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Dr Doris Laepple

Ph.D, Dipl.-Ing. Agr. (Univ.)

Biography

I am a Lecturer in Economics.

Before joining the Economics Discipline at NUI Galway in 2017, I was an Assistant Professor at the School of Agriculture and Food Science at University College Dublin. I hold an MSc in Agricultural Economics (Dipl.-Ing. Agr. Univ.) from the Technical University Munich-Weihenstephan and a PhD in Economics from NUI Galway.

I am an agricultural economist and I study how to support sustainable agricultural practices.

Within this context, my research focuses on agricultural extension services, technology adoption, productivity and efficiency, as well as animal welfare, mainly in the dairy sector. I explore topics such as the relationship between productivity, policy and GHG emissions; the role of agricultural extension on dairy sector expansion, productivity and environmental implications; and the implications of dairy expansion on animal welfare.

I teach subjects related to Agricultural Economics and Econometrics, both at undergraduate and postgraduate level.

I am an Associate Editor of Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems and Honorary Secretary of the Agricultural Economics Society of Ireland.

Research Interests

I am an Agricultural Economist, and my research explores current and emerging issues faced by the Irish dairy sector.

One of my programmes of research focuses on sustainable expansion of the Irish dairy sector. This includes the role and impact of extension services on expansion, productivity and environmental implications, economic analyses of animal welfare and biosecurity, labour input and constraints on Irish dairy farms, as well as neighbourhood influences in (sustainable) technology adoption.

My research interest in technology adoption began with exploring reasons for the low uptake rate of organic farming in Ireland and has expanded into research on understanding farmer behaviour and learning, as well as social and spatial influences. For example, one of my current research projects explores learning ability and receptiveness to expert and peer advice through laboratory experiments, with a specific focus on the role of communication.

My research has been funded by national and international organisations, such as the Irish Research Council, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Teagasc and the OECD. A selection of current and recent externally funded projects is provided below and my Google Scholar profile for information on my research outputs can be accessed here.

Research Projects

Project	Start Date	End Date
WALSH FELLOWSHIP - MEASURING LABOUR INPUT ON IRISH DAIRY FARMS USING THE TEAGASC NATIONAL FARM SURVEY	07-JAN-19	06-JAN-23
H2020 Proposal Prep Support - Learning and Information Provision in Agriculture	19-FEB-18	18-NOV-22
SURVEILLANCE WELFARE AND BIOSECURITY OF FARMED ANIMALS	01-NOV-18	31-JUL-21
MEASURING THE IMPACT OF EXTENSION SERVICES ON FARM-LEVEL SUSTAINABILITY AND INNOVATION	09-JAN-17	08-JAN-21
AN EXPERIMENTAL ASSESSMANT OF LEARNING AND PEER EFFECTS IN ADOPTION CHOICES	01-FEB-15	31-OCT-19

