EPA Approves Next Generation Custom Formulation Herbicide
Liberty ULTRA herbicide, powered by Glu-L Technology has received U.S. Environmental Protection Agency registration and is now approved for use, subject to state approvals.
Liberty ULTRA herbicide, with the active ingredient glufosinate-P-ammonium, also referred to as L-glufosinate ammonium, is the next generation of Liberty herbicide from BASF.
The company says this post knockdown solution is effective on broadleaves and grasses and is available for use on glufosinate-enabled soybean, cotton, corn and canola acres. In research trials, Liberty ULTRA herbicide has demonstrated 20% superior weed control and won nine out of 10 head-to-head comparisons against generics.
“Liberty ULTRA herbicide, will offer a post knockdown tool that delivers improved performance and convenience thanks to the new Liberty Lock formulation and BASF’s patented Glu-L Technology,” said Matt Malone, product manager for BASF Agricultural Solutions.
Glu-L Technology, the patented synthesis process that refines the glufosinate-ammonium active ingredient to its most herbicidally active component, allows every gallon of Liberty ULTRA to cover 33% more acres than generics. Liberty ULTRA herbicide packs the power of 32 fluid ounces of Liberty herbicide into a convenient 24 fluid ounces standard use rate.
In addition to its lower standard use rate, BASF’s Liberty Lock formulation locks more herbicide onto leaves and into weeds. This custom formulation is designed to adhere more droplets onto weed leaves for better coverage with every pass. Once on the leaves, the patent-pending formulation drives nearly three times more herbicide into weeds compared to generic glufosinate.
For more information about Liberty ULTRA herbicide, powered by Glu-L Technology, contact your local BASF representative or visit Liberty-Ultra.us.
New Texas High Plains Cotton Breeder Announced
Four-year-old Carol Kelly used to enjoy pulling bolls off the cotton plants in her daddy’s fields and pry them open to look inside. I guess you could say cotton fiber has always fascinated her. As a graduate student in 2006, she was asked by her boss, John Gannaway (the cotton breeder at the time), if she would ever want his job. She said yes.
Now, nearly 20 years later, she’s got it.
“We are excited to welcome Carol to this new role,” said Todd Baughman, center director for the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center in Lubbock. “Her vast experience with this program is unmatched, and we know she’ll be tremendously successful in moving this historic cotton breeding program into the future.”
As assistant professor of cotton breeding, Kelly will mentor students as she highly values the mentors who helped develop her as a professional. She will also have a more direct impact on how the center approaches production challenges and fiber quality — something very personal to her.
“My grandfather owned a cotton gin in Brownfield that my dad managed alongside farming cotton in that area, so I know the struggles producers face,” Kelly said. “And now, my friends are farming their own operations, so I’m very passionate about helping them be successful.”
This program’s longevity has been highly esteemed in the Plains Cotton Growers service area for many years. Kelly says it’s important to her that it be preserved for many years to come.
USDA’s Annual Land Values Summary For 2024
The U.S. Department of Agriculture released its annual Land Values Summary for 2024 in August. It looks at the average value for agricultural real estate across the country.
The most recent report indicates increasing values nationwide over the past year. For “farm real estate value,” which takes into account the value of all land and buildings on farms, the U.S. average value was $4,170/acre, up 5% from 2023.
For cropland, the nationwide average value increased 4.7% to $5,570/acre. For pastureland, the nationwide average value was $1,830/acre, up 5.2% from last year.
The report also looks at various regional measurements.
Farm real estate average value is the highest in the Pacific region (CA, OR, WA) at $8,040/acre. The highest state value is found in Rhode Island at $22,000/acre. The lowest regional average was $1,600 for the Mountain region (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NV, NM, UT, WY). The lowest state value is New Mexico at $700. By way of comparison, Texas and Oklahoma make up the Southern Plains region, which has an average of $2,720.
For cropland values, California reports the highest at $17,330/acre, while regionally the Pacific region shows the highest values at an average of $9,520/acre. The Southern Plains region (OK, TX) reported the lowest cropland average value at $2,500/acre, a 4.6% increase from the prior year. The state with the lowest cropland value is Montana at $1,280/acre.
Pasture average value per acre was highest in New Jersey at $15,000 and lowest in New Mexico at $600/acre. Regionally, values were the highest in the Southeast (AL, FL, GA, SC) at $5,510 and the lowest in the Mountain region at $909. For the Southern Plains region, pastureland value came in at an average of $2,160.
Looking specifically at Texas: Farm real estate average value: $2,800/acre, a 7.3% increase from 2023. Cropland average value: $2,570/acre. This is up 3.2% from a year ago. This includes an irrigated average of $3,150 and non-irrigated average of $2,500. Pastureland average value: $2,200/acre, up 6.3%.
To view the entire report and see complete information for each state and region, go to tiny.cc/4juvzz.
