U of I expands leadership in the TIAA Center for Farmland Research
The College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has expanded leadership for the TIAA Center for Farmland Research with the appointment of Juo-Han Tsay as the new assistant director.
Since its founding in 2012 with a gift from TIAA, the center has advanced rigorous research on farmland markets, equipping investors, farmers, landowners, lenders, and policymakers with tools such as farmland valuation and returns indexing resources. The center and its tools guide investment decisions, farm transitions, tax determinations, and analysis of factors impacting farmland and the agricultural sector. In partnership with farmdoc, the center translates this research into accessible resources, informing farmland markets through research and information.
“Farmland is the most significant asset class in agriculture, and research on its value, use, and policy implications is central to our mission,” said Sarah Low, professor and head of the Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics. “The TIAA Center for Farmland Research is a trusted national resource. Adding Dr. Tsay to the team ensures Illinois continues to lead with rigorous, relevant analysis.”
Tsay has an academic background in farmland values, applied policy analysis, and extension. Her research has examined emerging issues in farmland markets and provided data-driven insights to support producers and policymakers. She also brings experience working on projects that connect research directly with stakeholders, bridging the gap between academic study and practical decision-making.
“I’m honored to serve the center’s mission and help bridge research and practice,” Tsay said. “My work focuses on farmland values and applied policy analysis, and I’m excited to strengthen the center’s ability to provide stakeholders with clearer, actionable perspectives on factors shaping farmland markets.”
According to the center’s director Bruce Sherrick, also a professor in the Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics, Tsay’s appointment comes at a pivotal time. “We’re in an incredibly dynamic period in agriculture”, he said. “Policy shifts, interest rate changes, inflation and trade-related concerns, and evolving land uses like renewables are all influencing the market. Our job is to provide fact-based, market-based tools and insights that decision-makers can rely on. Bringing in Juo-Han meaningfully expands our capacity to deliver timely, practical responses to industry-level questions and opportunities.”
Gwen Busby, head of farmland research and strategy at Nuveen Natural Capital, a TIAA company, underscored the value of the partnership: “TIAA has a long-term commitment to agricultural research and farmland sustainability. We are proud to support the University of Illinois in advancing independent, objective research that provides transparency in farmland markets and enables informed decision-making for farmers, landowners, and policymakers. The center’s work demonstrates the power of partnership between academia and industry in strengthening a vibrant farmland research program today and into the future.”
Check out more information and resources from the TIAA Center for Farmland Research. To explore opportunities to support this work, contact the Office of Advancement in the College of ACES at 217-333-9355 or acesadvancement@illinois.edu.
About TIAA
TIAA provides secure retirements and outcome-focused investment solutions to millions of people and thousands of institutions. It paid more than $5.9 billion in lifetime income to retired clients in 2024 and has $1.4 trillion in assets under management (as of 06/30/2025).