The choice of the R&E focus areas was motivated by the information needs of the coastal communities and residents, marine, horticultural and coastal-related industries, business establishments and organizations, and state and federal regulatory agencies. The specific mandates of the state and federal funding initiatives dictated some of the directions of R&E programming efforts.
The MSU-CREC’s economic extension and research programs during the past three decades were made possible by additional extramural funding from state and federal funding agencies totaling more than five million dollars. Several requests of regional, national and international agencies and media organizations to participate in committees, workshops, conferences, collaborative efforts, and press releases demonstrate the extent of the usefulness and recognition of the economics programs conducted by Dr. Posadas.
The timely conduct of applied economic research on horticultural, marine, and coastal-related issues was the key to the successful extension of the HMRE project results. Presentations of results were conducted at producer meetings, scientific conferences, and industry workshops. The use of the internet and social media networks played a vital complementary function in extension programming in horticulture and marine-related issues. In response to recent natural and man-made disasters and global pandemic, Dr. Posadas posted several YouTube videos which show the results of his assessments of their economic impacts on the marine and seafood industries in the state, region, and beyond.
The current R and E projects conducted by Dr. Posadas are best described at https://www.msstate.edu/our-people/2019/12/ben-posadas.
A video presentation of Dr. Posadas' 2020 MSU-CREC economic research and extension projects can be viewed at https://youtu.be/rALOUjAB-TY.