Dr. Grant Gardner was born and raised on a corn and soybean operation in southwestern Indiana. He received his B.S. in Agribusiness from Purdue University in 2017. He subsequently received his M.S. and Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Kansas State University in 2019 and 2022, respectively.

Grant has experience working on both traditional grains and produce operations. He has a passion for aiding farm producers and the agricultural industry, which he attributes to his upbringing in a rural farm community. He has also held internships at various agricultural organizations, including DuPont Pioneer (Corteva), Frito Lay, and the USDA Economic Research Service.

His mission is to provide economic opportunities for Kentucky producers by conducting research related to commodity marketing, risk management, and farm management. He is building an extension program focused on commodity markets, crop insurance, and other applicable subject matter.