The accomplishments of the Department of Agricultural Economics derive from a philosophically diverse group of outstanding faculty members. Since its establishment in 1949, the Department's faculty and former students have been instrumental in developing the profession of agricultural economics and supporting the professional organizations of agricultural economists. The department has twice provided editors for the American Journal of Agricultural Economics, and recently provided the editor for the Review of Agricultural Economics. Six times the president of the American Agricultural Economics Association (AAEA) has been selected from among MSU's agricultural economics faculty. The first president of the International Association of Agricultural Economists was selected from the department. Since 1970, four members of the department have been selected as AAEA fellows.