Rural Economy and Development Programme
Research Directorate
Moorepark Dairy Production Research
TEAGASC - Agriculture and Food Development Authority

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Thia Hennessy is head of the Agricultural Economics and Farm Surveys Department of Teagasc, the Agriculture and Food Development Authority of Ireland. She has worked as an economist with Teagasc since 1998, during which time she has developed economic models to assess the impact of agricultural and environmental policies on farm incomes and the sustainability of farming.  Arising from this research, she has published over 40 journal articles as well as numerous popular media articles. Thia has participated in a number of international research projects funded through the EU’s Framework Programme, and she has co-ordinated 5 major economic research projects funded through the Irish Department of Agriculture’s Stimulus Fund. She has also supervised a number of graduate students at Masters and PhD level.   In 2008 Thia was appointed Head of Teagasc’s Agricultural Economics and Farm Surveys Department. Thia is responsible for the Teagasc National Farm Survey which produces the official national statistics on input, output and income in farming in Ireland and is a member of the European Commission’s Farm Accountancy Data Network. She also oversees Teagasc’s agricultural economic research programme.   Education Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics.  University of Reading, UK (2005) Sabbatical leave at the University of Southern Queensland, Australia (2002 -2003)     Master of Business Studies in Agri-Food Business. Smurfit Graduate School of Business, University College Dublin, Ireland (1997) B.A. Economics and Finance. National University of Ireland, Maynooth. (1996)    Appointments Board Member of the National Competitiveness Council (2004 to 2009) Director of Animal Health Ireland (2008 to 2012) Expert Evaluator for the EU Commission’s Seventh Framework Programme (2010 & 2011) Member of the National Consultative Committee on Agricultural Policy (2006 to date)   Awards Awarded Outstanding Young Researcher by the British Agricultural Economics Society  (2012) Awarded Teagasc Staff Excellence in Research (2013)   International Research Networks FAPRI-Ireland partnership Farm Accountancy Data Network of the EU Genedec: EU funded 7th Framework project Factor Markets: EU funded 7th Framework project   Refereeing and Reviewing Activities Associate Editor of the International Journal of Agricultural Management (2013 to date) Referee for Journal of Agricultural Economics, European Review of Agricultural Economics, Food Policy, Land Use Policy and the Irish Journal of Agricultural and Food Research       Recent Milestones and Achievements   Significant research output including over 40 journal articles   Substantial research funding obtained nationally and internationally – over €1.9 million in the last 10 years   Head of Department with 10 research and 15 technical staff   Awarded Outstanding Young Researcher by the Agricultural Economics Society of the UK (2012)   Invited international expert to Address to the European Parliament on Family Farming (2014) and on CAP reform (2012)   Invited keynote speaker at the International Dairy Industry Newsletter Conference London (2013)   Appointed Associate Editor of the International Journal of Agricultural Management (2013)   Expert Evaluator for the EU Commission’s FP7 programme (2010 & 2011)   Appointed by Minister Smith as a director of Animal Health Ireland  (2008)   Appointed by Minister Martin to the National Competitiveness Council (2004)   Appointed to the Minister for Agriculture’s Consultative Committees on policy (2005, 2006, 2008 & 2010)   Key Organiser of international events hosted in Ireland: international workshop on milk quota modelling (2007), Agricultural Economics Society (2009), European Association of Agricultural Economics (2012) & the forthcoming Pacioli Network (2014).   Significant Media Presence – appearances on tv, radio and frequent citations in the popular press