Dr. Rob Johansson serves as the Director of Economics and Policy Analysis for the American Sugar Alliance, the national coalition of sugarbeet and sugarcane growers, processors, and refiners. There he analyzes sugar supply and demand fundamentals as well as domestic and foreign sugar and general agricultural policies, including Farm Bill topics and international trade negotiations. Dr. Johansson currently serves as the Chairman of USDA’s Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee for Trade in Sweeteners and Sweetener Products. He also serves as Vice-president of the The Sugar Club.

Previously, Dr. Johansson was the Chief Economist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Dr. Johansson served in that role from January 2015 to January 2021. As Chief Economist, he was responsible for the Department’s agricultural forecasts and for advising the Secretary of Agriculture on programs, regulations, and legislative proposals.  During that period, Dr. Johansson was the Chairman of the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation Board of Directors and also was responsible for setting up the Farm Production and Conservation (or FPAC) mission area in 2017 – combining NRCS, RMA, and FSA.

Dr. Johansson has held positions at the Office of Management and Budget, the Congressional Budget Office, and the White House Council of Economic Advisers.  He received his B.A. in economics from Northwestern University and then served with the U.S. Peace Corps from 1990 to 1995. After returning to his home State of Minnesota in 1995, he received his Ph.D. in Agricultural & Applied Economics from the University of Minnesota in 2000.