The University of Wisconsin–Platteville welcomes Kelvin Amon. He joins as a new assistant professor of dairy business and economic development in the School of Agriculture. His position is supported by the Dairy Innovation Hub. It is a statewide initiative funded through a $7.8 million annual investment by the state of Wisconsin. The Hub leverages research and development across UW–Madison, UW–Platteville, and UW–River Falls. It does so to ensure Wisconsin’s $52.8 billion dairy sector remains globally competitive while advancing economic, environmental, and social sustainability.
Beginning his appointment in August 2025, Amon joins the Hub’s growing network. The network consists of 17 faculty across the three campuses who collaborate to address emerging challenges in the dairy community. At UW–Platteville, he teaches in the agribusiness program. He also supports students preparing for the National Agri-Marketing Association student marketing competition.
Amon’s Background
Amon earned a PhD in food and resource economics from the University of Florida, where he specialized in applied microeconomics, with emphasis on farmer decision-making, and the economics of pest and disease management. His doctoral research used experimental economic methods to study how U.S. specialty‑crop growers respond to new pest‑ and disease‑control technologies and to evaluate whether peer involvement can help improve disease management.
The relevance of this work extends naturally into the dairy sector. Rising non-feed costs, disease-related risks, and uncertainty surrounding new technologies mirror many of the pressures he studied among citrus growers. Amon’s current research explores resilient economic strategies for dairy farms, with particular attention to small and medium-sized farms navigating tight margins.
Amon’s goal is to help farms improve their business outcomes—even amid low milk prices, high costs, and environmental pressures—so the industry can remain competitive and attract new business. “The Dairy Innovation Hub provides an incredible platform for researchers committed to strengthening Wisconsin’s dairy industry,” Amon says. “I’m excited to contribute through research, teaching, and outreach, and thrilled to be part of UW–Platteville’s School of Agriculture and collaborate with other Hub faculty across the state.”
