Dr. David L. Ortega is a Professor and the Noel W. Stuckman Chair in Food Economics and Policy at Michigan State University. He leads an integrated research, teaching, and outreach program focused on decision-making in agrifood systems and the economic forces that shape food markets and policy. Originally from Venezuela, he earned his Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics from Purdue University.
His work examines food markets, agricultural trade, and public policy, including food price inflation, trade and market access, consumer demand, food marketing, and agrifood supply chains. Dr. Ortega draws on more than fifteen years of field research in China as well as projects across Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Latin America. He has published over 80 articles in peer-reviewed journals, including Food Policy, Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, and the Journal of Supply Chain Management.
An award-winning policy communicator, Dr. Ortega has testified before the U.S. Senate and House Agriculture Committees and the Michigan Senate Agriculture Committee, and has advised federal and state agencies, including the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Reserve Banks. Known for translating rigorous economic research into clear insights, he is regularly featured in outlets such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Financial Times, Politico, CNN, NBC, PBS, and Time.