Category Archives: Tax Issues

December 6, 2024 Weekly Round Up

The year may be winding down, but the ag law news is not!  Let’s get caught up. * Corporate Transparency Act reporting put on hold by injunction.  On Monday, we published our blog post reminding you of the upcoming beneficial ownership reporting deadline under the Corporate Transparency Act.  On Tuesday, a federal judge issued a nationwide injunction pausing the law and the deadlines after finding it likely that plaintiffs would succeed on the merits of their lawsuit.  [Read Order here.]  You have to admit, ag law is exciting! *Brooke… Read More →

September 27, 2024 Weekly Round Up

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 →

March 29, 2024 Weekly Round Up

We’ve made it through another week and have another long list of ag law news from around the country! *Avian influenza found in dairy cows in Texas and Kansas and goat in Minnesota.  State agencies announced this week that a disease found in some dairy cows in Texas and Kansas was identified as highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).  A goat in Minnesota on a farm where chickens had the virus also recently tested positive as well.  The USDA believes the source of HPAI at the dairies is migratory… Read More →

January 5, 2024 Weekly Round Up

Hello and Happy New Year!  We’re back with our first Ag Law Weekly Round Up of 2024.  Here are some of the biggest ag law stories in the news over the past few weeks. *State of Texas responds in Tofurkey lawsuit challenging meat labeling law.  You may recall our Thanksgiving blog post highlighted a lawsuit challenging Texas’ new labeling law requiring analogue, plant based, and cell-cultured meat to be labeled in the Lone Star State.  The State of Texas has now filed a Motion to Dismiss in that… Read More →

Transferring the Over-65 or Disabled Property Tax Exemption

Dr. Blake Bennett and I co-authored a fact sheet on an important, but not widely known, concept related to property taxes. Most people are familiar with the over-65 exemption and the disabled exemption for property taxes, which allows for an additional $10,000 homestead exemption for school district taxes.  Additionally, the over-65 exemption and the disabled exemption freeze the value of the homestead for school tax purposes a the dollar value when the person initially claimed this additional exemption on their homestead.   The market value can continue to increase… Read More →

January 27, 2023 Weekly Round Up

The year started out with a bang and has not slowed down yet!  Here are some of the ag law stories in the news over the past couple of weeks. *USFWS extends effective date for lesser prairie chicken listing.  The USFWS is delaying the effective date of the lesser prairie chicken listing for 60 days until March 27, 2023.  [Read article here.] *APHIS proposes electronic identification rule for certain cattle crossing state lines.  The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has issued a proposed rule that would… Read More →

December 2, 2022 Weekly Round Up

Happy December! We are back with a number of updates for you with regard to agricultural law news around the country. *Lesser prairie chicken listed under Endangered Species Act.  On November 17, the US Fish and Wildlife Service issued a press release that it will be listing the lesser prairie chicken as threatened in the northern distinct population segment (including areas in southeastern Colorado, southcentral and western Kansas, western Oklahoma, and the northeastern Texas Panhandle.) and endangered in the southern distinct population segment (including areas in eastern New… Read More →

IRS Announces 2023 Estate & Gift Tax Exemption Amounts

Recently, the IRS announced the 2023 estate and gift tax exemption amounts.  These amounts change slightly each year, and are an important consideration in a person’s estate planning process. As we have previously discussed the IRS sets a certain amount that a person is allowed to give during their lifetime or at death without estate or gift tax liability.  [Read prior blog posts here and here.]  The IRS adjusts the amount each year.  For 2023, the exemption amount will be $12.92 million per person, up from $12.06 million… Read More →

August 5, 2022 Weekly Round Up

Happy Friday and Happy August!  We’re back with another Ag Law Weekly Round Up. Earlier this week, I was able to travel to California with my kids and my aunt to accept the Distinguished Extension Program Award (less than 10 years) from the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.  I am so honored to have received this award, and my children were quite excited to swim in the Pacific Ocean and visit Disneyland. With that, here are some of the ag law stories in the news this week. *US… Read More →

April 29, 2022 Weekly Round Up

It is hard to believe we have reached the end of April, but here we are!  Lots of agricultural law news happening around the country. *Article highlights nuance with 10% cap on residence homestead tax.  My colleague, Dr. Blake Bennett, recently published a fact sheet looking at a nuance within the Texas Property Code related to the 10% cap on the yearly increase for residence homestead taxes in Texas.  The Texas Property Code places a 10% limitation on the amount a County Appraisal District may increase the appraised… Read More →