David Knopf is the Eastern Mountain Regional Director for the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), which includes managing the Kentucky Field Office in Louisville. He has been in this role since 2013 and previously served NASS offices in Washington and North Dakota. He is a graduate of Michigan State University with a degree in Ag Economics.

Knopf says that math, statistics, data science, and agricultural economics are the most common degrees of NASS employees, as well as any other number of agricultural degrees.

"Our jobs require a minimum of 15 semester hours of math and statistics, and most employees have a lot of credits in the sciences. Employees with practical experience in production agriculture find it easier to learn the job and perform better."

Knopf had a part in releasing the 2022 Census of Agriculture. See how Kentucky measures up compared to other states.