Dr. Zoë T. Plakias
Assistant Professor
Dept. of Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics
(The) Ohio State University
Faculty Affiliate
Executive Leadership Board Member
Current Research Areas
Healthy, sustainable + fair supply Chains
Many people care about the impacts their food purchases have on their health, the environment and other people. I consider who is participating in these supply chains and the individual characteristics and incentives driving their decisions, as well as whether these supply chains are truly meeting their stated goals.
Market power in the aG supply chain
As companies grow in size or market share, they may be able to exercise market power (the ability to set a higher selling price or a lower buying price than the competitive price). I consider the role of market power in the agricultural supply chain in the context of farm organizations, patent licensing and health policy.
Orgs + networks in the ag supply chain
Along with interacting in markets, farmers and food system stakeholders interact within and outside markets in farm organizations, cooperatives and social networks. I examine food system stakeholders' behavior in these settings and how these interactions connect to actions and outcomes in markets.
Publications + Working Papers
Peer-reviewed journal article
Lean on your Land Grant: One University's approach to address Food Supply Chain Workforce during the COVID-19 Pandemic [VIEW ARTICLE]
Journal: Journal of Agromedicine
Authors: Dee S. Jepsen, Lisa Pfeifer, Lyda Garcia, Zoë Plakias, Shoshanah Inwood, Joy Rumble, Mary Rodriguez, Judit Puskas, and Sam Custer
Publication year: 2020
Peer-reviewed journal article
Direct Marketing Channel Choices Among U.S. Farmers: Evidence from the Local Food Marketing Practices Survey [VIEW article]
Journal: Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems
Authors: Zoë Plakias, Iryna Demko and Ani L. Katchova
Publication year: 2019
Peer-reviewed journal article
Increasing Student Engagement with Agriculture in a Changing Academic Environment [VIEW ARTICLE]
Journal: Applied Economics Teaching Resources
Authors: Kristin Kiesel, Na Zuo, Zoë Plakias, Luis Moises Peña-Lévano, Andrew Barkley, Katherine Lacy, Erik Hanson, and Julianne Treme
Publication year: 2020
Peer-reviewed journal article
Terminated marketing order provided resources to California Peach and Nectarine Growers [View article]
Journal: California Agriculture
Authors: Zoë Plakias, Rachael E. Goodhue and Jeffrey Williams
Publication year: 2020
Outreach publication
The Economic Contribution of Agricultural and Food Production to the Ohio Economy [VIEW REPORT]
Format: Peer-reviewed department-published research report
Authors: Janice DiCarolis, Tim Haab, Zoë Plakias, Ian Sheldon, Brent Sohngen, and Kelli Trinoskey
Publication year: 2017
Working paper
The Mexican PROCAMPO Farmland Subsidy and Its Effectiveness as a Rural Anti-Poverty Program [REQuest Manuscript]
Authors: Ariadna Martínez González, Zoë Plakias and Mark Partridge
Most recent version: 2019
Peer-reviewed journal article
Measuring the Welfare Impacts of Local Food Sourcing by Institutions: A Cost-Benefit Analysis Approach [REQuest Manuscript]
Journal: Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development
Authors: Zoë Plakias
Publication year: Forthcoming in 2021
Peer-reviewed journal article
Tradeoffs in Farm to School Implementation: Larger Foodsheds Drive GREATER Local Food Expenditures [VIEW ARTICLE]
Journal: Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics
Authors: Zoë Plakias, H. Allen Klaiber and Brian E. Roe
Publication year: 2020
Outreach publication
Growers’ Assessments of Challenges Facing the California Rice Industry: Past and Present [VIEW article]
Journal: ARE Update
Authors: Zoë Plakias and Rachael E. Goodhue
Publication year: 2016
Working paper
Optimal Licensing for Public Intellectual Property: Theory and Application to Plant Variety Patents [REQuest Manuscript]
Authors: Zoë Plakias and Julian Alston
Most recent version: 2015
Peer-reviewed journal article
Producer Heterogeneity and Voting Power in Mandatory US Agricultural Marketing Organisations [VIEW article]
Journal: European Review of Agricultural Economics
Authors: Zoë Plakias and Rachael E. Goodhue
Publication year: 2015
Working paper
The Evolution of the California Blueberry Industry: A Social Network Analysis Approach [REQuest Manuscript]
Authors: Zoë Plakias
Most recent version: 2014
Outreach publication
Old Dog, New Tricks: The Changing Role of California’s Agricultural Marketing Organizations [VIEW article]
Journal: ARE Update
Authors: Zoë Plakias
Publication year: 2013
Teaching + Advising
AEDECON 2001: Principles of Food + Resource Economics
Spring Semester
This course serves as an introduction to microeconomics, with an emphasis on food and resource topics. It is a lecture-based course, with in-class activities and additional opportunities for class participation using online tools. This course is open to any undergraduates except those who've taken AEDECON 2001H or ECON 2001 and serves as a Social Sciences GE course (Human, Natural, and Economic Resources category). It is also a required course for the Agricultural and Applied Economics and EEDS majors.
AEDE 5330: Benefit-Cost Analysis
Spring Semester
This course covers the theory and practice of cost-benefit analysis. We analyze real cost-benefit analyses, read economic papers, and discuss timely issues (e.g., marijuana legalization, the opioid crisis, pollinator health, etc.). This course is open to advanced undergraduates who have taken AEDE 4310 (Environmental and Natural Resources Economics), AEDE 4001 (Managerial Economics) or ECON 4001 (Intermediate Microeconomics), as well as graduate students outside AEDE with a quantitative background (with permission).
Undergraduate + Graduate Advising
Year-round
I currently advise PhD Student Lei Xu and serve on the dissertation committees for PhD candidates Sahar Yousef, Thadchaigeni Panchalingam, Asanka Wijesinghe, and Angie Liu. I also advise undergraduate students in the Agribusiness and Applied Economics major and lead the department's PhD job market preparation activities. If you are a current or aspiring undergraduate or graduate student, don't hesitate to contact me about opportunities!
