| Activity | Founded at Dartington Hall, Totnes, Devon in 1929 as International Conference of Agricultural Economists and in 1961 became known as the International Association of Agricultural Economists.
Its objectives were to foster development of the science of agricultural economics, with special emphasis on assistance to developing countries, to apply the results of economic investigations to the improvement of economic and social conditions relating to agriculture and rural life, and to enable economists with mutual interests in different areas to make direct contacts with their colleagues. Established in 1929 by a group of 50 agricultural economists from eleven countries who met at Dartington Hall, Devon. Those who attended concluded that such conferences would be of great benefit to agricultural economists throughout the world in increasing their knowledge and understanding of other peoples and their problems, and in promoting mutual understanding and good will. Leonard Elmhirst of Dartington Hall, Devon, Dr George F Warren and Dean Carl Ladd of Cornell University planned the initial conference. Others who took prominent part in developing the early conferences were: A Ashby, J R Currie, J P Maxton, and Edgar Thomas. At the 1961 conference the members voted to change the name form the International Association of Agricultural Economists in order to denote a continuously functioning organisation. A conference was held every third year. The association endeavoured to simulate the development and improvement of agricultural economics research, teaching, extension, and administration in all countries. It encourageed the formation of national and regional associations of agricultural economists. |