Dave Carter

Dave Carter serves as a Director of Regional Technical Assistance Coordination for the Flower Hill Institute, an indigenous-led nonprofit organization coordinating the technical assistance network USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service has established to support producers seeking to create a more resilient, diversified, and equitable meat and poultry processing system in the United States. In his role as a regional director, Carter works to assure that all producers—including historically underserved ranchers and farmers—have access to the full range of USDA grants and loans to expand meat and poultry processing capacity.  

From 2001 through March 2022, Carter served as executive director of the 1,200-member National Bison Association, where he worked to strengthen production and marketing systems for North American bison ranchers. He was a leader in the six-year campaign that resulted in bison being designated as the National Mammal of the United States in 2016.

Carter was one of the organizers of the Center of Excellence for Bison Studies at South Dakota State University in 2020.

He has also operated Crystal Springs Consulting, Inc. since 2001, and worked extensively on issues relating to organic farming, natural food, tribal food sovereignty, cooperative development and regenerative agriculture.

Carter has a deep background in natural food marketing and agricultural public policy. His marketing experience includes work in natural meat, cheese, and pet food products. He is the former Chair of USDA’s National Organic Standards Board and later helped gain regulatory approval for non-GMO labeling of meat, poultry, and dairy products sourced from animals fed diets without genetically modified ingredients.

In 2014, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack appointed Carter to the USDA Agricultural Trade Advisory Committee for Livestock and Livestock Products. He was reappointed to the committee in 2019.

Dave and his wife, Sue, are partners in a bison herd holistically managed on a 7,800-acre ranch owned by the Savory Institute in eastern Colorado.

Dave and Sue were among the volunteer founders of the Broomfield Farmers’ Market at Holy Comforter Episcopal Church, which is now in its 12^th season. He also serves on the board of directors of the Colorado Episcopal Service Corps.

They have two married children and two granddaughters.