Meet the RPD: Food Economist Dr. Mike von Massow

Von Massow wants agri-food research to work for the sector. 

As a research program director (RPD) for the Ontario Agri-Food Innovation Alliance, he is focused on delivering insights to farmers and businesses so they can adapt and thrive.

Von Massow is a professor in the University of Guelph’s department of Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics, and leads the policy and economy research area for the Alliance. 

RPDs play a critical role in ensuring the solutions developed through the Alliance research and innovation program address Government and sector priorities.

Von Massow has worked on both the producer and consumer sides of agri-food, arriving to academia, in his words, “late” but bringing a wealth of knowledge from his experiences in private agri-food management and marketing.

That industry knowledge and network will be useful as an RPD; a role that requires administrative research activities within the University and becoming an ambassador for the Alliance outside it.

“Connection to industry is profoundly important to me. We need to hear what their questions are and have them as partners to strengthen our proposals and projects,” says von Massow. “It’s about engaging industry and understanding what they’re looking for, to leverage research funding for the benefit of Ontario agriculture.”

Understanding the value chain from farm to retailer to consumer

Von Massow’s research looks at the whole agri-food value chain, from farm to retailer, including how people make decisions around food. It touches on animal welfare, environmental impact, food prices and consumer behaviour. His current Alliance project investigates how value chains and consumer habits have changed since the COVID-19 pandemic.

He tackles these multifaceted topics in collaboration with experts from across U of G, including engineering, social science and veterinary science. For example, von Massow is working with Dr. Christine Baes in the Department of Animal Biosciences on a dairy emissions project, and with Dr. Kate Parizeau in the Department of Geography, Environment and Geomatics to study different aspects of food waste.

“Understanding the consumer side of food is directly related to primary agriculture,” he says. 

One research project underway relates to consumer acceptance of gene editing. 

“We understand science. The biggest challenge is the adoption of those practices,” he says. “We need to understand how consumers respond, in order to understand how we should be adopting this technology at the farm level.”

Personal experience demonstrates the value of collaboration

Von Massow plans to continue to foster relationships as part of his RPD role both within U of G and outside it.

“I’m a strong believer in outreach,” says von Massow. “I want to bring knowledge translation and transfer—KTT—even more forward.”

He is already a frequent presenter to commodity and grocery organizations and is sought-after by media outlets like CBC News and The Globe and Mail. He says he hopes to encourage other researchers to speak about their projects and insights as well, to share results but also to articulate what universities and research partnerships like the Alliance do.

“To get the maximum out of research, we need to communicate it—and not just to other academics,” he says.