Peer Reviewed Journals

	Year	Publication
	(2020)	'The role of extension in dynamic economic adjustments: the case of Irish dairy farms' Läpple, D., Barham, B. and Chavas, J.P. (2020) 'The role of extension in dynamic economic adjustments: the case of Irish dairy farms'. European Review Of Agricultural Economics, 47 :71-94 [Details]
	(2020)	'Financial Benchmarking of Dairy Farms: Exploring the Relationship between Frequency of Use and Farm Performance' Ramsbottom, G., Läpple, D. and Pierce, K. (2020) 'Financial Benchmarking of Dairy Farms: Exploring the Relationship between Frequency of Use and Farm Performance'. Journal Of Dairy Science, [Details]
	(2020)	'Is there a joint lever? Identifying and ranking factors that determine GHG emissions and profitability on dairy farms in Bavaria, Germany' Zehetmeier, M., Läpple, D. Hoffmann, H. Zerhusen, B, Strobl, M. Meyer-Aurich, A. Kapfer, M (2020) 'Is there a joint lever? Identifying and ranking factors that determine GHG emissions and profitability on dairy farms in Bavaria, Germany'. Agricultural Systems, [Details]
	(2020)	'Can technology help achieve sustainable intensification? Evidence from milk recording on Irish dairy farms' Balaine, L. Dillon, E.J., Läpple,D. and Lynch, J. (2020) 'Can technology help achieve sustainable intensification? Evidence from milk recording on Irish dairy farms'. Land Use Policy, 92 [Details]
	(2019)	'How do Learning Ability, Advice from Experts and Peers Shape Decision Making?' Läpple, D. and Barham, B. (2019) 'How do Learning Ability, Advice from Experts and Peers Shape Decision Making?'. Journal Of Behavioral And Experimental Economics, 80 :92-107 [Details]
	(2019)	'Brexit and the disruption of agricultural trade: A view from Ireland, ARE Update' Carter, C. and Läpple, D. (2019) 'Brexit and the disruption of agricultural trade: A view from Ireland, ARE Update'. University of California Giannini Foundation of Agricultural Economics, 22 (3):12-15 [Details]
	(2019)	'The Role of Innovation in Farm Economic Sustainability: Generalised Propensity Score Evidence from Irish Dairy Farms' Läpple, D. and Thorne, F. (2019) 'The Role of Innovation in Farm Economic Sustainability: Generalised Propensity Score Evidence from Irish Dairy Farms'. Journal Of Agricultural Economics, 70 (1) :178-197 [Details]
	(2019)	'Dairy Intensification and Quota Abolition: A Comparative Study of Production in Ireland and the Netherlands' Läpple, D. and Sirr. G. (2019) 'Dairy Intensification and Quota Abolition: A Comparative Study of Production in Ireland and the Netherlands'. Eurochoices, 18(3) :26-32 [Details]
	(2017)	'Sustainable Technology Adoption: A Spatial Analysis of the Irish Dairy Sector' Läpple, D., Holloway, G.J., Lacombe, D. and O'Donoghue, C. (2017) 'Sustainable Technology Adoption: A Spatial Analysis of the Irish Dairy Sector'. European Review Of Agricultural Economics, 44 (5):810-835 [Details]
	(2016)	'The digital divide in farming: a problem of access or engagement' Hennessy, T., Läpple, D. and Moran, B. (2016) 'The digital divide in farming: a problem of access or engagement'. Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, 38 (3):474-491 [Details]
	(2016)	'What drives innovation in the agricultural sector? A spatial analysis of knowledge spillovers' Läpple, D., Renwick, A., Cullinan, J. and Thorne, F. (2016) 'What drives innovation in the agricultural sector? A spatial analysis of knowledge spillovers'. Land Use Policy, 56 :238-250 [Details]
	(2015)	'Assessing the impact of financial incentives in extension programmes: Evidence from Ireland' Läpple, D. and Hennessy, T. (2015) 'Assessing the impact of financial incentives in extension programmes: Evidence from Ireland'. Journal Of Agricultural Economics, 66 (3):781-795 [Details]
	(2015)	'Spatial dependence in the adoption of organic drystock farming in Ireland' Läpple, D. and Kelley, H. (2015) 'Spatial dependence in the adoption of organic drystock farming in Ireland'. European Review Of Agricultural Economics, 42 (2):315-337 [Details]
	(2015)	'Measuring and understanding the drivers of agricultural innovation: Evidence from Ireland' Läpple, D., Renwick, A. and Thorne, F. (2015) 'Measuring and understanding the drivers of agricultural innovation: Evidence from Ireland'. Food Policy, 51 :1-8 [Details]
	(2014)	'Exploring the role of incentives in agricultural extension programs' Läpple, D. and Hennessy, T. (2014) 'Exploring the role of incentives in agricultural extension programs'. Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, 37 (3):403-417 [Details]
	(2013)	'Quantifying the economic return to participatory extension programmes in Ireland: an endogenous switching regression analysis' Läpple, D., Hennessy, T. and Newman, C. (2013) 'Quantifying the economic return to participatory extension programmes in Ireland: an endogenous switching regression analysis'. Journal Of Agricultural Economics, 64 (2):467-482 [Details]
	(2013)	'Understanding the uptake of organic farming: Accounting for heterogeneities among Irish farmers' Läpple, D. and Kelley, H. (2013) 'Understanding the uptake of organic farming: Accounting for heterogeneities among Irish farmers'. Ecological Economics, 88 :11-19 [Details]
	(2012)	'Extended grazing: a detailed analysis of Irish dairy farms' Läpple, D., Hennessy, T. and O’Donovan, M. (2012) 'Extended grazing: a detailed analysis of Irish dairy farms'. Journal Of Dairy Science, 95 (1):188-195 [Details]
	(2012)	'Organic, former organic and conventional farmers: how do they differ?' Läpple, D. (2012) 'Organic, former organic and conventional farmers: how do they differ?'. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems, 28 (4):329-337 [Details]
	(2012)	'The capacity to expand milk production in Ireland following the removal of milk quotas' Läpple, D. and Hennessy, T. (2012) 'The capacity to expand milk production in Ireland following the removal of milk quotas'. Irish Journal Of Agricultural And Food Research, :1-11 [Details]
	(2012)	'An economic analysis of the Irish milk quota exchange scheme' Hennessy, T., Läpple, D., Wallace, M. and Shalloo, L. (2012) 'An economic analysis of the Irish milk quota exchange scheme'. International Journal of Agricultural Management, 1 (3):10-18 [Details]
	(2012)	'The development and geographic distribution of organic farming in Ireland' Läpple, D. and Cullinan, J. (2012) 'The development and geographic distribution of organic farming in Ireland'. Irish Geography, 45 (1):67-85 [Details]
	(2011)	'Adoption of organic farming: are there differences between early and late adopters?' Läpple, D. and VanRensburg, T. (2011) 'Adoption of organic farming: are there differences between early and late adopters?'. Ecological Economics, 70 (7):1406-1414 [Details]
	(2010)	'The adoption and abandonment of organic farming: an empirical investigation of the Irish drystock sector' Läpple, D. (2010) 'The adoption and abandonment of organic farming: an empirical investigation of the Irish drystock sector'. Journal Of Agricultural Economics, 61 (3):697-714 [Details]

