David Oppedahl is a policy advisor in the Economic Research Department at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. Oppedahl conducts research on the agricultural sector and rural development, as well as analyzing business conditions and the regional economy. He directs the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago's survey of agricultural banks on agricultural land values and credit conditions and publishes the results in AgLetter—the Chicago Fed's quarterly agricultural publication. In addition to his research, he monitors the regional economy through roundtables and other contacts, briefs senior staff on the agricultural economy, and organizes the annual Agriculture Conference.

Before starting his career at the Chicago Fed as an associate economist in 1998, Oppedahl was a consultant in the Economic Research Department at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. While at the Dallas Fed, he provided research support in econometrics.

Oppedahl received a B.S. in mathematics from Wheaton College, Wheaton, Illinois, and an M.S. in statistics from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He also completed graduate-level course work in economics while attending Southern Methodist University.