Bert Mason

EDUCATION:

Ph.D., Agricultural Economics, University of California, Davis, 1975, (Public Finance, Labor Economics, Public Policy and Community Development, Economic Theory, Quantitative Methods, Agricultural Research).

B.A., Honors Economics, Stanford University, 1971.

AREAS OF SPECIALIZATION/ INTEREST:

Agricultural economics. Agricultural labor and personnel management.
Local government finance and fiscal impact assessment.
Regional economics.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: Member, Agricultural Labor Relations Board, appointed by the governor May 1999.

Director, Institute for Food and Agriculture and Professor, Department of Agricultural conomics, California State University, Fresno (June 1990-May, 1999; currently on professional leave without pay). Appointment is 75% administration/research, 25% teaching.

Manage research and industry education activities of Center; five full-time professional staff, four student assistants, several faculty research projects. Responsible for planning, implementing and developing resources for wide range of activities. Annual budget of $400,000-$500,000. Identify and secure external grants and contracts to support Center activities ($200,000-$300,000/year). Manage contract research projects. Sponsoring organizations have included U.S. Department of Agriculture; Commission on Agricultural Workers; State of California, Employment Development Department; National Institute of Safety and Health; and several private organizations. Design and deliver 30-40 industry workshops and conferences each year. Serve on various university committees such as the school of Agriculture Science and Technology s Personnel and Budget committees; member of various ad hoc search committees for two faculty and administrative positions.

Visiting Scientist, Argonne National Laboratory (1988-1995). Consulting economist on socioeconomic impact analysis for various large-scale energy projects.

Professor and Chairman, Department of Agricultural Economics, California State University, Fresno (July 1984-June 1990).

Development and implementation of research and industry education programs, primarily in the areas of agricultural labor analysis and personnel management practices. Secured more than $700,000 in external funding to support these activities. Teaching emphasis in agricultural labor and agribusiness internships; administrative responsibilities and academic leadership for 12 faculty. Expert witness in a variety of litigation matters. Member, University Budget Committee, 1986-1988.

Professor, Department of Agricultural Economics and Education, California State University, Fresno (August 1983-June 1984). Teaching responsibilities included courses in economic theory, research methods and agricultural labor. (Classified as Lecturer, Fall Semester 1983). Coordinator of graduate program 1983-1986.

Independent Consultant, Mason Associates (October 1981-August 1983). Economic research for a variety of clients, with emphasis in the areas of fiscal impact assessment, local government finance, energy/employment analysis and energy economics.

Senior Economist, Abt/west (April 1981-October 1981). Marketing, managing and conducting economic research in the energy field.

Associate Faculty, Regis College (January 1981-August 1983). Part-time faculty position teaching senior-level courses in labor economics, microeconomics, and research methods.

Group Manager/Principal Economist, Agriculture and Transportation Group, Solar Energy Research Institute (February 1980-March 1981). Complete line management responsibilities for group, including personnel, planning, and budget control for $1-2 million annual budget. Participant in several research projects in the fields of energy/employment analysis and biomass economics.

Group Manager/Principal Economist, Economic Analysis Branch, Solar Energy Research Institute (June 1979-February 1980). Responsible for technical management of economic and market research conducted by fifteen professionals. Additional responsibilities included personnel and contract management, organizational planning activities, and marketing of research projects. Leader or participant in several research projects in the areas of energy/employment analysis, regional economics and biomass energy policy.

Senior Economist, Institutional and Environmental Assessment Branch, Solar Energy Research Institute (May 1978-June 1979). Principal researcher on several energy/employment projects. Responsibilities included defining and conducting research, managing contracts, supervising research of four professional staff, and managing $400,000/year budget.

Assistant Professor, Department of Agricultural Economics, Cornell University (August 1975-May 1978). Appointment at Cornell University was split about equally among research extension, and teaching/advising in the area of public finance. Research focused on local government finance, intergovernmental fiscal relations, and rural labor market analysis. Extension was part of the Cornell Local Government Program, and involved public budgeting, local government finance, and property tax administration. Teaching responsibilities included advising approximately 25 undergraduates per year and serving on several graduate student thesis committees in a wide variety of areas. Courses taught at Cornell: Economics of the Public Sector, Advanced Topics in Public Finance, and Economics of Land-Use Planning.

