Briefly
Mesbah Motamed is a Research Agricultural Economist in the Agricultural Policy and Models Branch of the Market and Trade Economics Division. His research focuses on domestic agricultural policy, trade, and food security.
Background
Mesbah joined ERS in November 2009. Prior to arriving, Mesbah studied at Purdue University, where his research centered on geographic and spatial determinants of urbanization and agricultural outcomes. Earlier, Mesbah interned for a USAID-funded agricultural development project in Peru, assisting local farmers orient their production to export markets. From 2000 to 2002, Mesbah worked as a trade analyst for the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Selected Publications
Motamed, M., L. McPhail, and R. Williams. 2016. “Corn area response to local ethanol markets in the United States: a grid cell level analysis,” American Journal of Agricultural Economics 98(3):726-743.
Motamed, M., R. Florax, and W. Masters. 2014. “Agriculture, transportation and the timing of urbanization: Global analysis at the grid cell level,” Journal of Economic Growth 19(3):339-368.
Motamed, M., K. Foster, and W. Tyner. 2008. “Applying cointegration and error correction to measure trade linkages: maize prices in the United States and Mexico,” Agricultural Economics 39(1):29-39.