He has a Ph.D. in Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics from North Carolina State University. His research focuses on improving the profitability and economic resiliency of agricultural producers by identifying and developing market opportunities, particularly for small- and medium-sized producers. Dr. Brimlow has worked on several projects aimed at assessing barriers to local food sales and developing strategies to remove those barriers, including a randomized survey of local growers and development of a regional food hub. Dr. Brimlow’s largest and most recent grant project is a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) grant designed to assess how gaps in food safety knowledge and certification are limiting local intermediated food markets, such as sales between local growers and restaurants, school districts, and hospitals.