Phone
608-890-0924Office Location
Animal Sciences
1675 Observatory Drive, Office 444
Madison WI, 53706
I am an agricultural economist who contributes core economic perspectives on food system issues relevant to society, often working closely with other disciplines and using integrative systems approaches. My overarching objective is to conduct timely, problem-driven research that features a combination of quantitative simulation and microeconomic tools and targets diverse relevant publication outlets. I strive to embody the land-grant mission by establishing and nurturing ongoing and productive relationships with stakeholders (e.g., other researchers, food supply chain actors and government policymakers). My efforts are guided by application of state-of-the-art quantitative methods to analyses of relevant, timely and important researchable problems and produce results that are important for both private and public decision makers. This is the foundation for the theory-based models, conceptual frameworks, creative data assembly and systems-oriented quantitative analyses that characterize my work.
My position is supported by the UW-Madison Dairy Innovation Hub. My principal research responsibilities are economic analysis of dairy production, marketing and policy issues, often through development and application of quantitative simulation models. My research also includes the economics of livestock systems in low- and middle-income countries, systems modeling of food value chains and linkages to food security, and the economics and environmental impacts of controlled-environment agriculture (for example, vertical farms for vegetable production).
I have MS and PhD Degrees from the Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management at Cornell University, and a BA degree from the University of California, Davis.
Selected Peer Reviewed Articles
Verteramo, L., C. F. Nicholson, M. I. Gómez and N. S. Mattson. 2024. A Meta-Analysis of Life Cycle Assessments for Tomato, Lettuce and Strawberry Supply Chains. Journal of Cleaner Production, in press.
Li, J., W. González, E. Monterrosa, M. I. Gómez and C. F Nicholson. 2024. Choice Experiments and Value-Chain Modeling of Attribute Improvements to Increase Vegetable Consumption in Kenya. Food Policy, in press.
Dias Paes Ferreira, M., A. R. P. Simões, C. F. Nicholson, L. Pegorini Daniel. 2024. Compost-Bedded Pack Barns as an Intensification Strategy of Brazilian Dairy Farms: Assessing the impacts on productive efficiency. Agribusiness: An International Journal, in press.
Nicholson, C. F., M. W. Stephenson, L. Armentano and K. Harvatine. 2024. Economic Analysis of High-Oleic Soybeans in Dairy Rations. Journal of Dairy Science, In Press https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2023-23738
Nicholson, C. F. and E. C. Monterrosa. 2023. Analyzing the Potential Impacts of Three Interventions on Fruit and Vegetable Consumption in Urban Kenya Using Participatory Systems Modeling. Public Health Nutrition, doi:10.1017/S1368980023002033
Nicholson, C. F., M. Eaton, M. I. Gómez, N. S. Mattson. 2023. Economic and Environmental Performance of Controlled-Environment Supply Chains for Leaf Lettuce. European Review of Agricultural Economics, doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/erae/jabd016.
Ayinde, T. B. C. F. Nicholson, B. Ahmed. 2023. Multiple‐year farm‐level assessments of trade‐offs between GHG emissions and income: case examples of two farming systems in Northern Nigeria. Environmental Science and Pollution Research https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-27534-9
Simões, A. R. P., C. F. Nicholson and G. Carvalho. 2023. Components of farm milk price behavior in Brazil from 2005 to 2020. Revista Brasileira de Zootecnia, https://doi.org/10.37496/rbz5220220116
Hawkins, J., A. M. Komarek, E. Kihoro, C. F. Nicholson, A. Omore, G.C. Schoneveld, G. Yesuf, P. J. Ericksen and M. C. Rufino. 2022. Improved animal genetics deliver low emissions development for East Africa’s dairy sector. NatureFood, https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-022-00633-5.
Nicholson, C. F., K. C. McRoberts, B. Suleyman Öz, B. Kopainsky. 2022. A Dynamic Systems Analysis of Factors Affecting Success of Identity-Preserved Products: the Case of High-Oleic Soybeans. International Food and Agribusiness Management Review 26 (1): 159-174, DOI: 10.22434/IFAMR2021.0132
Nicholson, C. F., E. Monterrosa, and J. L. Garrett. 2021. Food value chain interventions and nutritional outcomes: A review of evidence and recommendations for future assessments. Current Opinion in Biotechnology, 2021, 70:61–67, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copbio.2020.11.015.
Nicholson, C. F., E. C. Stephens, B. Kopainsky, A. Jones, D. Parsons and J. L. Garrett. 2021. Food Security Outcomes in Agricultural Systems Models: Current Status and Recommended Improvements. Agricultural Systems 188 103028 doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2020.103028 Nicholson, C. F., E. C. Stephens, A. Jones, B. Kopainsky, D. Parsons, J. L. Garrett and P.K. Thornton. 2021. Food Security Outcomes in Agricultural Systems Models: Case Examples and Priority Information Needs. Agricultural Systems, 188 103030 doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2020.103030
Weersink, A., M. von Massow, N. Bannon, J. Ilft, J.Maples, K. McEwen, M. McKendree, C. F. Nicholson, A.M. Novakovic, A. Rangarajan, T. Richards, B. Rickard, J. Rude, M. Schipanski, G. Schnitkey, L. Schultz, D. Schuurman, K. Schwartzkopf-Genswein, M. W. Stephenson, J.Thompson, K. Wood. 2021. COVID-19 and the Agri-Food System in the United States and Canada. Agricultural Systems, doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2020.103039.
