Taylor is a Research Associate at the Center for Agricultural Policy and Trade Studies at North Dakota State University. He received his MS degree in agricultural economics from North Dakota State University in 1990 and joined NDSU as a research associate in 1991. He had several years of experience in farming before entering the graduate program at NDSU. He is responsible for maintaining the North Dakota farm economy model, the U.S. and world wheat industries model, and the U.S. and world sugar industries model.