Author Archives: tiffany.dowell

Where’s the Beef? Online Course Now Available!

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You asked, and we answered! For the past several years, we have hosted our live “Where’s the Beef?” direct beef sales programs around Texas.  We have had several hundred participants attend, and 100% of them say they would recommend this course to a friend. However, we know that not everyone has the ability to take time away to attend the live courses, and we are unable to host these everywhere that has shown an interest in the topic.  Many of you have been asking for years for an… Read More →

November 15, 2024 Weekly Round Up

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Lots of ag law news the last couple of weeks–let’s get you caught up! * Update on Cedar the goat.  You all may remember this prior blog post about a lawsuit between a 4-H member and a number of defendants after a dispute arose over the fate of a show goat at the county fair.  Last week, the County, sheriff’s office, and three officers agreed to settle the case for $300,000.  The lawsuit remains active against the Shasta District Fair, the Shasta Fair Association, and several officers of… Read More →

Case Highlights Requirements for Handwritten Will

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A recent case from the Austin Court of Appeals, Wilson v. Franks, highlights the requirements for a handwritten (“holographic”) will to be valid in Texas. [Read Opinion here.] Background When Robert Franks died, his cousin, Susan Franks, asked the court to declare her and another cousin as Robert’s heirs and that he died without a will.  Valerie Wilson, who claimed to have a long-term, live-in relationship with Robert, objected and applied for the court to probate a handwritten document she claimed was a holographic will.  Susan objected to the… Read More →

November 1, 2024 Weekly Round Up

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Welcome to November!  I am not sure how we’ve reached this point in the year, but here we are.  Let’s get caught up on the lasted agricultural law news.  * Texas sues federal government over listing freshwater mussels under Endangered Species Act.  The State of Texas has filed suit against the federal government challenging US Fish and Wildlife’s listing of several species of freshwater mussels as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act.  Specifically, Texas alleges the federal government violated the Endangered Species Act, Administrative Procedures Act,… Read More →

Questions from Tiffany’s Desk: What Is Happening with the Stock Law Election in Brazos County?

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Question:  What is happening with the stock law election in Brazos County? Answer: This is a question I have gotten several times over the past couple of weeks. Background Brazos County voters will see two propositions on the ballot this November.  Proposition A involves the adoption of a stock law to require cattle to be fenced in.  Proposition B involves the adoption of a stock law to require horses, mules, jacks, jennets, donkeys, hogs, sheep, and goats to be fenced in. Stock laws are already in place in… Read More →

October 18, 2024 Weekly Round Up

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To say it has been a busy couple of weeks in the world of agricultural law would be an understatement. Here are some of the biggest stories in the news as of late.  *McDonald’s files lawsuit against packers alleging price fixing.  McDonald’s has filed suit against the big four packers (Tyson, JBS, Cargill, and National Beef) alleging that these companies conspired to inflate beef prices.  McDonald’s Claims that from 2015 through the present time the packers have conspired to limit supply in order to inflate prices for beef…. Read More →

Land Values 2024 Summary Published

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In August, the USDA released its annual Land Values Summary for 2024.  [View report here.]  This report looks at the average value for agricultural real estate across the country. As has been true for several years, the most recent report indicates increasing values nationwide over the past year.   For “farm real estate value,” which takes into account the value of all land and buildings on farms, the US average value was $4,170/acre, up 5% from 2023.  For cropland, the nationwide average value increased 4.7% to $5,570/acre.  For pastureland,… Read More →

Texas Landowner Border Law Handbook

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We are excited to announce the release of our Texas Landowner Border Law Handbook! After fielding questions from border landowners via email, phone, and at presentations related to the laws applicable to their situation, we decided to write a handbook collecting information in one place.  Our hope is that this handbook can be a helpful resource for landowners looking to understand the applicable laws and contact the appropriate authorities for help. Download your free copy here.

September 27, 2024 Weekly Round Up

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Happy Friday!  It has been a whirlwind of a month around here.  Thank you to those of you who I have seen on the road at in person presentations–it has been fun getting to connect face-to-face with so many readers. There has been a lot of news on the agricultural law front. * Lawsuit filed against Tyson “climate smart beef” claims. The Environmental Working Group has filed suit claiming that Tyson’s marketing “climate friendly” beef is misleading consumers.  Tyson sells some beef with a “climate smart” label and has… Read More →

Suicide Prevention Awareness Month: Hope That Nobody Can Take from Us

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September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month.  If you have read this blog for any amount of time, you know the topic of mental health–particularly that in rural America and among agricultural producers–is very important to me.  It is my honor to be able to work, even slightly, in this space. Ag Law in the Field Podcast Episode  Each year, I record a podcast episode to honor Suicide Prevention Awareness Month.  To listen to all of my podcast episodes focused on mental health, click here.  These have been… Read More →