?
firsthand  knowledge  and  empathy  for  farm  As our association  approaches  adulthood  in
and  rural  problems,  something  that  I  will  human years,  what  lies  ahead?  It  has  been
return to later.  postulated  that  organizations,  like  living
The  Association  in  its  early  years  was  in  creatures,  have  a  life  cycle.  Stage  I  is
some  respect  a  fiefdom  of  the  old-time  characterized  by rapid  growth.  In  Stage  II,
southern  department heads. These men were  the organization  matures.  Stage  I goals  have
real  heads-not  chairmen.  They  made  deci-  been achieved and stability, if not stagnation,
sions  without  consulting  faculty,  they hired,  sets in. Stage III can go either direction-for-
they fired, they chewed ass. This is not said in  ward, adopting new goals,  new directions;  or
a derogatory  manner, just as  a statement of  backward,  fading  away  like  the  National
fact.  Grange. We can be viewed as a Stage II organi-
Seven  of  the  first  eight  Presidents  were  zation. Will we go forward or backward?
such  men:  Bob  Rudd,  Tom  Whatley,  Ken  As  Penn  pointed  out,  the  Association  has
Tefertiller,  Jim  Plaxico,  Verner  Hurt,  Joe  made  great  strides  in  the  past  20  years  in
Purcell, Henry Meenen. Perhaps in its infancy  helping its membership through two primary
the SAEA needed such firm leadership, but I  avenues,  the Journal and these meetings.  In
think it was a sign of maturation  when we got  these  two ways  the  Association  allows us to
off that kick  and started  simply  electing the  communicate  professionally  and  encourages
best representatives  of the profession  in our  scholarly analysis of real world problems. For
region to lead us.  the truly professional  agricultural economist,
The SAEA is financially sound today, but as  this is fundamental.  He or she must have the
Penn mentioned, this has not always been the  ability  to  apply  sound  economic  logic  and
case.  I  recall  in  the  mid  1970's  when  Dick  analytical techniques to applied problems, and
King, Gene Mathia,  and some of the other of-  must further have  the ability, and the oppor-
62tunity, to communicate  these ideas.  doers?  I  recognize  that  there  are  no  easy
But I would argue that there are some other  answers,  that legal  issues and  liability prob-
ingredients  as well. These ingredients include  lems  can  arise.  We need to grapple  with the
empathy,  curiosity,  honesty,  and  breadth.  I  honesty issue.
would  further  argue  that  this  Association  The best economists  I  know possess  great
should  play  a  bigger  and  better  role  in  breadth  as  well  as  depth,  and  they  have
developing  these  attributes  among  its  multidisciplinary  breadth  as well  as  breadth
membership.  within our profession. Twenty years ago, it is
Most  all of the  charter members  and early  possible that the slower march  of technology
joiners of this association  knew the problems  and  our  firsthand  familiarity  with  subject
of farming  and  rural  areas  first  hand.  We  areas  like  animal  husbandry  sufficed  to give
witnessed, and more than a few had felt, rural  agricultural  economists  that needed breadth.
poverty.  We  knew  from  our  fathers  which  That is no longer the case. Most of us work on
government  programs  were  boondoggles,  multidisciplinary  or interdisciplinary projects
which  were bandaids,  and which ones offered  back  at home. Why not use the  SAAS meet-
real  benefits.  We  knew  what  it was  like  to  ings to bring that multidisciplinary  focus to a
have inadequate  services.  Given the changing  higher plane  and to improve the professional
makeup of our membership, does our Associa-  recognition  of  such  efforts?  This  means
tion  have  a  role  to  play  in  recreating  this  something  much  more  than  a  joint  session
humanistic view? Our discipline is the brunt of  with  the  rural  sociologists  every  few years.
jokes and  is called "dismal"  because  we  deal  What better organization than SAEA to take
with statistics and a form of theoretical logic  the lead?
that  escapes  many.  But  we  must  remember  If  we  don't  take  this  opportunity,  the
that we  are a social science-a people science.  justification  of continuing to meet with SAAS
Have these meetings piqued your curiosity  is dubious.  In my view it is more expensive,
about an emerging problem, made you want to  more  congested,  and it occurs at a very bad
know more about it, research it, teach about it  time of the year.
in the classroom  or out in your state?  I think  CONCLUSIONS
that ideally they should have. A number of hot  J.B. and I are in complete agreement that it
topics were discussed, but how many were on  has been a good 20 years.  In the vernacular of
true  emerging  issues  where  the  research  is  our region, "We  done good!"
not yet done.  I agree with Penn, for example,  Compare the latest issue of the SJAE to the
that  the  impact  of increasing  concentration  initial  issue,  December  1969.  Note  that  the
and leveraged  buyouts on competition  in the  original  does  not say  Vol.  1, No.  1. Perhaps
food industry is a critical concern.  I saw  one  the founders were not sure there would be  a
contributed paper in the program that touched  Volume  2.  You will find  similarities. Twenty
on this issue.  Why not announce a symposium  years  ago  the  membership  addressed  ques-
or  a paper  competition  on  such  an emerging  tions of competition in the food industry, farm
issue and select the most outstanding submis-  policies,  agricultural  capital,  regional
sions  on  the  topic  and publish the  papers  in  economics,  marketing  orders,  economic
the SJAE?  development,  federal-state research coordina-
Honesty is an issue where  the SAEA must  tion, the  market for agricultural  economists.
take  a  firm  stand.  This  includes  research  The  list  hasn't  changed  all  that  much.  We
honesty  and  teaching  honesty.  Plagiarism  is  have  pretty  much  kept  on  track,  as  Harold
dishonest.  It has touched  our very Journal,  Breimyer  stated  at  that  initial  meeting,  by
and most members  are unaware  of that fact.  "being sensitive to the needs of the times and
Publishing  unreplicable  research  results  is  being willing to apply our talents to them."
dishonest.  Serving students a curriculum that  There  are  opportunities  ahead,  and  risks.
leaves them ill-prepared  for the real world is  Twenty  years ago  Breimyer also stated  that
dishonest.  Feeding  extension  audiences  or  in the land grant university  "the temptation,
consulting  clients  the  answers  they want  to  if not the  trend is that  toward  an obscurant
hear is dishonest.  In our world,  for most of us  scholasticism.  This  is a  denial of all that the
the world  of the Land  Grant  University,  the  land grant concept has stood for. If my credit
reward  system  is  largely  structured  around  line for that concept is valid, we depart from it
associations like ours. Perhaps we need to use  at  our  peril."  For  the  next  20  years,  the
the stick as well as the carrot. Can we develop  SAEA must continue  to help protect us from
codes  of  ethical  conduct?  Penalize  wrong-  our worst potential enemy-ourselves.
63REFERENCES
Breimyer,  H. F. "An Appraisal of the Market for Agricultural Economists-Structure  and Per-
formance."  So. J. Agr. Econ., (1969):139-44.
Havlicek, J. "The Southern Agricultural  Economics  Association:  Past, Present  and Future."
So. J. Agr.  Econ.,16,1 (1984):1-6.
64

THE SAEA: AFTER TWENTY YEARS: DISCUSSION

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

Research Papers in Economics