IOWA STATE’S LAWRENCE ON THE TRUE STATE OF THE FARM ECONOMY, OUTLOOK Apr. 4, 2016 by Betsy Freese, Successful Farming magazine John Lawrence has been helping farmers and future farmers his whole career. A former professor of economics, director of the Iowa Beef Center, and assistant director of the Experiment Station, and now associate dean for Extension in Iowa State University’s College of Agriculture , Lawrence has a practical and realistic view of the current farm economic situation.