Dr. Vincenzina Caputo is an agricultural and food economist. She serves as a Professor and the Homer Nowlin Endowed Chair in Consumer and Food Economics in the department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics at Michigan State University. Her research program focuses on three key areas: 1) empirical analysis of consumer decision-making behavior to advance knowledge on how people make food choices, 2) methodological innovations to evaluate the effects of these choices on food systems, supply chains, and policies, and 3) outreach and extension activities to translate findings into practical recommendations for key stakeholders, including farmers, processors, retailers, food companies, consumers, and policymakers.
Dr. Caputo’s research and outreach efforts guide the food industry and policy decisions, while her methodological research contributes to the academic literature and debate. Her work is published in well-respected academic journals, including the American Journal of Agricultural Economics, European Review of Agricultural Economics, Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Economic Inquiry, Journal of Agricultural Economics, Food Policy, among others. According to Google Scholar (August 2025), her publications have been cited 7,388 times, and she holds an h-index of 39, reflecting the substantial visibility and influence of her scholarship.
She serves as one of the editors-in-chief of the European Review of Agricultural Economics and holds positions as an associate editor or advisory board member for Food Policy and Agricultural Economics. She also serves on the board of directors of the Agricultural & Applied Economics Association and board of directors of the International Consortium on Applied Bioeconomy Research. She is the co-founder and director of the Survey Design and Experimental Methods in Applied and Agricultural Economics international workshop.
Beyond academia, Dr. Caputo’s expertise is highly sought after by industry leaders in agriculture and food, where her evidence-based solutions influence decisions and address specific industry challenges.
