John A. Hannah Distinguished Professor in Land Policy
Director, Land Policy Institute
Dr. Soji Adelaja is the John A. Hannah Distinguished Professor in Land Policy at Michigan State University (MSU) and Director of MSU’s Land Policy Institute. He holds joint faculty appointments as professor in the department of Agricultural Economics; Department of Geography; and Department of Community, Agricultural and Recreational Resource Studies. Prior to that, he served as the Executive Dean of Agriculture and Natural Resources, the Dean of Cook College, the Executive Director of the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station and Director of Rutgers Cooperative Extension at Rutgers University, where he was on the faculty for 18 years.
Dr. Adelaja is an eclectic scholar and team builder whose research and outreach programs span a variety of areas. He is best known for his work in Land Use Policy, Agricultural Policy at the Urban Fringe, Economic Development of Food and Natural Resource-based Industries, and Emerging Issues in the Food Industry. A committed land grant scholar, his work has shaped public policy toward agriculture and other land-based industries at the urban fringe.
Dr. Adelaja holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Mechanization from the Pennsylvania State University, dual Master’s degrees in Agricultural Economics and in Economics from West Virginia University, and a Ph.D. in Economics, also from West Virginia University.
Dr. Adelaja’s research helped shape many New Jersey programs, including New Jersey’s $40 million Agricultural Economic Recovery and Development Initiative, Horse Park at Stone Tavern, the 1998 Right to Farm Legislation, the Farmland Preservation Program, and the Millennium Viability Initiative. Dr. Adelaja sits on the boards of numerous companies and organizations, has served on state commissions, advisory committees and task forces, and been Special Policy Advisor to the Secretary of Agriculture.
Among the recognitions he has received for his work and impact are the Rutgers Presidential Award for Distinguished Public Service, The Outstanding Alumni Award from Penn State’s College of Agriculture, the Person of the Year Award from the National Prepared Foods Association, New Jersey Governor’s Recognition for Outstanding Contributions to New Jersey, the State of New Jersey General Assembly’s Citation for Outstanding Scholarship and Exceptional Service, and various excellence awards in research, outreach, and teaching,. He is the 2003 recipient of the NAREA Award for Outstanding Contributions to Public Policy through Economics, and in recognition of his service to Rutgers, he holds a special emeritus status as the George Hammel Cook Dean Emeritus.
