Please note that the dates for our upcoming Owning Your Piece of Texas and Ranchers Leasing Workshop programs have changed. If you are planning to attend either event, be sure to update your calendar with the new dates below.

This article was co-authored with Karli Kaase and Kara Matheney.  On June 3, 2026, the New World screwworm was confirmed in a calf near La Pryor, Texas. This has caused concern across the livestock, wildlife, and veterinary communities and a response from both state and federal agencies.   As response efforts continue, understanding the risks and knowing where to find reliable information are critical.  What is the New World Screwworm?  New World screwworm is a parasitic fly whose larvae feed on the living tissue of warm-blooded animals. Infestations can develop rapidly,… Read More →

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 →

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.

In January, the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas held a Texas law related to labeling of analogue meat products was unconstitutional in Turtle Island Foods Inc. v. Shuford.  [Read Order here.] Background In 2023, the Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 664, a statute requiring specific labeling be included on any “analogue” meat products.  The statute defines “analogue product” as “a food product derived by combining processed plant products, insects, or fungus with food additives to approximate the texture, flavor, appearance, or other aesthetic… Read More →

I recently co-authored an article for Southern Ag Today with my friend, Jesse Richardson, on an interesting case out of Michigan.  While the case involved questions about zoning, it raised interesting policy questions about how best to preserve farmland and balance that desire with the economic benefits agritourism can provide. Read our article here.

It has been a busy few weeks full of travel, learning, and connecting with people across the country. From programs and workshops in Bryan, Texas to the American Agricultural Law Association (AALA) Conference in Scottsdale, Arizona, it has been a great stretch of events. Let’s take a quick recap.

I was honored to co-author (along with my friend, Paul Goeringer) the 1,000th article published by Southern Ag Today. Southern Ag Today is a collaboration between 12 universities across the South, including Texas A&M.  Each weekday, Southern Ag Today publishes a short article related to agricultural economics in the South.  If you are not subscribed, you are missing out!  You can get subscribed here by clicking on the green “subscribe” box on the righthand side of the screen. For article number 1,000, we focused on an EPA rule… Read More →

Last week, I had the honor of being a witness at a hearing of the House Committee on Agriculture in Washington, DC looking at the implications of Proposition 12. It was a really great experience, and I am so grateful to Ranking Member, Angie Craig, for the invitation to participate in the hearing.  I also want to thank the many friends and colleagues who helped me prepare for my testimony.  As I noted in my testimony, this is an important issue for producers and agribusinesses across the country. … Read More →