Brown, Jacob A. (1926-92)

Jacob Brown.

Saskatchewan Archives Board R-A11499-1

Jacob Brown was a very influential agricultural economist with both the provincial government and the University of Saskatchewan. He was born at Beechy, Saskatchewan on July 12, 1926. He received his BSA in Agricultural Economics at the University of Saskatchewan in 1951 and his MS degree from North Dakota State University, and undertook further studies toward his PhD at the University of Minnesota. From 1957 to 1967 he was employed with the Saskatchewan Department of Agriculture, where he worked in farm management and later headed the Economics and Statistics Branch. He came to the University of Saskatchewan, where he taught Agricultural Economics and was Dean of Agriculture from 1974 to 1984.

Public service played an important role in Brown's career. He served on numerous boards and committees such as the Economic Council of Canada, the Canada West Foundation, the Saskatchewan Farm Ownership Board, and the Saskatoon District Planning Commission. His two terms as Dean coincided with the development of innovative/university research funding leading to increases in research program and staff in the College of Agriculture, as well as with the research park at the University. Awards include Fellowship in the Agricultural Institute of Canada, the Saskatchewan Order of Merit, and induction into the Saskatchewan Agricultural Hall of Fame; in 1987 Brown was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada for leadership in agricultural Education. It was in his second term as Dean that he was diagnosed with cancer, a disease he fought with courage for fifteen years. He passed away on July 6, 1992.

Gary Storey