David is originally from Devils Lake, North Dakota. He earned a B.S. Degree in Agricultural Economics from NDSU, a M.S. in Agricultural Economics from Iowa State University, and a Ph.D. in Transportation and Logistics from NDSU.

He has researched food security as an intern at USDA’s Economic Research Service, was a merchant for Cargill, and helped implement the 2002 Farm Bill as a fellow in the Washington, D.C., office of U.S. Senator Charles Grassley. David has been a professor in the Department of Agribusiness and Applied Economics at North Dakota State University since 2012 and he has published his research in top academic journals including the American Journal of Applied Economics and Energy Economics.

David is a sought-after speaker on topics of agriculture, energy, and climate and has advised many agriculture, food, and energy companies. He was recently named the agriculture industry representative on North Dakota’s Empower Commission which provides advice on state energy policy.