A new partnership led by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln is helping agricultural producers explore emerging technologies and identify ways to strengthen profitability without increasing risk during the growing season.
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LINCOLN, Neb. – A new partnership led by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln is helping agricultural producers explore emerging technologies and identify ways to strengthen profitability without increasing risk during the growing season.
Organized by Nebraska Extension and the Nebraska Water Balance Alliance, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Testing Ag Performance Solutions farm management competition involved managing center pivot-irrigated corn. Seventeen producers squared off against university scientists and two student groups in three categories: most profitable farm, highest input use efficiency and greatest grain yield.
“We came up with the idea for the UNL-TAPS competition as a way to help producers become familiar with new ag technologies and techniques, while also leveraging a peer-to-peer exchange of information,” said Daran Rudnick, assistant professor of biological systems engineering and agricultural water management specialist with Nebraska Extension.
The competition took place at the university’s West Central Research and Extension Center in North Platte. Each participant managed three small plots under a variable rate irrigation system. Preseason decisions included hybrid selection, population density and crop insurance selection. Each week, participants made decisions regarding irrigation and nitrogen management, and grain marketing. Decisions were submitted through a password-protected website, which also included in-season photographs of the plots, weather data and additional farm management resources.