I am currently a postdoctoral fellow at Auburn University.

My current research focuses on agricultural, rural, and spatial economics, with an emphasis on how data-driven insights can strengthen the vitality and resilience of small farms. I use high-resolution geospatial data, restricted-access Census of Agriculture and Agricultural Resource Management Survey (ARMS) microdata, and advanced econometric and spatial modeling techniques to study land access, productivity, technology adoption, and the structural challenges facing beginning and young farmers. Much of my current work identifies the regional, market, and policy conditions that allow small farms to enter, survive, and grow.

My work has so far appeared in Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics, Food Policy, Agriculture & Food Security, Agrekon, Journal of Real Estate Research. I also have papers under review that study the spillover effects arising from the geographic distribution of new farmer entrants, beginning and women farmer efficiency, causal impact of precision agriculture technology, property tax discrimination, and discontiguous submarket dilineation techniques.

Publications, current projects, including working papers, can be found here. A copy of my CV can be found here. I can be reached at smf0100@auburn.edu.

I have teaching experience in statistics/econometrics and have TA-ed in Ph.D. quantitative methodology in natural resource economics and undergraduate finance courses.