Department of Economics

Neil Rimbey

  • Graduated: 1974
  • Field: University Professor

Neil Rimbey(opens in new window), who graduated in 1974 with a BA in Economics, is a professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology(opens in new window) at the University of Idaho.  After graduation from Chico State Neil entered graduate school at the University of Nevada(opens in new window) where he completed his MS in Agricultural and Resource Economics in 1976.  He then moved on to the University of Idaho(opens in new window) to work in a research/extension position.  In 1980 he began working for the Southwest Idaho Research office to further investigate rangeland economics.

Neil took a sabbatical leave from the University of Idaho in 1985 in order to work on his doctorate degree.  He completed his PhD in Range Resources at the University of Idaho in 1989. 

He has been engaged in teaching and research at the University of Idaho for over 35 years, serving in both on-and off-campus locations under research and outreach appointments.  His research and educational programs focus on Idaho rangelands and their uses.

Neil has a broad range of experience.  He has conducted short-term research projects for governmental agencies (federal, state and local), non-profits and others.  He recently assisted the State of Utah School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration (SITLA(opens in new window)) develop fee formulas for annual grazing on lands under their administration.  At the conclusion of this project, he assisted SITLA staff in conducting educational programs on the new fee schedules, which helped with the acceptance of this new method. 

Neil summarizes United States Department of Agriculture (USDA(opens in new window)) and National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS(opens in new window)) information and the annual performance of the Idaho State Land Lease Rate Formula for the Idaho Department of Lands and the livestock industry.  Neil has worked with colleagues across the west on research and educational programs related to ranch and rangeland values, grazing fees, public land policy, endangered species, economic and social impact assessments and others.  He has published extensively in refereed professional journals, university publications and the popular press.  These publications and his associated educational programs have been acknowledged through awards and recognition from agencies, groups and associations as diverse as the Western Agricultural Economics Association(opens in new window), the Society for Range Management, the Public Lands Council(opens in new window) and the U.S. Department of the Interior(opens in new window). (Last Updated 7/5/16)

Portrait of Neil Rimbey