Desmond Jolly, a Cooperative Extension economist in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, has been awarded the 2005 Outstanding Black Agricultural Economist Award by the Committee on the Opportunities and Status of Blacks in Agricultural Economics.

The organization, a committee of the American Agricultural Economics Association, presented the award to Jolly on July 26 during the association's summer meeting in Providence, R.I.

The Outstanding Black Agricultural Economist Award honors economists who have made exceptional contributions in teaching, research and other professional endeavors.

Jolly launched his professional career in 1969 as an assistant professor at the University of the District of Columbia, followed by a lectureship at Howard University. In 1971 he joined UC Davis, where he has taught agricultural marketing and international agricultural development. He also co-developed an innovative general education course in agricultural biotechnology, ethics and public policy.

Since 1995, he has served as director of the statewide UC Small Farm Program and Small Farm Center, whose mission is to enhance the viability of small- and moderate-scale agricultural producers through research and extension education in production systems, marketing and farm management.

Jolly's research has included price, demand and outlook studies for a variety of specialty crops; consumer demand for organic products; and small-farm performance. He is a member of the Graduate Group in International Agricultural Development, has chaired the Graduate Group in Community Development and has served as the vice chair of the National Small Farm Commission. He has also served on UC Davis' Graduate Council.

Jolly also served on the USDA National Advisory Board for Research, Extension, Economics and Education. He recently received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the California Farm Conference for his contributions in California and nationally to the small-farm community.

A digital image of Jolly is available upon request from Pat Bailey, UC Davis News Service, (530) 752-9843, pjbailey@ucdavis.edu.