Did you know that fire regime alterations are pushing open ecosystems worldwide past tipping points where alternative steady states characterized by woody dominance prevail. The intensity and frequency of surface fires are reduced, limiting their effectiveness for controlling cover of woody plants. Grazing pressure can also reinforce woody encroachment by potentially reducing fine-fuel loads.
2022 Texas Land Market Developments
The reported demand for land by rural brokers has slowed down compared to the contest for land in 2021. However, at the end of 2022, prices had increased by 12.44 percent to $4,446 per acre statewide. By the end of 2022, a total of 719,738 acres had changed hands, down 14.96 percent from 2021. This suggests that market activity has fallen to a more normal level at high prices. The rising prices coupled with the diminished activity suggests that current buyers are focusing on higher quality properties.
In West Texas strong demand drove up prices in the region. At $2,231 per acre, prices rose 14.59 percent year over year. However, the annualized sales volume declined 22.35 percent to 879 sales. Typical size of acreage remained nearly the same, dropping 0.33 percent to 431 acres. The total dollar volume spent at $563.4 million increased by 25.71 percent compared to 2021. At 252,510 acres, total acreage sold rose 9.71 percent. Fourth quarter only sales volume fell 9.80 percent short of fourth quarter 2021 totals, 49.08 percent short of 2020 totals, but 14.05 percent above the 2019 fourth quarter sales total.
Region 3 is made up of counties located in North Texas all the way through South Central Texas.
In looking at the region as a whole, while the volume of sales has declined, the price per acreage has increased. As you can see in the graph below, the price per acre has continued to steadily increase since 2020.
Below Central Texas is broken down by cropland, rangeland and hunting lease rangeland. If you are thinking about leasing land compared to buying, be sure to check out some of the prices and how they are trending.
For more information and the full report, be sure to check it out here!
Are you a new landowner in Texas? We are bringing a series of workshops around Texas to help new landowners get involved in their communities! Our first stop is in Lubbock, followed by Corpus Christi, San Angelo, College Station, and Stephenville, Texas. For more information reach out to casey.matzke@ag.tamu.edu. Interested in registering for this free event? Click here!
Valuable Lessons from Dubba Shop #2 Prescribed Fire in Florida
The Burn Boss (RXB2) for the Miccosukee Tribe in Florida and the Regional Fire Management Officer (FMO) for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, started looking for a burn window for the Dubba Shop #2 Prescribed burn.
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Analysis of the Cost and Cost Components of Conducting Prescribed Fires in the Great Plains
Fire is a naturally occurring process that was first applied by the Native Americans and continues today in the Great Plains by a diverse group of landowners. Fire is an incredible tool that is used to help restore fire regimes in the region. Not only is it used to restore fire regimes, it is also used to maintain and grow benefits for Agricultural outputs, risk reduction, and ecosystem maintenance.
Texas Pasture Land Values Summary
USDA has recently released their land value summary for 2023. Texas is located in the Southern Plains region along with Oklahoma.
USDA Expands Conservation Practices Qualifying for Climate-Smart Funding
At the end of October, USDA released an updated NRCS expanded list of practices and activities that are eligible for Climate-Smart funding through the Inflation Reduction Act. In addition, they added additional funding for the practices for the fiscal year 2024.
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Prescribed Fire Training 2024 SCHEDULED DATES
We have three upcoming fire events in 2024 that you will want to save the date for!
Prescribed Burn School
July 22-24, 2024
San Angelo, Texas
First up is our 2024 in-person, 24-hr Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) curriculum approved Prescribed Burn School. This event will be held in San Angelo, Texas July 22-24, 2024 at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research Center (7887 US HWY 87 North San Angelo, TX 76901). Upon completion of this burn school, you will be able to evaluate fuels, describe fire behavior, plan a prescribed burn, identify proper equipment and safety techniques, mitigate smoke impacts, understand Texas laws and regulations, and evaluate potential burn sites. This school will include the field component implementing a prescribed fire (if conditions allow) and the opportunity to complete the TDA Certified and Insured Prescribed Burn Manager exam as a requirement to apply for the Certified and Insured Prescribed Burn Manager (CIPBM) license from the Texas Department of Agriculture. Any individuals who have completed the online Prescribed Burn School are welcome to attend the field day training and complete the exam (burn day and exam TBD July 22-24). 6 Continuing Fire Training Credits for TDA CIPBM license holders will be offered.
Fire Field Day
December 3, 2024
San Angelo, Texas
If you have completed the online Prescribed Burn School from AgriLife Learn and would like to complete the prescribed burn and take the TDA CIPBM Exam, this is an option for you! This will also be hosted in San Angelo, Texas at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center. 6 Continuing Fire Training Credits for TDA CIPBM license holders will be offered.
Great Plains Fire Summit
August 13-15, 2024
Canyon, Texas
Our last Fire event will be our Great Plains Fire Summit that will be held on August 13-15! This event will be held in Canyon, Texas. This Summit is an incredible, practical, and applied prescribed fire conference dedicated to all types of fire practitioners. 6 Continuing Fire Training Credits for TDA CIPBM license holders will be offered at the Fire Summit.
Be sure to save the dates on all three of these events. Registration and more information including detailed agendas are coming soon! For more information email Casey.Matzke@ag.tamu.edu.
Congratulations to Erika Sullivan – Recent RWFM M.S. Graduate!
Congratulations are in order for Erika Sullivan who received her M.S. Degree in Range Science from the Rangeland, Wildlife, and Fisheries Management Department at Texas A&M University. Erika who is from Katy, Texas, earned her Bachelors of Science from Texas A&M University in Ecological Restoration where she was secretary of the Ecological Restoration Club.
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Patch Burning Improves Nutritional Quality of Two Gulf Coast Grasses
Gulf cordgrass and seacoast bluestem are native warm season grasses that are found in the Texas Coastal Prairies and Marshes ecoregions. Mature Gulf cordgrass has a nutritional value that is considered poor for grazing animals while the seacoast bluestems nutritional value is considered fair to good in spring and early summer.
Haynes, V.L.; Avila-Sanchez, J.S.; Toomey, A.E.; Ortega-S., J.A.; Campbell, T.A.; Ortega-S., A., Jr.; Rideout-Hanzak, S.; Wester, D.B. Patch Burning Improves Nutritional Quality of Two Gulf Coast Grasses—And Winter Burning Is Better than Summer Burning. Fire 2023, 6, 105. https://doi.org/ 10.3390/fire6030105
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Monthly Drought and Weather Update!
In the past two months, East Texas and the Coast have seen more than two inches of rain. However, the Southern Coastal area and the Northeastern area of Texas have received more than four inches of rain. Far West Texas and the Panhandle have received less than .5 of an inch of rain, coinciding with most of the rest of the state that have received less than normal rainfall over the past thirty days.