Colorado State University announces 2025 CSU-TAPS winners

Winners of the third season of the CSU-Testing Ag Performance Solutions (CSU-TAPS) Farm Management Competition were announced on Jan. 14, 2026. Six teams received cash rewards totaling more than $6,800. 

The CSU-TAPS program is a farm management competition designed to help producers and irrigators test real-world decisions on irrigation, crop choices, nitrogen management and water use efficiency. Participants use variable-rate irrigation systems and soil moisture data to make management decisions on replicated plots, generating actionable insights into irrigation timing, amounts and efficiency on “mini” farms at CSU’s Agricultural Research, Development and Education Center South campus. 

The 2025 winners were: 

• Full Irrigation – Highest Yield
  Winner: Farm 21 – Amber Graves, Rob Graves, Joshua Sunberg, Larimer Co. 

• Full Irrigation – Most Input-Use Efficient
  Farm 2 – Ryley Stringer, Chad Musick, Travis Steiben, Weld & Larimer Co. 

• Full Irrigation – Most Profitable
  Winner: Farm 21 – Amber Graves, Rob Graves, Joshua Sunberg, Larimer Co. 

• Limited Irrigation – Highest Yield
  Farm 19 – Brent Francen, Weld Co., Colorado 

• Ryan Taylor Award for Limited Irrigation – Most Input-Use Efficient
  Farm 11- Larry Lempke, Tom Gray, Crossroads Coop, Larimer Co. 

• Limited Irrigation – Most Profitable
  Farm 16 – Todd Olander, Kevin Bakel, Larimer Co., Colorado