Purdue agricultural economics professor Chris Hurt retires

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — After leaving an impact on countless students and helping analyze major changes in the agricultural economy, Chris Hurt recently retired after 40 years at Purdue University.

Hurt was known as the expert when it came to analyzing huge changes in the agricultural economy that he shared with farmers and individuals across the country, which included testifying at congressional hearings.

“Agriculture history is rich. Cycles have always been important in agriculture. The nature of farm income has always been short periods of booming farm income and escalations of land values followed by periods of decline where there are long periods at lower, but much more stable income,” Hurt said.

Hurt also left a lasting impact on the pork industry, where he would study any massive changes that occurred in the pork industry in the United States and was even invited to such countries as China, Japan, South Korea and Malaysia to help address the implications of changes in the global pork business.

“Chris was a tireless public servant,” said Jayson Lusk, who is a Purdue University distinguished professor and serves as the head of the agricultural economics department.

Lusk said Hurt spent thousands of afternoons, nights and weekends sharing his insights about agricultural markets.

“He helped generations of Indiana farmers make better planting and crop marketing decisions through his outlook articles and talks,” Lusk said.

He said that Hurt was the main attraction at gatherings all around the state.

“If you wanted the audience to stay until the end, Chris was last on the program,” Lusk said.