Dr. Fannin also is a member of the Center for Natural Resource Economics and Policy (CNREP) where he works on projects related to financial resiliency of local governments from natural and man-made disasters. He is a also a member of the Louisiana Center for Rural Initiatives where he is actively involved in issues such as food and fiber value added job creation, rural wealth creation, and physician recruitment and retention in rural areas, He holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in Agricultural Economics from Louisiana State University and a Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics from the University of Missouri.