Kelly Day Rubenstein

Agricultural Economist
202-694-5515
kday@ers.usda.gov
Google Scholar profile

Briefly

Kelly Day Rubenstein is an Economist with the Structure, Technology and Productivity Branch in the Resource and Rural Economics Division. Her research focuses on agricultural science policy (particularly economic aspects of agricultural research and development) and the role of genetic resources in the agricultural production process.

Current Projects:

Economic Aspects of Genetic Resources: Genetic resources are critical inputs into the agricultural R&D process. Major components of this project include the role of genetic resources in agricultural production, including adaptation to new growing conditions, genetic diversity, valuation of genetic resources, and international germplasm exchange.

Agricultural Research and Development: Public sector research is a powerful tool to promote various missions of USDA, thus the level and direction of public R&D has important implications for agriculture. We empirically evaluate research funding, both public and private. Issues being examined include the trends in research direction, the use of various institutional arrangements, and key factors affecting R&D, such as intellectual property rights.

Education

Kelly received an M.S. in agricultural and applied economics in 1990 from the University of Minnesota and a B.A. in economics from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul.

Selected Publications

Heisey, P., and K. Day Rubenstein. 2015. Using Crop Genetic Resources to Help Agriculture Adapt to Climate Change: Economics and Policy, EIB-139, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, April.

Heisey, P., and K. Day Rubenstein. 2015. “Crop Genetic Resources May Play an Increasing Role in Agricultural Adaptation to Climate Change,” Amber Waves, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, June.

Day Rubenstein, K., and K. Fuglie. 2012. "R&D and Productivity Lag in Food Manufacturing," Amber Waves, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, June.

Malcolm, S., E. Marshall, M. Aillery, P. Heisey, M. Livingston, and K. Day Rubenstein. 2012. Agricultural Adaptation to a Changing Climate: Economic and Environmental Implications Vary by U.S. Region, ERR-136, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, July.

Fuglie, K., P. Heisey, J. King, C. Pray, K. Day Rubenstein, D. Schimmelpfennig, S. Wang, and R. Karmarkar-Deshmukh. 2011. Research Investments and Market Structure in the Food Processing, Agriculture Input and Biofuel Industries Worldwide, ERR-130, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, December.

Heisey, P., J. King, and K. Day Rubenstein. 2011. "Public Research Yields Clear Benefits, but Science Benefits Are Measured in More Than Dollars," Amber Waves feature, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, June.

Heisey, P., J. King, K. Day Rubenstein, D. Bucks, and R. Welsh. 2010. Assessing the Benefits of ARS R&D Within an Economic Framework, ERR-95, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, May.

Frisvold, G., and K. Day Rubenstein. 2008. "Bioprospecting and Biodiversity Conservation: What Happens When Discoveries are Made?" Arizona Law Review 50(2).

Day Rubenstein, K., P. Heisey, and D. Schimmelpfennig. 2007. "Sources of Public Agricultural R&D Changing," Amber Waves," U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, June.

Day Rubenstein, K., P. Heisey, and J. King. 2006. "Public Sector Technology Transfer through Patents and Licensing: The Case of U.S. Agriculture," International Journal of Technology Transfer and Commercialisation 5(4). Payment required for access beyond the abstract. 

Day Rubenstein, K., M. Smale, and M. Widrlechner. 2006. "Demand for Genetic Resources and the U.S. National Plant Germplasm System," Crop Science 46(3).

Heisey, P., J. King, K. Day Rubenstein, and R. Shoemaker. 2006. Government Patenting and Technology Transfer, ERR-15, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, March.

Day Rubenstein, K., and P. Heisey. 2005. "Crop Genetic Diversity Boosts Production But Faces Threats," Amber Waves, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, September.

Day Rubenstein, K., P. Heisey, R. Shoemaker, J. Sullivan, and G. Frisvold. 2005. Crop Genetic Resources: An Economic Appraisal, EIB-2, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, May. 

Day Rubenstein, K., and P. Heisey. 2005. "Can Technology Transfer Help Public-Sector Researchers Do More with Less? The Case of the USDA's Agricultural Research Service," AgBioForum 8(2&3), Article 10.

Heisey, P., J. King, and K. Day Rubenstein. 2005. "Patterns of Public-Sector and Private-Sector Patenting in Agricultural Biotechnology AgBioForum 8(2&3), Article 3.

Day Rubenstein, K. 2003. "Transferring Public Research: The Patent Licensing Mechanism in Agriculture," Journal of Technology Transfer 28(2). Payment required for access beyond the abstract.

Day Rubenstein, K., P. Heisey, C. Klotz-Ingram, and G. Frisvold. 2003. "Competitive Grants and the Funding of Agricultural Research in the U.S.," Review of Agricultural Economics 25(2).

Smale, M., and K. Day Rubenstein. 2002. "The Demand for Crop Genetic Resources: International Use of the U. S. National Plant Germplasm System," World Development 30(9).