The University of Wisconsin–Platteville welcomes Kelvin Amon 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, 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 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 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 and supports student development in agricultural economics and related areas.
Amon earned a Ph.D. in food and resource economics from the University of Florida, where he specialized in applied microeconomics, farmer decision-making, and the economics of pest and disease management. His doctoral research examined the Florida citrus industry, analyzing grower responses to citrus greening disease and assessing the economic viability of new management tools.
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.
In his role at UW–Platteville, Amon maintains an applied research agenda centered on farmer behavior, technology adoption, and policy design. His overarching goal is to support data-driven decision-making and enhance the long-term competitiveness of Wisconsin dairy farms.
About UW–Platteville:
The University of Wisconsin–Platteville is home to the College of Business, Industry, Life Science and Agriculture (BILSA), where academic inquiry, applied research, and hands‑on learning come together to prepare the next generation of leaders, professionals, and innovators. Serving more than 1,700 undergraduate students, the college offers programs supported by experiential learning opportunities, including the UW–Platteville Pioneer Farm—a 430‑acre working agricultural laboratory featuring dairy, swine, beef, and cropping systems; and conservation‑focused land management.
Contact: Maria Woldt, Dairy Innovation Hub program manager, (608) 265-4009, maria.woldt@wisc.edu
Hi-res photo: Kelvin Amon, School of Agriculture, UW–Platteville
