At this year’s Agricultural & Applied Economics Association (AAEA) annual meeting, UF graduate students Meri Hambaryan, Kelvin Amon, and Chenxi Hu, competed in the annual Case Study Competition against graduate students from all over the world, placing third.  

Hosted by the Agribusiness Economics and Management (AEM) – Graduate Student Section (GSS), this prestigious competition invites students to test their ability to apply theoretical knowledge gained through graduate study of agricultural economics and agribusiness to practical situations. 

For this year’s case study, competitors were to work as a consultant team assigned to help Pioneer Farm, a mid-sized dairy farm in Wisconsin, decide whether to adopt an Automatic Milking System (AMS) to address the significant challenges being faced due to labor shortages and a limited profit margin.  

“Our task was to analyze the current condition, such as the strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats the dairy industry and farm face, analyze the financial situation of the farm, conduct a cost-benefit analysis, and give recommendations on whether they should adopt AMS and how to implement it practically,” Hu said.  

After receiving the case study topic on July 14, they had two weeks to quickly become experts on the topic at hand and put together a comprehensive presentation of the suggested best plan of action for Pioneer Farms.  

“From the moment we received the case, we divided it into manageable parts based on each member’s strengths and held daily meetings to track our progress and address any issues. The team was incredibly supportive, and everyone was always ready to help each other, making our collaboration both effective and enjoyable,” Hambaryan said. 

They were advised by faculty members Dr. Xumin Zhang and Dr. Lijun “Angelia” Chen.  

“Drs. Zhang and Chen deserve immense credit,” Amon said. “They assembled and mentored a winning team, providing invaluable guidance in brainstorming, structuring, and delivering our presentation. We are deeply grateful for their mentorship and believe they deserve recognition alongside us.” 

In placing third, this team accomplished one of the highest rankings for UF graduate students in this competition, marking a remarkable accomplishment that they hope will set the stage for many FRE student winners in the future. 

While our goal was to secure first place, achieving third is exhilarating. We feel like local champions—Gator champions. – Kelvin Amon

7