Earl O. Heady

Renowned agricultural economist Earl O. Heady helped establish and directed the Center for Agricultural and Rural Development at Iowa State University, where he was a Distinguished Professor. His work in production-function analysis, farm-level programming models, and agricultural sector analysis continues to be both a foundation and an inspiration for future generations of economists. He is also recognized for his worldwide work in training students and in promoting multidisciplinary research efforts to solve real world problems. Professional colleagues and former students provide both a personal and professional view of Dr. Heady's career and of the impact of his research and writings on the development of agricultural economics. The essays in this intellectual biography provide insight into how Dr. Heady was able to translate theory into projects that produced practical results for farmers and policymakers. Two critical reviews, 25 years apart, of Heady's book, Economics of Agricultural Production and Resource Use, illustrate its lasting influence on agricultural economic analysis. This book will be of interest to Heady's former colleagues and students, to economists active in the subdisciplines Heady helped shape in the 1950s and 1960s, and to those interested in the history of the economics profession.