Post-Graduate Research Agricultural Economist, Department of Agricultural Economics, University of California, Davis (February 1974-July 1975). Research on local government finance (Ph.D. dissertation).

Research Assistant, Department of Agricultural Economics, University of California, Davis (September 1971-January 1974). Worked on various research projects, including farm labor market analysis and an evaluation of the Public Employment Program in rural California counties.

CURRENT INDUSTRY AND PROFESSIONAL SERVICE:

1984-present, member, California Agricultural Employment Work Group;
Chair, Research and Data Subcommittee.

1988-1992, member, U.S. Department of Labor, Technical Advisory Committee, National Farmworker Study (NAWS)

1989-1991, 1993, Professional Development Director, Agricultural Personnel Management Association; Member APMA Board of Directors.

1990-present, member, Agricultural Law Review Advisory Board, San Joaquin College of Law.

AWARDS AND HONORS:

1986, Meritorious Performance and Professional Promise Award, CSU, Fresno.

1975-present, serve as reviewer for several professional journals, NSF and DOE.

1971-1975, Research Assistantship in the Department of Agricultural Economics, University of California, Davis.

1971, Bachelor of Arts in Honors Economics with Distinction, Stanford University; Senior Honors Paper, "Farm Labor Unionism in the Grape Industry: An Economic Perspective," awarded departmental recognition as outstanding paper.

PUBLICATIONS:

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Mason, Bert and Varden Fuller, "Small Communities and the New Federalism: Some Observations from General Revenue Sharing," Publius, Vol. 8, No. 4, Fall 1978.

Mason, Bert, "Providing Problem-Solving Assistance to Smaller Local Governments: The Cornell Local Government Program," Municipal Management: A Journal, Fall 1978 (paper also presented at the American Society for Public Administration National Conference, Phoenix, Arizona, 10 April 1978).

Mason, Bert, "Causes of Low Returns to Farm Labor in the U.S.: An Analysis of Factor Market Interactions," Journal of the Northeastern Agricultural Economics Council, Vol. VII, No. 1, April 1978.

Fuller, Varden, and Bert Mason, "Farm Labor," Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, Vol. 429, January 1977.

BOOK/REPORT CHAPTERS

Mason, Herbert O., Andrew J. Alvarado and Gary L. Riley, "The Citrus Industry in California and Arizona," in Philip L. Martin, et al. (eds.), Immigration Reform and U.S. Agriculture, University of California, Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources, February 1995.

Alvarado, Andrew J., Herbert O. Mason, and Gary L. Riley, "The Raisin Industry in Central California," Immigration Reform and U.S. Agriculture, University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources, February 1995.

Mason, Herbert O., Andrew J. Alvarado and Gary L. Riley, "The Citrus Industries in California and Arizona," Report of the Commission on Agricultural Workers, November 1992.

Alvarado, Andrew J., Herbert O. Mason and Gary L. Riley, "The Raisin Industry in California," Report of the Commission on Agricultural Workers, November 1992.

PROCEEDINGS PAPERS

Mason, Bert, Andrew Alvarado, and Robert Palacio, Fresno in Transition: Urban Impact of Rural Migration, JSRI Working Paper #26, Julian Samora Research Institute, Michigan State University, 1996. Paper also presented at the Conference on Immigration and the Changing Face of Rural California, Asilomar, CA, June 1995.

Flaim, S.J., B.F. Neenan, and H.O. Mason, "Integrating Biomass Production Activities with Operating Farms: The Case of Grain Residue Harvesting." Proceedings of the International Conference on Energy Use Management, West Berlin, October 26-30, 1981 (Pergamon Press).

Burns, Barbara A., Bert Mason, and Gail Mikasa, "Training for Solar Jobs: A Follow-up of California CETA Programs and Their Graduates." Proceedings of the National Conference on Meeting Energy Workforce Needs/Determining Education and Training Requirements, February 1980 (SERI/TP-354-389; and Information Dynamics, Inc.)

