Roberta Cook has a Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics from Michigan State University. From 1985 to July 2016 she was the Cooperative Extension Marketing Economist in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics (ARE) at University of California, Davis. She is now an Emerita faculty member in this department. She conducted an applied research and industry outreach program focusing on the marketing and international trade of fresh fruits and vegetables, including studies on international competitiveness, industry structure and procurement practices, the N. American fresh tomato industry, and trends in consumer demand and food distribution.

She served four and a half years on the Board of Directors of Village Farms, and served for 11 years each on the boards of Ocean Mist Farms and Naturipe Farms. She currently serves on an advisory marketing committee to Ocean Mist Farms. She has served on numerous PBH committees and was a member of the Monsanto Vegetable Seeds Advisory Council. Other board service includes: the PMA Foundation for Industry Talent; Sunkist Growers; the California Kiwifruit Commission; and the American Agricultural Economics Association Foundation. From 1998-2003 she was a member of the ATAC for Fruits and Vegetables of the U.S.D.A. and the U.S.T.R.

She was honored as one of the top 25 produce industry leaders for 2011 by The Packer (The Packer Top 25). From 2003-spring 2011 she was Faculty Director of the California Agribusiness Executive Seminar, a program co-sponsored by the Department of ARE and the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at UC Davis, and Wells Fargo Bank.

http://cook.ucdavis.edu/
cook@primal.ucdavis.edu