Dr. Molly Sears, an Assistant Professor at the Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics at Michigan State University, will present “Valuing Recycled Water for Irrigation: Direct and Indirect Benefits to Coastal Agriculture” during the Agricultural Economics Seminar Series. 

Abstract: In the face of drought and climate change, many coastal agricultural regions are at risk of sea-level rise and the depletion of groundwater resources. When combined, these issues lead to seawater intrusion of the underlying groundwater storage, which is detrimental to agricultural production and difficult to combat. In a setting where alternative water resources are prized, one possible strategy to mitigate seawater intrusion is through the development of a municipal treated wastewater program.

Dr. Sears’s research integrates agricultural and environmental policy, focusing on improving agricultural productivity while preserving soil health and water quality. Her work is stakeholder focused and takes an interdisciplinary approach, including agricultural producers, agronomists, and hydrologists (among others) to provide valuable context and rigorous science behind her economic analysis. Dr. Sears’s research agenda is currently comprised of three main components: (1) nutrient management, application, and behavior; (2) innovations and adaptation in agricultural water quality; and (3) agricultural resilience to climate shocks.