Nathan Smith

Associate Professor and Extension Economist
Assistant Director CU-CAT
Agribusiness Program Team, Agronomic Crops Program Team, Agricultural Sciences Department, Sandhill Research and Education Center

Office: 238 McAdams Hall
Phone: 864-656-5675

Email: nathan5@clemson.edu

Educational Background

Ph.D. Agricultural Economics
University of Kentucky 2001

M.S. Agricultural Economics
Auburn University 1992

B.S. Agricultural Economics
Clemson University 1989

Courses Taught

AGRB 4260 Cropping Systems Analysis

Profile

Dr. Nathan Smith is an Associate Professor and Extension Economist with Clemson University. His major responsibilities include production economics and risk management education for row crops. He also has expertise in commodity marketing and farm bill education. He conducts programs with county Extension agents and growers, both locally and nationally. During the last four farm bills, Dr. Smith coordinated state and national Farm Bill education programs. He has interest in working with interdisciplinary teams to address economic decisions growers face. Dr. Smith is housed on the Clemson Campus and also spends time at the Sandhill Research and Education Center in Columbia, SC. He began teaching a cropping systems analysis course in the Fall of 2024.
Dr. Smith was an Extension Economist with the University of Georgia from 2000 to 2015, located on the Tifton Campus and also taught an Ag Policy and a Commodity Futures and Options course. Dr. Smith was an Extension Marketing Specialist for row crops at the University of Arkansas from 1996-1999.

Service and Leadership Activities:
- Crop Insurance Advisory Panel Member for the Southern Risk Management Education Center, 2019-2024
- SAEA Secretary, 2018-present
- SC Ag Outlook Conference - 2016-present
- SC Farm Aid Policy Development and Implementation, 2016-2017
- Coordinator and Co-Organizer - National Extension Farm Bill Education Conference, 2014, 2018.
- Southern Region Program Leaders Network ANR Committee, 2016-2023
- Co-Organizer, Moderator - Organized Symposiums Southern Crops and Livestock Outlook SAEA Annual Meeting, 2013-2021.
- Chair - SERA39 Public Policy Issues Education, 2013-2014.
- Coordinator - Southern Region Agricultural Outlook Conference sponsored by the Southern Extension Marketing, Farm Management and Public Affairs Committees, Southern Risk Management Education Center, and AgFirst Farm Credit, 2004-2015.
- President's Leadership Institute - 2016-17 (inaugural cohort)
- ACC Academic Leaders Network - 2018-19 (inaugural cohort)
- Extension Leadership Team

Professional Organizations:
American Agricultural Economics Association, Extension Section
American Peanut Research and Education Society - Virginia Carolina Board Representative
Southern Agricultural Economics Association
Southern Extension Economists Committee
South Carolina Agricultural County Agents Association
South Carolina Farm Bureau Commodity Committees
South Carolina Seedsmen's Association Advisory Member

Research Interests

Production Economics
Farm Policy Analysis and Implications
Financial Benchmarking
Cotton, Peaches, and Peanuts
Irrigation
Adoption of Conservation Practices

Extension and Outreach

EXTENSION PROGRAM AREAS:
Production Economics
Risk Management
Crop Insurance
Commodity Marketing
Value-added Agriculture and Cooperatives

Links