OSU agricultural economist Derrell Peel honored for lifetime achievement

Wednesday, April 12, 2017

Derrell Peel of Oklahoma State University’s Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources is the 2017 Southern Agricultural Economics Association Lifetime Achievement Award recipient.

Holder of the Charles A. Breedlove Endowed Professorship in Agribusiness, Peel joined the OSU faculty in 1989 as OSU Cooperative Extension livestock marketing specialist, a position he still fills today and for which he has received significant renown from both industry and academia.

“Throughout his career, Dr. Peel has developed and maintained a multi-dimensional Extension program based on market outlook and marketing/risk management education,” said Mike Woods, head of OSU’s department of agricultural economics.

Peel’s insights about livestock marketing, risk management education for livestock producers and economic effects of the U.S. cattle industry are regularly featured in both industry and mainstream media throughout the United States.

He also works in the area of international livestock and meat trade with particular focus on Mexico, Canada and the North American livestock and meat industry. Peel lived in Mexico on sabbatical in 2001 and has developed an extensive knowledge of the Mexican cattle and beef industry and the economics of cattle and beef trade between the United States and Mexico.

“Dr. Peel travels frequently to Mexico to speak at academic and industry conferences and is often asked to share his knowledge of the Mexican cattle market in presentations to producers, industry leaders and policymakers in the United States,” Woods said.

One of Peel’s most recent trips to Mexico was at the request of the Oklahoma Cattleman’s Association where he coordinated an educational tour of the Mexican cattle industry for Oklahoma producers.

Peel is in much demand as an expert speaker. He has presented at more than 850 conferences and workshops in Oklahoma and at more than 200 regional and national venues. In addition, local and national media seek out his commentary, as do industry conference organizers.

“Dr. Peel’s written newsletter articles total more than 530, available both in print and digital venues,” Woods said. “He is a weekly contributor to the OSU Cow-Calf Corner electronic newsletter, with many of his articles having been reprinted or rebroadcast by a wide variety of local and national media.”

Peel also has authored or co-authored multiple Extension publications, as well as chapters in the Beef Cattle Manual for Oklahoma’s Master Cattleman program.

He was a co-developer and presenter of the highly decorated Fed Cattle Market Simulator, popularly known as the “Packer Feeder Game,” developed by research and Extension faculty at OSU.

“Dr. Peel incorporated the game – initially intended for research – into his marketing and risk management education program,” Woods said. “The game involves participants in a realistic market trading environment to experience and learn market fundamentals, marketing decision making and risk management principles.”

The “Packer Feeder Game” has been used extensively with Extension clientele and as in-service education for Extension educators, in industry settings the world over for employee training programs by agribusiness firms, in college classrooms providing real-world insights to students and beyond.

Extremely active in the area of applied research, Peel has authored or co-authored more than 40 refereed publications, more than 40 selected papers and has published abstracts at professional meetings.

“Dr. Peel has been an active member of the Livestock Marketing Information Center since early in his career and has been Oklahoma’s representative on LMIC’s Technical Advisory Committee since 1989, giving a voice to livestock producers throughout the Southern Plains,” Woods said.

Peel provided leadership as the organization evolved from a western regional project to the premier national center of livestock marketing information. The organization has honored him with its Superior Service and Lifetime Achievement awards.

Beyond Extension and research, Peel has been active in teaching, particularly undergraduate instruction. He conducts several study abroad courses where he and his students travel to Mexico and Canada, and to domestic agribusiness locations. He has been the undergraduate club and academic quiz bowl team adviser for several years. In addition, he has served on nearly 60 graduate committees and acted as a major academic adviser for masters and Ph.D. students.

The SAEA Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes significant and enduring contributions to southern agricultural economics in scholarship, including teaching and research, and public service, embracing not only Extension but all other outreach activities in government and agribusiness.