About TAPS
"The genius of the TAPS program is the fact that most of the time, it's not Extension or companies evaluating products and telling farmers about them; it's farmers engaged in evaluation," says Jason Warren, director of the OSU TAPS program.
TAPS began as a farming contest and resaerch framework desgined to learn from producer management decisions—especially those regarding irrigation management. It's grown to be a multi-state network united in the pursuit of input-use efficient and sustainable agricultural practices. The program began at the University of Nebraska in 2017 and expanded to Kansas State University in 2024.
Departing from the conventional teacher-student dynamic, this program champions interactive, real-world farm management decisions and encourages you to test the limits of sustainable water management. Within this dynamic setting, K-State scientists, extension professionals, producers, industry leaders, agriculture students, and government regulators converge, forming a vibrant network committed to advancing profitability and input-use efficiency.
Offering a low-risk environment, participants have the opportunity to experiment with a diverse array of strategies and technologies. At the program's end, a wealth of data from the competitions is made available, creating an invaluable resource and playbook for farmers to take home and implement on their farm. This pioneering program enjoys support from many stakeholders, including the Irrigation Innovation Consortium, Kansas Center for Agricultural Resources and the Environment, Western Kansas Research-Extension Centers, K-State Departments of Agronomy and Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Kansas State Research Extension, natural resources districts, non-profit organizations, industry leaders, and financial institutions, underscoring its significance in shaping the future of agricultural practices.
TAPS FAQ's
Q: What is TAPS’s overall purpose?
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To understand, value, and encourage advanced farm management skill
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To conduct trans-disciplinary, cutting-edge research and gain knowledge to address critical water and ag sustainability challenges
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To support producers in testing and trusting a wide range of smart, conservation oriented ag management technologies and strategies
Q: What’s TAPS’s origin story? A visionary team from the University of Nebraska, including Daran Rudnick, backed by the unwavering support of producers, water managers, and various stakeholders, spearheaded the development of TAPS. The inaugural TAPS competition unfolded in 2017 in North Platte, NE.
Q: Are there other TAPS programs? Yes! KSU-TAPS is the newest installment of a growing network of active TAPS programs involving different crops (corn, sorghum, cotton, dryland wheat) in CO, NE, OK, and FL.
Q: Why doesn’t TAPS take place on my farm if it’s a farm management contest?
TAPS revolutionizes the game by implementing competitors' choices across three random plots within the same research farm, creating a level playing field. Our dedicated university staff take charge of all fieldwork, meticulously collecting and sharing comprehensive field data, including weather information and data from remote and direct sensing technologies.
The strategic layout of the competition field enables a thorough comparison of each team's management decisions. This process not only identifies the most productive, profitable, and input-use efficient strategies but also offers insights into the reasons behind each team's success. This level of nuanced comparison sets TAPS apart from other on-farm competitions, where variations in soils, precipitation, and other factors hinder precise evaluations from one farm to another.
In the dynamic arena of agricultural research, TAPS fosters an environment where fair competition and meticulous analysis pave the way for advancements in irrigation management.