The University of Nebraska-Lincoln Department of Agricultural Economics recognized Senator Mike Jacobson and Daniel Michael O’Brien as recipients of its 2025 Outstanding Alumni Awards and the Nebraska Farm Bureau as the recipient of its 2025 Outstanding Service Award at its annual Department Student, Alumni, and Service Recognition Banquet on February 27, 2025.
The three honors are awarded annually to individuals and organizations in recognition of their significant contributions to our department and Nebraska agriculture, which align with the department’s research, teaching and outreach in agribusiness, agricultural production and profitability, natural resources, rural development, international trade, and industrial organization.
SENATOR MIKE JACOBSON
Senator Mike Jacobson earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Economics and Agricultural Education from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1976. He later pursued further education at the Colorado Graduate School of Banking in 1984 and attended the RMA Loan Management School in Columbus, Ohio, in 1989. Currently serving in the Nebraska Legislature from 2022 to 2026, as well as Chairman, President, and CEO of NebraskaLand Bank since 1998. In addition to his leadership in banking, he is actively involved in the University of Nebraska President’s Advisory Council and serves as a delegate for the University of Nebraska Council for Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching (CARET). Beyond his professional and legislative roles, Senator Jacobson remains engaged in agriculture through his crop farming operation in Clay County, Nebraska.
DANIEL MICHAEL O’BRIEN
Daniel Michael O’Brien earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1978, followed by a Master of Science in the same field in 1980. Later in his career, he obtained a Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics from Iowa State University in 1993. Currently, he serves as a professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics at Kansas State University. Since 2020, he has also worked as an Extension Agricultural Economist at the Northwest Research Extension Center with K-State Research and Extension in Colby, Kansas. In addition to his academic roles, he is a member of the editorial team for the Western Economics Forum (WEF), affiliated with the Western Agricultural Economics Association (WAEA). His contributions to agricultural extension were recognized with the 2023 Outstanding Extension Program Award for Career from WAEA. Earlier in his career, he also served as an Extension Agent with Nebraska Cooperative Extension at the University of Nebraska.
NEBRASKA FARM BUREAU
Dedicated to student success, the Nebraska Farm Bureau Federation awards 40 scholarships to full-time undergraduate students at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln who are pursuing a major in Agriculture or related fields. In addition to financial support, the Federation enhances students' educational experiences through coursework, guest speakers, internships, and various other opportunities. Many graduates from Agricultural Economics, the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources (CASNR), and the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources (IANR) have found employment within the Federation’s administration, public policy, and field offices. Furthermore, the Nebraska Farm Bureau Federation actively supports numerous Extension programs by providing professional development assistance and organizing regional and state-level meetings.
For more information about the Department of Agricultural Economics, visit: https://agecon.unl.edu/