Mason, Bert, Gregg Ferris, and Barbara Burns, "Solar Energy Commercialization and the Labor Market." Proceedings of the Solar Energy and Conservation Symposium-Workshop, University of Miami, 11 December 1978 (SERI/TP-53-123; and University of Miami).

Mason, Bert, "Impact of Court Decisions on Administration of the Real Property Tax." Proceedings of Seminar of the Status of the Real Property Tax System in New York State, New York Chapter of the American Society for Public Administration, January 1978.

MONOGRAPHS, RESEARCH REPORTS, AND STAFF PAPERS

Mason, Bert, The Raisin Grape Industry, paper presented at the Immigration and Changing Face of Rural California Conference, University of California, Kearney Research Station, September 10, 1998.

Mason, Bert, Immigration and Fresno County: A 1997 Update, paper presented at the Immigration and Changing Face of Rural California Conference, U.C. Davis, October 9, 1997.

Mason, Bert, R. Keith Striegler and Gregory T. Berg, Alternatives to Immigrant Labor? Raisin Industry Tests New Harvesting Technology, Center for Immigration Studies Backgrounder, No. 2-97, Washington, D.C., June 1997.

Alvarado, Andrew, Gary Riley and Herbert O. Mason, The California Agricultural Labor Market in 1993: A Study of the Effects of the Immigration Reform and Control Act on Central California's Seasonal Agricultural Workers Between 1988 and 1993, CATI Publication #96042, Fresno, CA, April 1996.

Alvarado, Andrew, Herbert O. Mason and Gary Riley, The Labor Market in the Central California Raisin Industry: Five Years After IRCA, Employment Development Department, California Agricultural Studies, 92-4, December 1992.

Hagen, John W., Bert Mason and Robert Neenan, The Impact of Ocean Freight Rates on Export Competitiveness: A Case Study of the California Cotton Industry, Report to USDA, July, 1991.

Alvarado, Andrew, Gary Riley and Bert Mason, Agricultural Workers in Central California in 1989, Employment Development Department, State of California, California Agricultural Studies, 90-8, September 1990.

Martin, Philip and Bert O. Mason, SAWs, RAWs and Farmworkers, Employment Development Department, State of California, California Agricultural Studies, 90-1, August 1989.

Hagen, John W. and Bert O. Mason, Exporting California's High-Value Agricultural Crops: An Analysis of Transportation Constraints, CATI Report 870602, June 1987 (research supported by USDA Office of Transportation).

Mason, Bert O. and John W. Hagen, Evaluation of the Agricultural Careers Training Program: Phase II Outcome Assessment, CATI Report 870302, August, 1986.

Mason, Bert, and Richard Rogers, Evaluation of the Agricultural Careers Training Program: Phase I Process Evaluation, CATI Report, January 15, 1986.

Rowe, R., L. Chestnut, C. Miller, M. Treshow, B. Mason, et al., Economic Assessment of the Effects of Air Pollution on Agricultural Crops in S.J. Valley Crops, final report, California Air Resources Board, March 1985.

Burns, Barbara A., Bert Mason, and Gail Y. Mikasa, Assessment of the Labor Market Experiences of CETA-Trained Solar Workers, SERI/RR-743-396, Volume II, December 1980.

Burns, Barbara, Bert Mason, et al., Beyond the Body Count: The Qualitative Aspects of Solar Energy Employment, SERI/RR-354-395 October 1979.

Roessner, J. David and Bert Mason, "Behavioral and Social Sciences," Technology Crosscuts for DOE: Basic Research Needs and Priorities in Solar Energy, SERI/TR-35-358, August 1979.

Ferris, Gregg and Bert Mason, A Review of Regional Economic Models with Special Reference to Labor Impact Assessment, SERI/TR-100, May 1979.

Mason, Bert, Gregg Ferris, Paul Groncki, Joan Lukanchinski, Richard J. Goettle IV, Edward A. Hudson, and David C. O'Connor, Macroeconomic Impacts of Solar Energy, SERI/TP-321, May 1979.

Mason, Bert and Eric Gable, Property Tax Circuit-Breakers in New York State: A Policy Analysis, A.E. Research 79-4, Department of Agricultural Economics, Cornell University, February 1979.

