Virginia Tech Center for Agricultural Trade

05/28/2026

Introducing our new 📢 International Agricultural Trade Research Consortium Member Spotlight, where we highlight the expertise, achievements, and policy impact of our community. The spotlight is updated quarterly in February, May, August, and November. 📆

Shawn Arita is an Associate Research Professor and Associate Director at the Agricultural Risk Policy Center (ARPC) at North Dakota State University, where he also serves as the Center’s Policy Lead. He directs research teams within ARPC in conducting research and analyses in areas of global commodity markets, trade disruptions, risk management, crop insurance, and farm safety net programs.

Shawn leads ARPC’s policy outreach, working directly with federal agencies and industry stakeholders across both DC and the Midwest. He briefs Congressional staff on the Hill on the agricultural policy issues of concern for Congressional offices and Midwest stakeholders, such as the ongoing challenge of high fertilizer prices and input costs, farm bill provisions, crop insurance, farm income and farm safety net developments, trade policy issues and tariff impacts, and ad-hoc farm support. His work bridges rigorous academic research with practical policy implementation, translating complex analyses into actionable insights for decision-makers across government and industry. He also leads the NDSU Ag Trade Monitor.

🔗 READ FULL SPOTLIGHT: https://iatrc.aaec.vt.edu/member-spotlight

05/04/2026

Jason Grant’s impact statement, ‘Helping Farmers Navigate Global Trade Challenges’, is featured in AgIsAmerica, an initiative of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU)’s Board on Agriculture Assembly, blog titled ‘Fueling Economic Development for Thriving Communities: Risk Management, Transitions, and Future‑Focused Innovation’.

🔗 Read Dr. Grant’s impact statement here: https://nidb.landgrantimpacts.org/impacts/show/8922

Dr. Grant is the W.G. Wysor Professor of Agriculture and Director of the Center for Agricultural Trade at Virginia Tech in the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics

A nationally trusted resource for understanding global agricultural markets in a rapidly changing global marketplace, Grant’s work helps farmers in Virginia and across the country sell more products overseas, especially in places where trade barriers make it difficult.

04/23/2026

We thank Siwa Msangi, Agricultural and Resource Economist, for spending a few days on the Virginia Tech campus meeting with faculty, staff, and students. Your insights and expertise were greatly appreciated, and we all benefited from your time with us. Thank you!