Darren Hudson, a veteran professor, administrator and agricultural economist within Texas Tech’s Davis College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources has been appointed Associate Dean for Strategic Initiatives & Assessment, according to program officials. He will step into his new administrative role on Jan 1.

Hudson, who joined the Texas Tech faculty in 2008, currently serves as the college’s Interim Associate Dean for Research and holds the Larry Combest Endowed Chair for Agricultural Competitiveness within the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, along with his work as Director of the university’s International Center for Agricultural Competitiveness. 

“I am very excited about this new role at the Davis College,” Hudson said. “I learned a lot during my time as Interim Associate Dean for Research that generated a lot of ideas for moving the college forward and am very excited about the administrative team that has been assembled in Davis College.”

Davis College Dean Clint Krehbiel said Hudson has been exceptional in his interim role as Associate Dean for Research. During his short time in the position, Hudson led the development of the “Pursuit of Prime” document which will set the direction of the college over the next five to 10 years.  

While aiding in strategic visioning, Hudson also developed and led college-wide and across-college faculty research mixers and developed procedures for aiding with the grant writing and post-award process. Grants written and subsequent funding have continued to increase his time in this position.  

Hudson’s research interests broadly center on agricultural policy and trade, economic development, marketing and consumer demand, and behavioral economics. In addition, he participates in the Food & Agricultural Policy Research Institute consortium producing annual baseline projections for cotton for the group. 

During his tenure at Texas Tech, Hudson has published more than 100 peer-reviewed manuscripts and nine book chapters. He has given more than 130 invited presentations related to his areas of expertise, and written grants resulting in more than $9 million to support his research program. Hudson teaches at both the undergraduate and graduate level, including courses in agriculture and public policy, agribusiness strategic management, applied risk analysis, and economics of food security and terrorism.

Prior to coming to Texas Tech, Hudson was a professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics at Mississippi State University. In addition, from 2006 to 2009, he was a fellow with The Farm Foundation, an Oak Brook, Ill.-based agricultural organization that focuses on economic and policy issues impacting agriculture, the food system and rural America. 

A native of White Deer, Hudson received his bachelor’s degree in agribusiness from West Texas A&M University, and his master’s and doctorate degrees in agricultural and applied economics from Texas Tech. He is a member of SAEA, along with the American Economic Association, Economic Science Association, and the American Agricultural Economics Association.  

Honors for Hudson include a Lifetime Achievement Award from the SAEA (2023), one of the organization’s highest honors, as well as serving as SAEA past-President, along with the Davis College Outstanding Researcher Award (2011); Texas Tech Undergraduate Student Association Outstanding Faculty (2009); AAEA Outstanding Undergraduate Teacher (2007); and the Mississippi State University Alumni Association Outstanding Undergraduate Teacher (2007).

CONTACT: Clint Krehbiel, Dean, Davis College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources, Texas Tech University at (806) 742-2808 or Clint.Krehbiel@ttu.edu

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