Conference Publications

	Year	Publication
	(2011)	*Agricultural Research Forum* Läpple, D. and Hennessy, T. (2011) Extended grazing: a detailed analysis of NFS farms Agricultural Research Forum Tullamore, Ireland, , 14-MAR-11 [Details]
	(2008)	*National Organic Conference* Läpple, D. and Donnellan, T. (2008) Farmer attitudes towards converting to organic farming National Organic Conference Tullamore, Ireland, , 02-DEC-08 , pp.114-120 [Details]

Published Reports

	Year	Publication
	(2017)	The Competitiveness of Irish Agriculture. Thorne, F., Gillespie, P.R., Donnellan, T., Hanrahan, K., Kinsella, A. and Läpple, D. (2017) The Competitiveness of Irish Agriculture. Teagasc, Carlow. [Details]
	(2015)	A Review of the Financial Status of Irish Farms and Future Investment Requirements. Thorne, F., Dillon, E. Donnellan, T., Hanrahan, K., Hennessy, T. Kinsella, A. Läpple, D. and McKeon, M. (2015) A Review of the Financial Status of Irish Farms and Future Investment Requirements. BOI, Dublin. [Details]
	(2014)	Innovation in the Irish Agrifood Sector. Renwick, A., Läpple, D., O’Malley, A. and Thorne, F. (2014) Innovation in the Irish Agrifood Sector. BOI, Dublin. [Details]

Other Journals

	Year	Publication
	(2019)	'Milk recording - a winning formula for dairy farmers' Balaine, L. Dillon, E.J., and Läpple,D. (2019) 'Milk recording - a winning formula for dairy farmers' TResearch, 14 (1) :32-33. [Details]
	(2007)	'Investment decisions in agriculture: an empirical analysis of Bavaria' Läpple, D. (2007) 'Investment decisions in agriculture: an empirical analysis of Bavaria' Yearbook of Socioeconomics in Agriculture, 1 :141-158. [Details]
	(2007)	'Investments of individual farms and farming collectives' Möhring, A. and Läpple, D. (2007) 'Investments of individual farms and farming collectives' Agrarforschung, 14 :332-337. [Details]

