John Newton, Ph.D.

Vice President of Public Policy and Economic Analysis

Dr. Newton serves as the Vice President of Public Policy and Economic Analysis at the American Farm Bureau Federation, where he leads the organization’s government relations, advocacy and economics teams and serve as Chief Economist.

Before rejoining Farm Bureau, Newton was the Executive Head of Terrain, a research-focused team supporting partnering Farm Credit Associations through in-depth food, agricultural and macroeconomic analysis.

From 2021 to 2024, Dr. newton served as the Republican Chief Economist for the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry. In this senior advisory role to Senator John Boozman, Newton provided economic and policy analysis on issues critical to the food and agriculture sectors.

Earlier, from 2016 to 2021, Newton held multiple roles at the American Farm Bureau Federation, including Chief Economist from 2018 to 2021. During that time, he delivered strategic economic insights and data-driven guidance that strengthened the organization’s advocacy and policy initiatives.

Dr. Newton’s career spans more than two decades of service to agriculture, including key positions at the U.S. Department of Agriculture and as a two-time award-winning faculty member at the University of Illinois.

A native of Kentucky, Newton hold two master’s degrees and a Ph.D. from The Ohio State University, which honored me with its Distinguished Alumni Award in 2021. My wife, daughter, and I reside on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.