Audrey Luke-Morgan

Agribusiness Economist

Tifton Campus, RDC
PO Box 1209
Tifton, GA 31793
phone: 229.391.6877
email: audreylm@uga.edu

Academic Background

• MS in Agricultural Economics, University of Georgia, 1998
• BBA in Accounting, University of Georgia, 1996

Audrey Luke-Morgan joined the University of Georgia’s Center of Agribusiness and Economic Development as an agribusiness economist in May 2006.  Her focus includes applied research and outreach services for Georgia agribusinesses that are of interest to industry or commodity groups.  This includes research projects, feasibility for new agribusiness ventures, market surveys, development of detailed business and marketing plans and economic impact studies.

As a graduate student at the University of Georgia, the primary focus of Audrey’s graduate research was New Generation Cooperatives and the feasibility of their development in Georgia.  In particular, she considered the economic analysis of a large scale, producer cooperative owned pork slaughter plant in Georgia.  She also successfully completed the Certified Public Accountant exam while attending graduate school.

Upon completion of her graduate studies in 1998, Audrey began work as a Research Coordinator with the University of Georgia National Center for Peanut Competitiveness.  Her work experience with the Peanut Center was one with focus on multi-disciplinary and multi-state efforts.  Her responsibilities included coordination with production scientists to plan and conduct research relative to peanuts.  She has worked with production scientists including agronomists, entomologists, plant pathologists and other economists throughout Georgia, Florida, Alabama, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Texas and New Mexico in an effort to enhance the competitiveness of US peanut producers. 

On a daily basis she conducted economic analyses with plot data, farm level data, agronomic experimental data, farmer enterprise data, whole farm records, farm planning models and policy analyses with the Peanut Center.  Audrey was also instrumental in the establishment, analyses, and maintenance of the representative peanut farm database which is a cornerstone for agricultural policy analyses relating to Southern agriculture.  She has experience with extensive review and interpretation of financial data, statements, and ratios in determining the economic viability of southeast representative peanut farms.  She also has vast experience in communicating research methodology and findings to stake holders which include producers, business and industries, fellow researchers, and Congressional staffers through both written and verbal communications. 

Collegiate and Professional Education
Degree                        Year    Institute                            Field
M.S.                1998    University of Georgia        Agricultural Economics
B.B.A.             1996    University of Georgia             Accounting
A.S.                 1994    Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College  Business Administration