We are back with another list of ag law stories in the news!
Photo by Sreehari Devadas
*The great pig war of Matagorda County. Texas Monthly recently published an article on a dispute involving a pig farm and neighboring landowners in Matagorda County. This dispute centers around the application of the Texas Right to Farm statute. [Read article here.]
*FIinCEN publishes new interim final rule; only foreign entities required to file. Our rollercoaster ride seems to have come to completion with regard to beneficial ownership reporting under the Corporate Transparency Act. Last week, FinCEN published an interim final rule in the Federal Register revising the definition of a “reporting company” meaning only those entities formed under the law of a foreign country that registered to do business in the United States. Only these “reporting companies” are required to file beneficial ownership information. All domestic companies which were required to file under the prior law, will now be exempt. [Read Rule here.]
*President Trump announces tariffs. Of course, the big news this week was President Trump’s announcement of tariffs that will apply to most of the United States’ trading partners. DTN Progressive Farmer published an article summarizing the tariff announcement and potential impact on agriculture. [Read article here.]
*Texas lithium law update. Vinson & Elkins recently published an update on the law as it relates to lithium mining in Texas. This is a topic we previously discussed here on my Ag Law in the Field podcast. The update discusses three key updates that could impact lithium mining in Texas. [Read article here.]
*Federal court upholds Iowa “ag gag law.” A federal district court in Iowa upheld Iowa’s “ag gag” statute that criminalizes trespassing and recording photos or videos on ag operations in the state. Our friend, Beth Rumley, explained the ruling here. [Read ruling here.]
*Why estate planning is as essential as sunscreen. Just in time for Spring, the Jaburg Wilk law firm wrote a great article discussing the importance of sunscreen and estate planning. [Read article here.]
*Embrace the different. Many of you know, I write as part of the Our Rural Roots team at Progressive Farmer magazine. My most recent article features my little boy and his third grade teacher. [Read article here.]
*Basically Famous podcast episode. I was honored to be a guest recently on Tyler Schuster’s Basically Famous Podcast. We had a great conversation about my career, mentorship, and lessons I have learned. To watch or listen, click here.
*Welcome Dr. Merri Beth Day! We are excited to welcome Dr. Merri Beth Day to our ag economics group. Merri Beth grew up in Alabama, completed her PhD at Kansas State, and just this week she started as the District One Economist here in Amarillo. You can find her contact information here.
Upcoming Presentations
Next week, I’ll be in Brownfield, Texas on Thursday at the 7th Annual Women in Ag Conference and Luncheon. This year’s theme is Women Grounded in Ag: Telling Our Stories from the Roots Up. I’m excited to be on a panel with Tyler Schuster and Venessa Wood. To register, contact Jackie at 806-592-1426. The following week, I’ve got a couple of virtual presentations. On Monday, April 14, I will be beaming into College Station to speak at Ranch Management University. On Thursday, April 17, I’ll be virtually speaking to the Blanco County Ag Committee. To see a complete list of my upcoming presentations, click here.
