The business of farming and ranching has never been so complex. Financial pressures, environmental concerns, technological change, shifting consumer preferences, infrastructure limitations and government interventionism are just some of the challenges inherent in today’s agri-food business.
The University of Lethbridge’s Dr. Danny Le Roy will delve into the role economic science plays in helping navigate these complexities during his Public Professor Series talk, The curious task of economics and why it matters more than ever in Canadian agriculture, on Thursday, Nov. 26, 7 p.m., at Excite Lethbridge.
Agri-entrepreneurs and producers operate at an intersection of scarcity, uncertainty, natural resource stewardship and business efficiency — a balance that seems increasingly difficult to maintain, or even to achieve.
Le Roy, an associate professor in the Department of Economics, says economics enables us to better grasp the source, the nature and the consequences of these issues.
“Most people think that economics is about money and banking and forecasting the future, but the economist’s crystal ball is as faulty, cloudy and broken as everybody else’s, we have no clear insight into the future,” he says. “We all have to make choices under conditions of scarcity and uncertainty and when we make a choice, we sacrifice our best alternative, and that’s what makes economics so meaningful — it’s drawing people’s attention to the nature of their decision-making and the consequences of it.”
Le Roy adds that economics helps guide decision-making and informs what the implications of those choices are, both intended and unintended.
“Economics is not about money, being able to predict the future, or what the level of something should be,” he adds. “It is about people; it is who we are, and omnipresent trade-offs we each face.”
In addition to his role at the University, Le Roy is a Senior Fellow with the Fraser Institute. He teaches courses in agricultural systems modeling, commodity marketing, agricultural policy and microeconomics, and has served as the coordinator of the ULethbridge Agricultural Studies Program since 2010. He has received the Agricultural Students’ Association Distinguished Teaching Award on two occasions and was the Prairie Baseball Academy’s Professor of the Year in 2018. He received his BA (Honours) in Economics from Carleton University and his MSc and PhD in Agricultural Economics and Business from the University of Guelph.
Le Roy’s research focuses on production, marketing and trade of agricultural commodities. He is particularly interested in the effects of government interventionism.
The Public Professor Series, presented by the University of Lethbridge Senate, brings ULethbridge researchers into the community to share their work and explore the ideas shaping our world. All talks are free and open to everyone. Registration for each event is required.
2026-27 Public Professor Series (remaining talks)
The curious task of economics and why it matters more than ever in Canadian agriculture — Dr. Danny Le Roy, Thursday, Nov. 26, 2026
When it comes to democracy, what matters more: trust or truth? — Dr. Susan Dieleman, Thursday, Jan. 28, 2027 (Second date, Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2027, Vancouver)
Thinking globally: How do active kids today create a healthy tomorrow? — Dr. Richard Larouche, Thursday, Feb. 25, 2027
From controversy to compassion: How to disagree without disconnecting — Brent Saccucci, Thursday, March 25, 2027 (Second date, Thursday, Apr. 8, 2027, Medicine Hat)