Welcome to Louis Dairy Economics Lab
Our mission is to share the latest research and news on dairy economics. Aiming to improve the financial & economics resilience of the U.S. dairy industry.
Labor & Automation
Labor challenges and retention, Automated Milking Systems (AMS), feeders, and washers.
Sustainable Production
Sustainable agricultural practices
(byproducts, biodigesters, grazing),
and climate-smart technologies
Market Dynamics
Animal health and welfare, environ-mental policy, dairy programs, and milk pricing
Our Team
Meet our multidisciplinary team with partners across the globe
Activities & News
Get the latest updates on our recent activities and dairy-related news
Awards & Recognitions
Our Louis Lab at UC Davis wins World Teaching Best Case at the IFAMA conference in Brazil for our study on adoption of dairy automation in the U.S. Midwest.
Luis Garcia Covarrubias, PhD | July 14, 2025
Awards & Recognitions
Dr. Peña-Lévano is one of the five recipients of the 2025 UC Davis Chancellor’s Fellowship for his commitment to mentoring future professionals in Ag Economics.
Jose Briceño & L. Garcia, PhD | Aug 4, 2025
Research presentations
Dr. Peña-Lévano presented our award-winning case study on Dairy Automation to students at La Molina University, Peru this past July 4, 2025.
Jose Briceño | August 1, 2025
New Grant Projects
Our lab has received two CFAH grants to advance dairy research & outreach in California, focusing
on the impact of avian flu in cattle, sustainable practices & automation.
Luis Garcia Covarrubias, PhD | June 2, 2025
What we do
Our team staff specializes in Applied Economics, primarily focusing on Dairy Production,
Health, and Management Economics.
Our team is working on delivering extension outreach, writing reports, and developing financial tools that can be useful to dairy farmers.
Below you will find our extension bulletins, outreach efforts, financial documents, and reports, divided into four sections.
Avian Flu on Dairy Farms
The dairy industry faces a significant challenge: the avian flu can now affect dairy cows . This reel provides some explanations on the consequences of H5N1 on the dairy sector, based on our upcoming paper.
