USDA Chief Economist Seth Meyer to Lead Mizzou’s FAPRI as Pat Westhoff Concludes Influential 15-Year Tenure
Leadership transition brings Meyer back to Missouri as FAPRI’s long-time director Pat Westhoff retires after reshaping the institute into a global force in agricultural policy analysis
Seth Meyer, U.S. Department of Agriculture’s chief economist, will return to the University of Missouri on Jan. 1, 2026, to take the helm of the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI). He succeeds Pat Westhoff, who will retire March 1 after a distinguished 15-year tenure as director and nearly three decades of service to Mizzou.
Meyer, a Mizzou PhD and former assistant director of FAPRI, brings extensive experience from some of USDA’s most consequential analytical offices. His résumé includes leading the World Agricultural Outlook Board, publishing the WASDE report, overseeing the Agricultural Outlook Forum, and testifying before Congress on market and policy developments. He is an internationally recognized expert in agricultural and biofuel policy. Meyer said he looks forward to returning “home to Missouri” to conduct deeper research and continue FAPRI’s tradition of objective, bipartisan analysis.
FAPRI — which celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2024 — provides 10-year agricultural market and policy projections that are widely used by Congress, USDA, commodity groups, and international governments. Its baseline reports and specialty analyses often frame key debates in farm bill negotiations, trade discussions, and domestic program reforms.
WESTHOFF’S LEGACY: A CORNERSTONE OF AGRICULTURAL POLICY ANALYSIS
Pat Westhoff’s retirement marks the conclusion of one of the most influential chapters in FAPRI’s history. After joining Mizzou in 1996 from the U.S. Senate Ag Committee, Westhoff quickly became a central pillar of the institute’s rigorous modeling and economic forecasting work.
Pat Westhoff opens the 2025 Abner W. Womack Missouri Agriculture Outlook conference on Wednesday, April 9.
When he became director in 2011, he expanded FAPRI’s national and global reach, strengthening its reputation as a nonpartisan, data-driven source for agricultural market projections and policy evaluation. Under Westhoff:
- FAPRI’s annual baseline projections became indispensable to policymakers and widely cited in congressional hearings and USDA planning.
- The institute broadened its global modeling capacity, integrating deeper trade linkages and international market dynamics.
- FAPRI responded to major disruptions — from trade wars and biofuel mandate shifts to weather shocks and pandemic-era volatility — providing clear, actionable analyses.
- The group’s work became a staple input for farm bill development and federal budget scoring.
Westhoff also built FAPRI into a model for accessible communication of complex economic modeling. His clarity and consistency made him a frequent source for national and international media, and a trusted figure across both political parties.
He has earned numerous awards, including USDA’s Bruce Gardner Award, the Roger L. Mitchell Fellow Award, and a seat on the editorial board of the Journal of International Agricultural Trade and Development. His career is widely regarded as one that strengthened the credibility and influence of agricultural economic analysis across the policy landscape.
LOOKING AHEAD
University leaders say Meyer’s credibility, international experience, and strong relationships across USDA, Congress, and global institutions will ensure FAPRI remains a central fixture in agricultural policy debates. As director, he will oversee roughly a dozen faculty and staff engaged in research, teaching, and outreach, and maintain FAPRI’s longstanding commitment to bipartisan, transparent modeling.
Seth Meyer
Meyer emphasized that his leadership will focus on honoring and extending the legacy Westhoff built: “Pat has done such a fabulous job serving the mission at FAPRI. It is key to maintain the reputation FAPRI has earned over its 40+ years.”
Westhoff leaves behind an institute stronger, more globally engaged, and more influential than ever — setting the stage for Meyer to guide FAPRI into its next era of policy leadership.
