Dr. Alan Baquet was raised on a wheat, barley, and cattle farm in North Central Montana. He attended Montana State University, graduating with a degree in Agricultural Business. He received a Master of Science degree in Agricultural Economics from Oregon State University and a Ph.D. also in Agricultural Economics from Michigan State University. He taught classes in farm and financial management at Oklahoma State University. He has had experience in the private sector as the Director of Education for Choice Computer Corporation in Dallas, Texas.

As a faculty member at Montana State University, he served as a farm management extension specialist providing education to farmers and ranchers across Montana. He was instrumental in the development of risk management tools, including revenue insurance products. He also served as the Associate Department Head for the Department of Agricultural Economics and Economics.

Dr. Baquet served as the Director of the University of Nebraska South Central Research and Education Center at Clay Center, Nebraska, from March 1998 to December 2002. From January 2003 to July 2005 he served as the Associate Vice Chancellor for the UNL Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Dr. Baquet is Head of the Department of Agricultural Economics and Director of the Center for Applied Rural Innovation (CARI).