Texas Agriculture Law
I recently did a presentation for a great webinar series called Water Wednesdays, hosted by John O’Connell, a Coastal and Marine County Extension Agent. We did a basic overview of Texas water laws–certainly a hot topic around the state right now! You can watch the recording of the presentation. Additionally, we do have a handbook chapter on Texas Water Law available in our Owning Your Piece of Texas handbook. We also have a podcast water law playlist.
September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, a time to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and share resources that can make a difference. The need for mental health support continues to grow, particularly within agricultural communities and rural areas where unique challenges can often feel overwhelming. Suicide and mental health struggles impact countless individuals, families, and communities. This is a particularly important conversation to me this year, after losing a dear friend to suicide over the summer. One meaningful way we can support one another is by sharing resources… Read More →
The ag law news continues to keep us busy during the month of September! * State of Texas takes action on data center projects. Over the past couple of weeks, there have been a couple of major developments regarding the State of Texas and data centers. In August, Governor Abbott ordered the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) and the Public Utility Commission (PUC) to audit all data centers undergoing ERCOT’s interconnection process to ensure that the data center development does not jeopardize the reliability of Texas’ electric… Read More →
The Eastland Court of Appeals recently ruled in Surrento v. Cactus Growers, Inc., a vehicle-versus-cow case involving a number of defendants. This case illustrates a number of important considerations when it comes to Texas fence law. Background Brianna Surrento was killed when her vehicle hit a cow on the highway near the Doss Ranch. The Doss Ranch is owned by the Doss Foundation. At the time of the accident, the ranch was leased to Jackie Warren. Warren had entered into a grazing lease agreement with Jeffrey Carlisle, who kept… Read More →
Understanding current cash rental rates is important for both landowners and agricultural producers. One of the most widely used sources of rental rate information is the annual USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) cash rent survey, which compiles data from respondents across the country. The rates reported in this survey reflect average cash rents and are shown on a per-acre, per-year basis.
John Deere recently settled a lawsuit brought by farmers who argued that John Deere improperly withheld certain repair tools needed to fix their large agricultural equipment like tractors and combines. This “right to repair” settlement has important implications for farmers around the country who own Deere equipment and may provide compensation for certain repair costs incurred over the last several years. Background Farmers sued John Deere in Illinois federal court claiming the company restricted access to the software and digital tools required to diagnose and repair newer John… Read More →
In July, the USDA released its annual Land Values Summary for 2026, providing a snapshot of how agricultural real estate values have changed across the country over the past year. View the full report here. The 2026 report continues to show strong growth in agricultural land values nationwide, with the value of farm real estate, cropland, and pastureland all increasing over the past year. The average U.S. farm real estate value, which includes the value of all land and buildings on farms, reached $4,500 per acre, an increase… Read More →
As the summer draws to a close and students head back to school, the ag law developments continue around the country! * Hearing date set for John Deere right to repair settlement; claims due December 31, 2026. The $99 million settlement between John Deere and class members impacted by its right-to-repair practices has been set for a fairness hearing in January 2027. Notifications will be sent to class members starting August 28, 2026. Class members, who are expected to number over 200,000, include anyone who purchased repair services… Read More →
It has been a minute since we have done an Ag Law in the Field Podcast recap. For our new readers on the Texas Agriculture Law Blog, we also have a podcast called Ag Law in the Field. Once a month, we release a new episode featuring experts from across the industry to discuss agricultural law issues and topics affecting landowners and agricultural producers. https://aglaw.libsyn.com/
How does Texas law treat a surviving spouse with regard to the homestead? The Corpus Christi Court of Appeals addressed this issue in Murray v. Robinson. Background Christopher Murray and his wife, Florentina, owned 78 acres of land in Travis County, which they designated as their homestead. Florentina died intestate (without a will) in 1997. Christopher continued to live on the property and claimed it as his homestead. The next year, Florentina’s only child from a prior marriage, Veronica Robinson, filed an affidavit of heirship asserting an interest in… Read More →