Simões, A. R. P., C. F. Nicholson, J. D. dos Reis, R. M. Protil, A. L. J. Ferraz, and D. M. de Oliveira. 2021. Determinants of the loyalty of farmers to dairy processors in Minas Gerais, Brazil. Ciência Rural, Santa Maria, v.51:5, e20200340. doi.org./10.1590/0103-8478cr202003410
Villena, V. H., C. F. Nicholson, A.M. Novakovic and M.W. Stephenson. 2021. Management Lesson from the US Dairy Sector’s Pandemic Response. Supply Chain Management Review. September/October 2021, pp. 24-31.
Selected Book Chapters
Nicholson, C. F. and M. I. Gómez. 2022. “Market and Supply Chain Models for Analysis of Food Systems”, in C. Peters and D. Thilmany (eds.), Food Systems Modeling: Tools for Assessing Sustainability in Food and Agriculture. Elsevier / Academic Press.
Ayinde, T., B. Ahmed and C. F. Nicholson. 2021. “Farm-Level Impacts of Greenhouse Gas Reductions for the Predominant Production Systems in Northern Nigeria.” In W. L. Filho et al., eds., African Handbook of Climate Change Adaptation. Springer.
Nicholson, C. F., K. Harbick, N. M. Mattson and M. I. Gómez. 2020. “An Economic and Environmental Comparison of Conventional and Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) Supply Chains for Leaf Lettuce to US Cities”, in E. Aktas and Michael. Bourlakis (eds.) Food Supply Chains in Cities: Modern Tools for Circularity and Sustainability. Palgrave.
Selected Conference Proceedings
Nicholson, C. F. 2024. Dynamic Analyses of Proposed Supply Chain Coordination Programs for the US Dairy Industry. Proceedings of the 2024 International System Dynamics Conference, Bergen, Norway, August 4-8, 2024.
Nicholson, C. F., J. Li , W. Gonzalez, E.C. Monterrosa and M.I. Gómez. 2024. Integrating Consumer Choice Experiments and SD Supply Chain Modeling to Increase Vegetable Consumption in Kenya. Proceedings of the 2024 International System Dynamics Conference, Bergen, Norway, August 4-8, 2024.
Nicholson, C. F., and E. Monterrosa. 2021. Assessing the Impacts of Three Potential Interventions on Fruit and Vegetable Consumption in Urban Kenya Using Participatory Systems Modeling. Proceedings of the 2021 International System Dynamics Conference, Chicago, IL, 26-30 July.
Simões, A., R. M. Protil, C. F. Nicholson and A. M. Novakovic. 2017. The Impact of Production Technology on Dynamic Behavior of Brazilian Farm Milk Prices. Proceedings of the 35th International Conference of the System Dynamics Society, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, July 16-20, 2017.
Kopainsky, B. and C. F. Nicholson. 2015. System Dynamics and Sustainable Intensification of Agricultural Systems: Complementarities and Challenges. Proceedings of the 33rd International System Dynamics Conference, Cambridge, MA, July 19-23, 2015.
Nicholson, C. F., and M. W. Stephenson. 2014. Modeling Government Intervention in Agricultural Commodity Markets: U. S. Dairy Policy Under the Agricultural Act of 2014. Plenary Paper, Proceedings of the 32nd International Conference of the System Dynamics Society, Delft, Netherlands, July 20-24, 2014.
Other Publications
Nicholson, C.F. and M. W. Stephenson. 2024. Potential Implications of the Termination of Order 30 for Farm Milk Prices. Dairy Markets and Policy Information Letter 24-06, July. https://dairymarkets.org/PubPod/Pubs/IL24-06.pdf
Nicholson, C.F. and M. W. Stephenson. 2024. Proposed Changes to Class I Differentials in the Recommended Decision and Potential Farm Milk Price Impacts. Dairy Markets and Policy Information Letter 24-04, July. https://dairymarkets.org/PubPod/Pubs/IL24-04.pdf
Nicholson, C.F. and M. W. Stephenson. 2024. Proposed Changes to Product Make Allowances in the Recommended Decision and Potential Farm Milk Price Impacts. Dairy Markets and Policy Information Letter 24-03, July. https://dairymarkets.org/PubPod/Pubs/IL24-03.pdf
Nicholson, C. F. 2022. Assessment of the Potential for Participatory Systems Modeling to Improve Food and Nutrition Security Under Climate Change. White Paper developed for the Workshop to Assess the Potential for Participatory Systems Modeling to Improve Food and Nutrition Security Under Climate Change, August.
University of Wisconsin-Madison, Agricultural and Applied Economics AAE 422 Food Systems and Supply Chains, 2022-present
University of Wisconsin-Madison, Animal and Dairy Sciences ANSCI/DYSCI 370 Livestock Production and Health in Agricultural Development, 2023-present
I do not have a formal extension appointment, but develop educational programming for industry stakeholders on dairy markets and policy via the national Program on Dairy Markets and Policy (https://dairymarkets.org) a collaboration with Cornell University. Selected recent programs include:
National Workshop: USDA’s Proposed Changes to Milk Prices Under Federal Milk Marketing Orders, Madison, WI, September 18, 2024.
National Workshop for Dairy Economists and Policy Analysts, Madison, WI, October 24-25, 2023.
Curriculum Committee, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, UW-Madison, 2023-present
Steering Committee, Dairy Innovation Hub, UW-Madison, 2022-present
Advisory Council, Dairy Innovation Hub, UW-Madison, 2022-present
Governance Council, Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems, UW-Madison, 2022-present
Animal and Dairy Sciences, UW-Madison:
Chair, Dairy and Food Animal Management Major Committee, 2024-present
Teaching Assignment Committee, 2024-present
Post-Tenure Review Committee for Dr. Kent Weigel
Agricultural and Applied Economics, UW-Madison:
Undergraduate Committee, 2022-present
Distinguished Extension/Outreach Program Award—Group, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association (AAEA), 2015