Burns, Barbara, Bert Mason, and Keith Armington, The Role of Education and Training Programs in the Commercialization and Diffusion of Solar Energy Technologies, SERI/RR-53-128, January 1979.

Blair, Larry, William Burnett, and Bert Mason, Solar Energy Employment Information from Case Studies, Employment Study, Oak Ridge Associated Universities, Manpower Research Programs, December 1978.

Mason, Bert "Labor," Second Annual Review of Solar Energy, SERI, September 1978.

Mason, Bert and Keith Armington, Direct Labor Requirements for Select Solar Technologies: A Review and Synthesis, SERI/RR-53-045, August 1978.

Mason, Bert, Richard Boisvert, and Lois Plimpton, Financing New York's Governments, A.E. Research 78-6, Department of Agricultural Economics, Cornell University, July 1978.

Mason, Bert, Alvin D. Sokolow, and Varden Fuller, Revenue Sharing and the Small Community: A Study of Five California Counties, California Studies in Community Policy and Change, Institute of Government Affairs, University of California, Davis, May 1977.

Mason, Bert, "Alternatives to Local Real Property Taxes," Department of Agricultural Economics, Cornell University, A.E. Staff Paper 76-11, February 1976.

Mason, Bert, "Decision Making in the Public Sector: Models of the Budget Process," Department of Agricultural Economics, Cornell University, A.E. Staff Paper 76-12, February 1976.

EXTENSION PUBLICATIONS

Martin, Philip, John Mamer, Bert Mason and Charlsey Cartwright, "California Farm Employment and Wages in 1984," California Agriculture, November-December 1987.

Mason, Bert and Lois Plimpton, "Real Property Tax Assessments in New York," County Farm News, December 1977-February 1978 (series of five articles).

Mason, Bert and Edward Lutz, Real Property Tax in New York: A Primer, New York State College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Information Bulletin 130, October 1977.

Mason, Bert and Clark Hamlin, Moderator's Guide for a Seminar on Taxation and Assessment, Local Government Program, Cornell University, August 1977.

Mason, Bert and Clark Hamlin, Lecture Guide for Seminar on Taxation and Assessment, Local Government Program, Cornell University, August 1977.

Mason, Bert and Stephen Parrish, "The Link to Program Budgeting: Providing Sewage Treatment Facilities for Industrial Development," Chapter 8b, Dollars, Decision and Action, Local Government Programs, Cornell University, January 1977.

Mason, Bert, Zed Francis, and Stephen Parrish, "The Link to Program Budgeting: Educational Planning and Budgeting," Chapter 8c, Dollars, Decision and Action, Local Government Programs, Cornell University, January 1977.

RECENT PRESENTATIONS

Mason, Bert, Agricultural Labor: Who Is Going to do the Work in the 21st Century? Keynote address at the Annual Forum of the Agricultural Personnel Management Association, February, 1998, San Luis Obispo, CA.

Mason, Bert, Conducting Performance Appraisals. Institute for Food and Agriculture Human Resource Management Lecture Series, December, 1997, Fresno, CA.

Mason, Bert, The Outlook for Farm Labor. Presentation at the 16th Annual Agribusiness Management Conference, November, 1997, Fresno, CA.

Mason, Bert, The Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act: Changes in Joint Liability. Fresno Chamber of Commerce Agricultural Council, June 1997.

MISCELLANEOUS PUBLICATIONS

Hagen, John, Juan Batista and Bert Mason, Alternative Uses for Cold Storage Facilities During the Off-Season, report to Gold Rush Produce, Inc., May 1995.

J. Ehlen, B. Mason and B. Neenan, "Household Decision Making and the Demand for Long-Distance Telephone Service," client report, GTE, Inc., January 1984.

Martin, Philip and Bert Mason, "Current Employment Statistics for California Agriculture", final project report to Labor Market Information Division, Employment Development Department, Contract #M900385, January 1989.

Mason, Bert, Labor, Manpower and Training Requirements Technical Progress Report, SERI/PR-53-073, September 1978.

Mason, Bert, Helen Barker, and Kevin O'Connor, "SERI's Programs on Solar Employment and Training," Regional Energy/Jobs Newsletter, U.S. Department of Labor, Vol. 3, No. 4, August 1978.