Education: PhD in Agricultural, Environmental, and Development Economics from The Ohio State University

Hongxi Zhao is a Junior Research Economist with the Agricultural Risk Policy Center at North Dakota State University. Her research lies at the intersection of land economics and agricultural policy, with a focus on how policy design, market incentives, and spatial connectivity shape efficient agricultural production and land allocations. A central theme of her work is the evaluation of federal agricultural safety net programs, including the Federal Crop Insurance Program (FCIP), and how insurance subsidies, disaster assistance, and credit policies influence farmers’ production choices, risk management, and land use decisions. Drawing on spatial and regional economic frameworks, her research examines land use transitions in both developed and developing economies, addressing challenges related to agricultural expansion, energy demand, and environmental sustainability. Methodologically, her research combines modern econometric techniques, including structural models and causal inference approaches, with non-market evaluations and model-based simulations. By integrating micro-level land use decisions with regional and global economic models, her work contributes to a broader understanding of how policy interventions affect land efficiency, production outcomes, and welfare across the urban–rural continuum.