Good morning from sunny Lubbock, Texas!  I am here for the 12th Annual John Huffaker Ag Law Course, a legal education symposium for attorneys.  I had the privilege of discussing farm and ranch leases yesterday and have really enjoyed the other fantastic speakers on the program.

Here are some of the ag law stories in the news over the last couple of weeks:

*New Mexico files counterclaims against Texas and United States in water law suit.  The New Mexico Attorney General has filed the State’s Answer to the Complaints filed by Texas and the United States in the TX v. NM litigation over the Rio Grande river.  Additionally, New Mexico has now filed counterclaims against the State of Texas and the United States.  [Read Answers and Counterclaims here.]

* Farm Bill fails on the House floor.  Last week, a vote on the Farm Bill was held on the US House floor.  The bill failed with votes of 198 for and 213 against.  The 2014 Farm Bill remains in place through September 20, 2018. [Read article here.]

*China lifts sorghum probe and tariff.  China has announced it is ending its “anti-dumping” probe into US sorghum, and will no longer impose the 178% tariff it announced previously.  As you may recall from a prior Round Up, when that tariff was announced, shipments of US sorghum that were on their way to China were diverted and sent to other countries.  [Read article here.]

*Teen who started wildfire in Oregon ordered to pay $36 million.  A teenager who admitted to throwing fireworks in the woods, which started a 48,000 acre wildfire last year, has been ordered to pay $36 million in restitution for damages.  He was previously sentenced to 5 years probation and 1,920 hours of community service.  [Read article here.]

Programs Next Week

On Thursday, I’ll be heading to Quanah, TX to speak at an Extension wildlife meeting on hunting lease agreements.  To see all of my upcoming programs, click here.