Leveraging TAPS extension efforts for research purposes – opportunities, and challenges

The “Testing Ag Performance Solutions” (TAPS) program is an ongoing nationwide initiative aiming to connect producers, researchers, extensionists, faculty, and industry partners through a farm management competition for testing and demonstrating efficient input management practices. TAPS programs were originally established with an extension mission, and have evolved into a potential platform for applied research. However, the existing treatment allocations within TAPS programs may be suboptimal to address specific research questions. In this talk, we present our initial efforts in leveraging ongoing TAPS programs by augmenting the field trials with additional treatments. We analyze opportunities under the existing practical constraints, and discuss potential limitations to this approach for addressing particular research questions.