Register Now For The 2025 Beltwide In New Orleans
The National Cotton Council and its cooperating partners welcome all to the 2025 Beltwide Cotton Conferences Jan. 14-16 (Tuesday-Thursday) at the New Orleans Marriott, New Orleans, Louisiana.
A dynamic program, along with the opportunity to network with peers from across the Cotton Belt, separate this conference from all others in agriculture. The conference will be educational, as well as enjoyable.
To register for the 2025 Beltwide Cotton Conferences, please go to t.ly/2NaB3. To view the preliminary program, visit t.ly/DYrw8. The final program will be posted online Dec. 4. The hotel reservations cutoff date is Dec. 18.
Come, learn and experience all the sites and attractions that New Orleans has to offer. Register, mark your calendar and plan to attend!
Acquisition Strengthens Specialty Fertilizer Portfolio
Tessenderlo Kerley has acquired Tiger-Sul Products, LLC, a North American focused provider of sulfur-based fertilizer products, from Platte River Equity. The acquisition closed on Nov. 6, 2024.
The acquisition strengthens Tessenderlo Kerley’s specialty fertilizer portfolio as Tessenderlo Kerley looks to provide a better crop yield, more control for farmers and a healthier planet for everyone. Tiger-Sul will continue to operate under its brand names.
“We’re excited to welcome Tiger-Sul to the Tessenderlo Kerley team, and we look forward to our ability to offer our customers Tiger-Sul’s complementary crop nutrition and soil enhancement products,” said Russell Sides, executive vice president of Tessenderlo Kerley.
“We appreciate the support from Platte River Equity, and we are looking forward to providing great value to our customers through our new partnership with Tessenderlo Kerley,” said Mike Dennerlein, president of Tiger-Sul.
Kris Whalen, managing director at Platte River Equity, commented, “Tessenderlo Kerley’s strategic vision and focus on innovation are well-aligned with Tiger-Sul’s mission, and we wish both the Tessenderlo Kerley and Tiger-Sul teams’ great success in this next chapter together.”
CWD Found In Farm-Raised White-Tailed Deer In Jefferson Davis Parish
On Nov. 7, LSU Diagnostics (Louisiana Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory), in coordination with the National Veterinary Services Laboratory, confirmed to the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry’s Office of the State Veterinarian a positive Chronic Wasting Disease test from a deceased deer at a deer farm in Jefferson Davis Parish.
The farm, a participant in the U.S. Department of Agriculture CWD Voluntary Herd Certification Program administered by LDAF, has been issued a quarantine restricting movement into or out of the facility, including live deer or deer products, and a 25-mile radius surveillance zone has been activated.
Chronic Wasting Disease is a neurological disease that fatally infects white-tailed deer, elk and moose and poses a serious threat to wild populations.
While CWD is not known to infect people, the World Health Organization and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend against eating meat from infected animals.
The Office of the State Veterinarian has established a surveillance zone for herds near the affected deer farm and is diligently reviewing recent movement records. All deer farms in the surveillance zone are under restricted movement until further notice.
CWD cases have been identified in 34 U.S. states, five Canadian provinces, Norway, Finland, Sweden and South Korea. Signs of the disease include weight loss, uncoordinated movement, listlessness, excessive thirst or urination, drooling, drooping ears and behavioral changes.
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries has conducted statewide surveillance of free-ranging deer since 2002. To date, the only CWD detections in the wild have been collected in Tensas Parish.
For more information, contact Jennifer Finley at PressSecretary@ldaf.state.la.us or visit www.ldaf.la.gov.
UT To Offer Agriculture-Based Ph.D. Program In Fall 2025
Students interested in addressing complex issues related to food, agriculture, natural resources and human sciences will soon have a new choice for their advanced education. The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, will begin offering a new Ph.D. program through the Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communications (ALEC) in the Herbert College of Agriculture.
The program was approved by the University of Tennessee Board of Trustees and will become the first of its kind in Tennessee. Applications will be accepted beginning in Spring 2025. The program will offer online and on-campus completion options. The ALEC Department offers bachelor’s and master’s programs. The Ph.D. program makes it the only department in the Herbert College of Agriculture to offer all three degrees online.
“The online availability of the required credit hours is in response to the needs of today’s learners and will provide an opportunity for adults to reengage in higher education and complete an advanced degree,” said ALEC department head Christopher Stripling.
Interim Dean David White said, “We are excited to soon offer the only Ph.D. program in Tennessee with an emphasis on agricultural leadership, education and communications that will provide research-based expertise to students in agricultural and natural resources, Extension, teaching and learning, leadership, youth development and communications. In addition to attracting new students, the new degree will provide our existing students with an opportunity to earn a doctoral degree while addressing the workforce needs for Tennessee.”
Interested students will soon be able to apply through the UT Graduate School. For more information on the program, visit the ALEC website.