Nathan Delay joined the Department of Agricultural Economics as an Assistant Professor in 2018. Nathan earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Rocky Mountain College in 2009. While pursuing a career in online advertising, he earned a master’s degree in Economics from the University of Colorado Denver. Nathan graduated with a Ph.D. in Economics from Washington State University in May of 2018. His research experience encompasses the impact of crop insurance subsidies on enrollment in the Conservation Reserve Program; the role of insurance agents in farmers’ crop insurance choices; the potential for improved cattle productivity in Western Kenya; and barriers to agritourism in Washington State.

Nathan chose Purdue Agricultural Economics because of its excellence in the field and its commitment to the land grant mission. He looks forward to complimenting the Department of Agriculture’s focus on data analytics and precision agriculture. He is especially interested in discovering how digital agriculture can be leveraged to improve producer decision making, farm policy, and rural community development.

Nathan grew up in Denver, Colorado, but has lived all over the West. In his free time, Nathan enjoys hiking, fly fishing, and spending time with his wife Faith, and their son (Walter) and daughter (Amelia).​