University of Minnesota. Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics

Farm economics first appeared as a collegiate-level course in the University’s College of Agriculture 1896-1897 Catalogue. The 1898-1899 College of Agriculture Catalogue listed farm economics under the Agriculture Course of Study with the following description, “Farm management, rotation, weeds, labor, prices, purchases and sales, farm finances, the permanent farm investment, agricultural pedagogics.” Farm economics does not appear in later catalogues, but agricultural economics appeared under the Agriculture Course of Study in the College of Agriculture 1905-1906 Catalogue.

The December 14, 1911, University Board of Regents meeting minutes noted, “On the recommendation of the President it was voted to establish in the Department of Agriculture a Research Bureau in Agricultural Economics and to appoint as director of this Bureau, beginning February 1, 1912, Assistant Professor C.W. Thompson.” The 1911-1912 President’s Report explained that the Bureau would “undertake special studies and issue reports concerning the marketing of different commodities” and study marketing problems, credit for farmers, land titles, and related issues in the Minnesota agricultural community.

...