Case Study: Testing Ag Performance Solutions (TAPS) – Kelsey Stremel: Strategic communications for people, purpose and impact

Overview

Launched in 2017, TAPS reimagines extension by turning real-world farm management decisions into a competition. Farmers, students, and industry teams manage irrigated and dryland plots as if they were their own, making choices on irrigation, seeding, nitrogen, marketing, and technology. I was brought in to lead communications for the Kansas program and support its expansion across multiple states. I created a communications framework that positioned TAPS as both an educational competition and a research platform, amplifying its impact and building relationships that connect producers, researchers, industry, and policy leaders.

Challenge

Complex program to explain: competition, research, and outreach all in one.
Needed a clear brand identity and storytelling approach.
Diverse audiences: farmers, industry partners, researchers, agencies, and media.
Limited awareness outside of direct participants.
Launching a new brand identity in Kansas and guiding a complex multistate brand to a cohesive global program identity.

Strategy

Develop a cohesive brand identity for TAPS Kansas that aligns with the TAPS national expansion.
Create a digital ecosystem (website, news blog, email, social media) to reach multiple audiences.
Highlight farmer and partner stories to show real-world impact.
Showcase research outcomes and sponsor value through metrics and visual storytelling.
Elevate TAPS as a national model for farmer-led innovation in water and nutrient management.

Execution

Designed and launched a new website.
Produced photography and video storytelling from field days, banquets, and research.
Managed program communications for an engaged year-long program, including social media, email, text/SMS, print and digital campaigns.
Cultivated media relationships and collaborations to feature TAPS, our partners, and farmers.
Developed brand voice guidelines and templates for multi-state TAPS teams.

Outcomes

Increased visibility of TAPS through a redesigned website, digital news platform, and targeted social media storytelling, reaching thousands of stakeholders beyond competition participants.
Developed communication strategies that helped drive high engagement, with event attendance and digital reach growing year over year.
Positioned TAPS as a recognized leader in farmer-driven research by securing state and national media coverage.
Elevated sponsor and partner recognition through tailored features, digital campaigns, and event communications that demonstrated ROI and built sustained investment.
Strengthened cross-state collaboration and credibility by creating consistent messaging and brand resources adopted by seven TAPS programs.

Acknowledgment

This work has been made possible by the collaborative spirit of the TAPS team and its multi-state partners—especially Daran Rudnick and Renee Tuttle. Their innovation and dedication to farmer-led research have inspired my communications approach and reinforced the value of the land-grant mission in action.