Competitions
"TAPS is a highly interactive farm management competition that directly engages stakeholders in finding efficient and profitable ways to manage crop production." ~ Daran Rudnick (2020)
2026 KSU-TAPS Competitions
Where farm management meets research, technology and limited water
The 2026 KSU-TAPS competitions will give producers, agricultural professionals, researchers and industry partners a hands-on way to test farm management decisions under the pressure of limited water, rising input costs and real economic risk.
Hosted at the K-State Northwest Research-Extension Center in Colby and the Southwest Research-Extension Center in Garden City, the competitions place participant teams in charge of simulated 2,000-acre farms. Their decisions are implemented on replicated research plots, and their results are evaluated on profitability, input-use efficiency and yield.
This is not a demonstration plot. It is a season-long farm management competition built around the same decisions producers face every year.
2026 competition locations
Colby | Corn & Forage Sorghum Water Allocation Competition
At the Northwest Research-Extension Center, teams will manage both corn and forage sorghum under a 10-inch Q-Stable water allocation. Participants will make decisions about acre allocation, crop insurance, technology, hybrid selection, seeding rate, irrigation, nitrogen management and marketing.
Awards will recognize the most economically profitable team, the highest input-use efficiency, the highest forage quality, the greatest grain yield and the greatest sorghum yield.
Garden City | Corn Water Utilization Competition
At the Southwest Research-Extension Center, teams will manage corn under a 10.9-inch Q-Stable water allocation. Participants will make decisions about crop insurance, technology, hybrid selection, seeding rate, irrigation, nitrogen management and grain marketing.
Awards will recognize the most economically profitable team, the highest input-use efficiency and the greatest grain yield.
How the competition works
Each team is assigned a “farm” consisting of randomly assigned research plots. KSU-TAPS personnel implement each team’s decisions in the field using precision irrigation and research-based protocols. All non-participant-controlled agronomic practices are managed uniformly across teams so the competition can focus on the decisions that matter most.
Throughout the season, teams use the TAPS Network Portal to submit decisions, monitor crop progress and access resources. Participants are encouraged to visit their plots, attend field tours and learn alongside other producers, university specialists, students, technology partners and industry leaders.
The competition culminates with the annual TAPS Awards Banquet in January 2027, where results, analysis and award winners will be shared.
What participants manage
Teams make real farm management decisions across the growing season, including:
- Crop insurance
- Hybrid selection
- Seeding rate
- Irrigation timing and amount
- Nitrogen strategy
- Technology use
- Grain and forage marketing
- Acre allocation in the Colby competition
Get involved
KSU-TAPS is growing, and we are looking for producers, partners and sponsors who want to help shape the future of water-smart agriculture.
To learn more about participating in or supporting KSU-TAPS, contact:
Renee Tuttle
Associate Director of KSU-TAPS
rstuttle@ksu.edu
620-805-9045