Texas Rural Land Purchasing Checklist

Posted on by

This checklist was co-authored with Karli Kaase, Student Assistant – Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, and Kara Matheney, Project Manager III – Texas A&M AgriLife Extension.  To download a printable PDF copy, click here. Built on Texas A&M AgriLife Extension’s Owning Your Piece of Texas handbook, this fact sheet provides research-based guidance to help first-time and transitioning rural real estate buyers better understand key considerations when purchasing rural land in Texas. It is intended for educational purposes and reflects general principles of Texas landownership. Clarifying Goals and Budget Before beginning… Read More →

May Monthly Round Up

Posted on by

May was an extremely busy month, both for agricultural law and for me!  Because of that, our Monthly Round Up is a couple of days late.  Let’s run through some of the biggest ag law developments in the last month. * House Passes Farm Bill 2.0.  The United States House of Representatives passed the Farm, Food, and National Security Act, known as the Farm Bill 2.0.  The Bill will now move to the Senate. [Read article here.] * US Supreme Court hears oral argument in Durnell v. Monsanto.  As we… Read More →

Traveling with Tiffany: Hitting the Road for Ag Law Programs Across Texas 

Posted on by

One of my favorite parts of this job is getting out of the office and visiting with folks across the state. Whether it is a county program, conference, or workshop, there is nothing better than meeting landowners, producers, and Extension agents where they are and talking through real-world legal questions.  As we head into the next couple of months, the calendar is full, and I am looking forward to several opportunities to travel, teach, and learn alongside you all. If you have a chance to attend one of these events, please… Read More →

Working Ranch Radio Show – Eminent Domain: What Landowners Need to Know

Posted on by

I was recently a guest on the Working Ranch Radio Show with Justin Mills.  We had a really good, practical conversation about eminent domain. Where does eminent domain authority come from?  How does the process work?  What do landowners need to keep in mind?  Justin asked great questions, and I think our conversation will be useful to landowners across the country!  Listen HERE.

Questions from Tiffany’s Desk: Can a Texas City Ban or Limit Chickens?

Posted on by

Question: I must have received this question ten times in the last month via phone calls and emails from all across the state.  Can a Texas city enforce a ban or a limit on the number of chickens residents are allowed to have at their residence? Answer: We do not know. There has not been a court that has answered this question yet.  The answer will depend on how a court interprets the Right to Farm Statute definitions and the particular factual situation at issue.  Let’s walk through… Read More →

Signage Requirements Under Agritourism Liability Acts – What About Texas?

Posted on by

I recently co-authored an article for Southern Ag Today with my friend and colleague, Jesse Richardson, that raised an important question about signage required under state landowner liability statutes. Agritourism Act Rulings in Virginia and Washington In the Southern Ag Today article, we focused on two court decisions applying their state’s Agritourism Act.  In Virginia, a trial court held that in order for the Virginia Agritourism Activity Act to apply, the signage should have been individually posted at each different agritourism activity.  Posting one sign at the entrance… Read More →

2025 Rural Land Value Trends Report Released

Posted on by

Each year, the Texas Chapter of the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers publishes a Rural Land Value Trends report.  This is one of the best documents available for those interested in the sales value and lease value of rural lands in Texas.  It is also the only publication of which I am aware that provides information on the value of hunting leases. The 2025 report was just released last week.  Click here to download. The report begins with an article by Dr. Lynn Krebs looking… Read More →

2026 Custom Rate Survey Published

Posted on by

The Texas A&M Agricultural Economics Extension group recently published the 2026 Custom Rates Survey.  This resource offers average prices across Texas for various services such as tractor rental, planting and tillage operations, fertilizing, chemical application, harvesting, land improvement operations, fence building, livestock work and hauling, and predator management. The report is based on producer, custom service provider, and landowner survey responses that were solicited last fall.  Responses are reported both as a statewide number and broken down into four regions. To view the Custom Rates Survey, click here.

April Monthly Round Up

Posted on by

We are back with a number of important agricultural law issues in the news for the month of April!   *John Deere agrees to $99 million settlement in right-to-repair class action lawsuit.  John Deere has agreed to pay $99 million to settle a class action lawsuit claiming that Deere made crucial repair tools and software updates unavailable to independent repair shops and farmers.  Those included in the class are individuals or entities who purchased repair services for John Deere large agricultural equipment from January 2018 until the settlement… Read More →

Easement Dispute Offers Important Reminders When Dividing Land

Posted on by

A recent Hill Country easement dispute was considered by the San Antonio Court of Appeals in Luckenbach Ranch, LLC v. Bowling.  [Read Opinion here.] Background Wendy Williams owned 62-acres of land in Fredericksburg, TX.  Wendy offered to sell her brother, Troy, and sister-in-law, Kim, 15.5 acres of her land.  Kim, who was a realtor, prepared a purchase agreement for the 15.5 acres that Wendy signed.  The agreement was amended to account for renumbering of the address of the parcel Troy and Kim would purchase and that which Wendy would… Read More →