TAPS kickoff events invite producers to compete, learn and test decisions ahead of 2026 season

Purple and gold promotional graphic for the KSU-TAPS 2026 Kickoff. Headline reads “Outmanage the Field – One hour. All the strategy.” Background shows an irrigated crop field with a center pivot and digital farm management icons. Event details list two kickoff breakfasts: March 26, 8:30–9:30 AM at the Southwest Research-Extension Center in Garden City, Kansas, and March 27, 8:30–9:30 AM at the Colby Event Center in Colby, Kansas. Subtext notes it is a fast-paced session covering strategy, structure, and key decisions for the 2026 KSU-TAPS competitions.

Kansas producers, industry partners, and anyone with a passion for irrigated agriculture are invited to attend upcoming kickoff events for the 2026 Testing Ag Performance Solutions (TAPS) competitions, where real-world farm management decisions meet data, competition and collaboration.

The 2026 KSU-TAPS season will begin with two in-person kickoff sessions in western Kansas. The events are scheduled for 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. March 26 at the Southwest Research-Extension Center in Garden City and March 27 at the Colby Event Center in Colby.

The kickoff events are open to anyone interested in participating or learning more about the program. New participants are encouraged to attend to understand the competition structure and expectations.

2026 Team Registration: www.tinyurl.com/26KSUTAPS

Hosted at the K-State Northwest Research-Extension Center-Colby and Southwest Research-Extension Center-Garden City, Testing Ag Performance Solutions is a producer-focused, field-scale competition that challenges participants to manage crops for profitability, input-use efficiency and yield under shared environmental conditions. The program provides a risk-free environment to test irrigation, nitrogen and management strategies using real data from Kansas fields.

Kickoff events will introduce this year’s competitions, outline rules and timelines, and provide an opportunity to connect with researchers, Extension specialists and fellow competitors.

“Producers are making complex decisions every day with real financial risk,” said Daran Rudnick, K-State irrigation specialist and TAPS co-founder. “TAPS creates a space where those decisions can be tested, compared and improved using data, without that same level of risk.”

The 2026 Kansas competitions will again include:

  • Corn Water Utilization Competition at the Southwest Research-Extension Center in Garden City
  • Corn and Forage Sorghum Water Allocation Competition at the Northwest Research-Extension Center in Colby

Participants will make decisions throughout the growing season on hybrid selection, seeding rates, irrigation timing, nitrogen management and marketing strategies. Outcomes are evaluated across multiple categories, including most profitable, highest input-use efficiency and greatest yield.

TAPS competitions are designed to reflect the realities of farming in the High Plains, where water availability, input costs and weather variability require careful management. All teams operate under the same field conditions, allowing for direct comparison of management strategies.

“Farmers are not just participants in this program—they are the drivers of it,” Rudnick said. “They bring practical knowledge, challenge assumptions and help shape the future of water and nutrient management in our region.”

TAPS has grown into a multi-state network, with programs now active across several regions, all focused on improving farm profitability and resource use through applied research and producer engagement.

Event details, registration information and competition updates are available at:

2026 Team Registration: www.tinyurl.com/26KSUTAPS