Craig Carpenter

Craig Carpenter is an Associate Professor in the Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics at Michigan State University (MSU), affiliated with MSU Extension. He holds a Ph.D. from MSU and a B.A. from Kalamazoo College. His research focuses on federal administrative data to address intersections of race, ethnicity, veteran status, entrepreneurship, economic growth, and public policy. Key areas include evaluating government programs like redlining and SNAP, with publications on entrepreneurship, regional economics, and policy outcomes.

Dr. Carpenter leads Extension efforts in community and regional economic development, designing curricula and facilitating workshops across Michigan. He has published over 75 Extension/outreach publications and developed the History of Redlining in Michigan website. Leadership roles include Chair of the Agricultural & Applied Economics Association’s CRENET and EXT sections, and President of a USDA-funded multistate research group. Awards include a 2024 research award from the North American Regional Science Council.

His teaching spans microeconomics and agri-food systems at MSU and Albion College. He collaborates with graduate students, postdocs, and policymakers to address economic development challenges, emphasizing diversity, equity, and inclusion. Recent work highlights include analyzing PPP loan impacts, military lending policies, and rural bank contributions to prosperity.