CSU-TAPS 2025 Agricultural competition starts on March 28

Farmers are trying AG Tech and Precision Strategies without risk with this innovative agricultural competition on February 19, 2025
The third annual performance competition competition solutions solutions or TAPs from the Colorado State University will start with a spring kick -off event for participants, on March 28, 2025, at the installation of the Cobank conference and the Cobank Conference of CSU agricultural research in Fort Collins, Collins.
The innovative TAPS format invites participants to test their management skills using precision agricultural strategies and tools.

“It’s a great opportunity for me to learn,” said Zach Thode de Livermore, Colorado, producer and double competitor of CSU-TAPS and winner in 2024. “There are many technological options that taps allow us to assess and use in decision-making criteria, which we do not all implement at home.”
The seed corn competition is organized on a field where the teams compete side by side and the participants submit to management decisions, via an online portal. The competition is free. Anyone with a computer or telephone with Internet access can participate.
CSU-TAPS teams make six farm management decisions-hybrid corn selections, sowing and harvest insurance, as well as nitrogen decisions, irrigation and marketing of crops throughout the growth season. The teams choose from two irrigation tracks to compete: complete irrigation and limited irrigation.
To help make decisions, teams have access to real field conditions through remote and direct data such as imagery of drones and satellites, information on weather stations, soil humidity sensors, screening photos, soil analysis tests and more. The CSU staff implement the decisions of each team in the field organized at the CSU Ardec.
“The learning game for me is more marketing (cultures), the breakdown of discomfort in the use of marketing strategies on my farm,” said Brian Lengel, producer and competitor of Burlington, Colorado. “When it comes to trusting soil humidity technology, the taps are enormous. When you are going to invest in technology, you are certainly more comfortable making the investment if you have tried it in a simulated environment.”
Lengel won the most profitable and effective prices in the use of entries in 2023, and the highest yield price in the new limited irrigation track in 2024. It also participated in a competition of previous taps organized by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Awards

Six cash awards are to be won in CSU-TAPS, three in each irrigation track, for participants whose management results in the most efficient, profitable and highest consumption. The distinctions are determined after the fall harvest.
Competition events include the start of March 28, a day on the field of July 15 and the annual banquet of January 10 (2026) which ends this increasing season length program. The competition also includes educational seminars throughout the season on marketing and technology.
People can participate as an individual or in a team with teams including at least one member who is an active producer. Limited competition spots for CSU remain, with other tap competitions in the high plains which also recruit for 2025: Kansas State University, KSU-TAPS; Ult-ends; Oklahoma State University, Osu-Taps.
Do not miss a chance to learn and compete in taps this year. The program is fun, does not take much time, and the ideas and connections for farm management could be invaluable for your agricultural operation or your AG industry experience.
It is a great way to test field test strategies in irrigation and nutrient management and risk -free marketing. For more information, head to: irrigationinnovationConsortium.org/CSU-TAPS.

The irrigation innovation consortium supports development, tests and improving advanced irrigation management tools and strategies for the success of water managers. Being part of the College of Agricultural Sciences at the Colorado State University, IIC projects include a multi-state partnership that supports the expansion of two programs focused on producers across the United States: Master Irgator and AG Performance Solutions. IIC also operates the CSU-TAPS competition. Find out more about irrigationinnovationConsortium.org.