Director's Message
Welcome to the Giannini Foundation of Agricultural Economics website. We appreciate you visiting our site, where you will find information on the history of the Foundation, as well as research accomplishments and conferences sponsored by the Foundation. Please explore the many links to our researchers and their publications.
The Foundation is supported from an endowment created by A.P. Giannini in 1928, the founder of the Bank of America. Mr. Giannini was one of the California titans who pioneered entrepreneurship in the Great State of California and he was a true visionary. He knew that California agriculture would go through cycles and face many challenges regarding market fluctuations, scarce resources, regulations, and the weather. Yet, he was a true believer in the great potential of California agriculture and through his bank, he invested heavily in rural California.
A.P. Giannini's generous endowment has provided valuable research support for agricultural and resource economics at the University of California. Members of the Giannini Foundation have generated hundreds of reports and publications that have benefited the agricultural industry, policymakers, and society at large. In addition, through ARE Update, Foundation research findings are communicated across the nation to policymakers, consumers, and agriculturalists. The investment by A.P. Giannini almost 90 years ago continues to pay dividends through the discoveries and writings of Foundation members, which are recognized to be of the highest quality in the world.
Brian Wright