Dr. Zoë T. Plakias
Agricultural + Food Systems Economist
Dr. Zoë T. Plakias
Assistant Professor
Western Washington University
Adjunct Assistant Professor
Department of Agricultural, Environmental, and Development Economics
Ohio State University
Professional Leadership
Chair, AAEA Mentorship Committee
Faculty Chair-Elect, AAEA Graduate Student Section
Current Research Areas
Evaluating Food System Investments + Innovations
Some questions I'm interested in:
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How can we build a food system of the future that's better for all people and the environment?
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What scales of food system activities (local, regional, national, global) are optimal and in what situations?
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Are food system innovations and investments always meeting their intended goals? If not, how can we improve?
Evaluating Food + Agricultural Policy
Some questions I'm interested in:
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Are food and agricultural policies having their intended effects?
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What are the unintended consequences of food and agricultural policies?
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What kinds of policies will increase food system resilience to shocks?
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How can food and agricultural polices better support marginalized people?
Exploring the role of Democracy in Food Systems
Some questions I'm interested in:
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What is the role of democratic organizations (e.g., cooperatives) in food systems?
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Can democratic organizations in food systems help address food system stakeholder concerns?
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What are the opportunities and challenges for democratic organizations and participation in food systems?
Reflecting on the Work of Higher Education
Some questions I'm interested in:
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What pedagogical techniques are most effective for teaching about food and agricultural economics?
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How do we alleviate disparities in terms of race, ethnicity, gender, and institutional type in how we do our work as applied economists?
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What are the most effective models for interdisciplinary research and outreach to address wicked problems?
Publications + Working Papers
Outreach publication
Preparing for Food System Resiliency in Ohio: Policy and Planning Lessons from COVID-19 [view report]
Format: Technical report
Authors: Shoshanah Inwood, Zoë Plakias, Jill Clark, Nicole Wright, Aiden Irish, and Josh Vittie
Publication year: 2022
Working paper (Accepted article in Public Administration Quarterly)
Economic Governance of Cannabis: Implications of Polycentric Governance in Mendocino County [request manuscript]
Authors: Keith Taylor, Nathan Goodman, Parisa Kavousi, Taylor Giamo, Gwen Arnold, and Zoë Plakias
Most recent version: 2022
Working paper in review
Leveraging Every Door Direct Mail for Remote Recruitment of a Rural Study Sample: Response Rate and Representativeness [request manuscript]
Authors: Khawlah Al-Muhanna, Katharine Jeane Garrity, Zoë Plakias, Andrew Hanks, and Jennifer Garner
Most recent version: 2022
Working paper
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Food Insecurity, and Fruit and Vegetable Consumption in Appalachian Ohio [VIew working paper]
Authors: Lei Xu, Zoë Plakias, Andrew Hanks, and Jennifer Garner
Most recent version: 2022
Peer-reviewed book chapter
Interdisciplinary System and network Perspectives in Food and Agricultural Economics [View book chapter]
Book: Handbook of Agricultural Economics, Vol. 6 (Chris Barrett and David Just, eds.)
Authors: Chyi-Lyi (Kathleen) Liang and Zoë Plakias
Publication year: 2022
Working paper (Forthcoming chapter in the Handbook of Cooperatives and Mutuals, edited by Matthew Elliott and Mike Boland)
Consumer CooperativeS: Purpose and Possibilities [REQuest Manuscript]
Authors: Zoë Plakias and Jason Scott Entsminger
Most recent version: 2022
Peer-reviewed journal article
I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for Local Ice Cream: Consumer Preference for Locally Processed and Packaged Foods [View article]
Journal: Agribusiness
Authors: Xiao Dong, H. Allen Klaiber, and Zoë T. Plakias
Publication year: 2022
Peer-reviewed journal article
Past, Present, and Future: Status of Women and Minority Faculty in Agricultural and Applied Economics [view Article]
Journal: Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy
Authors: Jana Hilsenroth, Anna Josephson, Kelly Grogan, Lurleen Walters, Zoë Plakias, Leah Palm-Forster, Simanti Banerjee, and Tara Wade
Publication year: 2021
Peer-reviewed journal article
ON THE Money: Characterizing Banking and Lending in the California Cannabis Industry [VIEW ARTICLE]
Journal: Agricultural Finance Review
Authors: Zoë Plakias, Margaret Jodlowski, Taylor Giamo, Parisa Kavousi, and Keith Taylor
Publication year: 2021
Peer-reviewed journal article
Which schools receive state-level support for local food purchases? Evidence from reimbursement incentive programs in Michigan and Oregon
Journal: Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems
Authors: Jeff O'Hara, Becca Jablonski, and Zoë Plakias
Publication year: 2022
Peer-reviewed journal article
Measuring the Welfare Impacts of Local Food Sourcing by Institutions: A Cost-Benefit Analysis Approach [VIEW ARTICLE]
Journal: Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development
Authors: Zoë Plakias
Publication year: 2021
Peer-reviewed journal article
Short Value Chain Models of Healthy Food Access: A Qualitative Study of Two Approaches [VIEW ARTICLE]
Journal: Nutrients
Authors: Kathleen Krzyzanowski Guerra, Drew Hanks, Zoë T. Plakias, Susie Huser, Tom Redfern, and Jennifer Garner
Publication year: 2021
Working paper
Healthy Food, Healthy Farms? Implications of Healthy Food Policies for Agricultural Value Chains [REQuest Manuscript]
Authors: Zoë T. Plakias, Seung-hun Chung, and Lei Xu
Most recent version: 2021
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
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
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
Working paper
The Mexican PROCAMPO Farmland Subsidy and Its Effectiveness as a Rural Anti-Poverty Program [view working paper]
Authors: Ariadna Martínez González, Zoë Plakias and Mark Partridge
Most recent version: 2019
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
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
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
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 [VIEW WORKING PAPer]
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 [View working paper]
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
ECON 206: Introduction to microEconomics
Winter and Spring Quarters
This course provides an overview of the modern market economy as a system for dealing with the problem of scarcity. Operation and decision-making of economic units; supply, demand and resource allocation; analysis of various market and industry structures; shortages, controls, social costs and benefits; international trade; comparative systems. This course is open to undergraduates who have taken MATH 112 or the equivalent or who have a suitable math assessment score.
ECON 482: Advanced Topics in Environmental Economics
Fall Quarter
This course examines an extended set of applications in environmental economics, with a focus on deepening the student’s understanding of the field. Applications involve current controversies in environmental policy and management, as well as methodological issues. Topics include climate change, solid waste management and recycling, water quality, and other issues of current interest. This course is open to undergraduates who have taken ECON 383 or the equivalent and is a Writing Proficiency 3 course. It is also a required course for the Business and Sustainability major.
ECON 483: Resource Economics
Winter and Spring Quarters
This course examines principles of efficient resource allocation over time, distributional equity and cost/benefit analysis. Examines minerals and other exhaustible resources; forests, fisheries and other renewable resources; and public goods such as water and wilderness. This course is open to undergraduates who have taken ECON 306 or 309.
Undergraduate + Graduate Advising
Year-round
I currently serve on the dissertation committee for Ohio State University PhD Student Lei Xu and PhD Candidate Jonathan Siegle. I also advise undergraduate students in the Western Washington University Economics major. If you are a current undergraduate student at Western or a student at any level elsewhere in economics, please don't hesitate to contact me for opportunities or mentorship!
When I'm not working you might find me...
OUTside Hiking OR SAILING
Views of Mt. Baker from the deck of the S/V Hawaiian Chieftain
Strait of Juan de Fuca
Canada/US border