Conference Contributions

	Year	Publication
	(2019)	IAREP/SABE, Läpple, D., Maertens, A. and Barham, B. (2019) Bayesian Updating and Peer Interactions: Evidence from a Laboratory Experiment. [Oral Presentation], IAREP/SABE, Dublin, Ireland , 01-SEP-19. [Details]
	(2017)	91st Annual Conference of the Agricultural Economics Society,, Läpple, D., Sirr, G. and Barham, B. (2017) An Experimental Assessment of Learning Ability, Responsiveness to Advice and Peer Effects in Adoption Choices. [Oral Presentation], 91st Annual Conference of the Agricultural Economics Society,, Dublin, Ireland , 24-APR-17 - 26-APR-17. [Details]
	(2016)	89th Annual Conference of the Agricultural Economics Society,, Läpple, D. and O’Donoghue, C. (2016) Technology adoption in a spatial context. [Oral Presentation], 89th Annual Conference of the Agricultural Economics Society,, Warwick, UK , 14-APR-16 - 16-APR-16. [Details]
	(2016)	90th Annual Conference of the Agricultural Economics Society, Läpple, D., Barham, B. and Chavas, J.P. (2016) The role of extension in dynamic economic adjustments: the case of Irish dairy farms. [Oral Presentation], 90th Annual Conference of the Agricultural Economics Society, Warwick, UK , 04-APR-16 - 06-APR-16. [Details]
	(2016)	Agricultural Economics Society of Ireland Conference, Läpple, D., Barham, B. and Chavas, J.P. (2016) The role of extension on structural adjustments in the dairy sector leading up to milk quota abolition. [Oral Presentation], Agricultural Economics Society of Ireland Conference, Dublin, Ireland , 07-JAN-16. [Details]
	(2014)	European Association of Agricultural Economists Congress, Läpple, D. and Kelley, H. (2014) Spatial dependence in the adoption of organic drystock farming in Ireland. [Oral Presentation], European Association of Agricultural Economists Congress, Ljubljana, Slovenia , 28-AUG-14. [Details]
	(2014)	88th Annual Conference of the Agricultural Economics Society,, Läpple, D. and Hennessy, T. (2014) Assessing the impact of financial incentives in extension programmes: Evidence from Ireland. [Oral Presentation], 88th Annual Conference of the Agricultural Economics Society,, Paris, France , 11-APR-14. [Details]
	(2013)	Agricultural Economics Society of Ireland Conference,, Läpple, D. and Kelley, H. (2013) Spatial dependence in the adoption of organic drystock farming in Ireland. [Oral Presentation], Agricultural Economics Society of Ireland Conference,, Dublin, Ireland , 07-NOV-13. [Details]
	(2012)	Applied Microeconometrics and Public Policy Conference, Läpple, D. and Kelley, H. (2012) Neighborhood influence on the adoption of organic farming. [Oral Presentation], Applied Microeconometrics and Public Policy Conference, Galway, Ireland , 03-JUL-12. [Details]
	(2010)	Agricultural Economics Society of Ireland Conference,, Hennessy, T., Läpple, D., Wallace, M. and Shalloo, L. (2010) An economic analysis of the Irish milk quota scheme. [Oral Presentation], Agricultural Economics Society of Ireland Conference,, Dublin, Ireland , 14-OCT-10. [Details]
	(2010)	84th Annual Conference of the Agricultural Economics Society,, Läpple, D. and Kelley, H. (2010) Understanding farmers’ uptake of organic farming: an application of the theory of planned behavior. [Oral Presentation], 84th Annual Conference of the Agricultural Economics Society,, Edinburgh, UK , 31-MAR-10. [Details]
	(2009)	83rd Annual Conference of the Agricultural Economics Society, Läpple, D. (2009) Adoption and abandonment of organic farming: an empirical investigation of the Irish drystock sector. [Oral Presentation], 83rd Annual Conference of the Agricultural Economics Society, Dublin, Ireland , 01-APR-09. [Details]
	(2009)	Irish Rural Studies Symposium,, Läpple, D. (2009) Adoption and abandonment of organic farming: an empirical investigation of the Irish drystock sector. [Oral Presentation], Irish Rural Studies Symposium,, Athenry, Ireland , 01-SEP-09. [Details]
	(2009)	European Association of Agricultural Economists PhD Workshop,, Läpple, D. (2009) Adoption and abandonment of organic farming: an empirical investigation of the Irish drystock sector. [Oral Presentation], European Association of Agricultural Economists PhD Workshop,, Giessen, Germany , 10-SEP-09. [Details]

Newspaper Articles

	Year	Publication
	(2020)	Overview of Dairy Farms’ Breeding and Calf Marketing Decisions. Läpple, D., and Ramsbottom, G. (2020) Overview of Dairy Farms’ Breeding and Calf Marketing Decisions. Newspaper Articles [Details]
	(2010)	Farm demography and the opportunities for dairy expansion in Food Harvest 2020. Läpple, D., Hennessy, T. and O'Donoghue, C. (2010) Farm demography and the opportunities for dairy expansion in Food Harvest 2020. Newspaper Articles [Details]
	(2010)	The economics of extended grazing. Hennessy, T., Kinsella, A., Läpple, D. and Moran, B. (2010) The economics of extended grazing. Newspaper Articles [Details]

	Year	Publication
	(2019)	Advisory Services and Dairy Expansion in Ireland. Läpple, D., Barham, B. and Chavas, J.P. (2019) Advisory Services and Dairy Expansion in Ireland. Newsletter [Details]

Report

	Year	Publication
	(2010)	The capacity to expand milk production: evidence from the National Farm Survey. Läpple, D. and Hennessy, T. (2010) The capacity to expand milk production: evidence from the National Farm Survey. Oakpark, Carlow: Report [Details]

Honours and Awards

	Year	Title	Awarding Body
	2019	Outstanding Young Researcher	Agricultural Economics Society (UK)
	2009	Agricultural Economics Society Prize Essay Competition (joint winner)	Agricultural Economics Society, UK

Professional Associations

Association	Function	From / To
European Association of Agricultural Economists	Member	01-JAN-14 /
Agricultural Economics Society of Ireland	Honorary Secretary	01-JAN-16 /
Agricultural Economics Society, UK	Member	01-JAN-08 /

Other Activities

	Description
	Associate Editor, Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems, 2014 to present

Modules Taught

Term/Year	Module Title	Module Code
2018/2019	Econometrics	EC3105
2017/2018	Environmental Economic Modelling	EC5115
2018/2019	Agricultural and Food Economics	EC3104
2017/2018	Agricultural Economics and Policy	EC5100