The Expert Institute is currently accepting nominations for its Best Legal Blog Contest.  Of course, we would love for you to consider nominating the Texas Agricultural Law Blog for this honor if you enjoy our content. From now through September 15, 2017 readers can nominate their favorite legal blog and bloggers to be included on the list of nominees.  The blogs with the most nominations will then be included in the final round where the public is given the chance to vote for its favorite legal blog/blogger. The… Read More →

“Only actual milk should be called milk in order to avoid misleading consumers.”  “It should not be called milk because it is not milk.”  This is the basic premise behind a bill (S. 130) pending before the United States Senate titled the “Defending Against Imitations and Replacements of Yogurt, Milk, and Cheese To Promote Regular Intake of Dairy Everyday Act” or abbreviated as the “DAIRY PRIDE Act.” This bill was introduced by Senator Tammy Baldwin, a Democrat from Wisconsin. [Read full text here.]  Citing findings of the U.S…. Read More →

I was very humbled yesterday to be part of groups that won at the Texas A&M Agrilife Extension Panhandle District Banquet. Our Ranchers Leasing Workshop Team, made up of Austin Voyles, Fred Hall, Kim Garcia, Shannon Ferrell, Paul Goeringer, Rusty Rumley, and myself) won the Team Teaching Award for our programs last year.  As part of a grant from the Southern Extension Risk Management Education Center, we put on 5 leasing workshops in 3 states and wrote the Ranchers’ Agricultural Leasing Handbook.  After the success of these programs, we… Read More →

In light of what has been going on in the Panhandle this week, we are going to take a break from the Weekly Round Up today and, instead, take a moment to think of those struggling after the wildfires.  I wrote this article about the events of this last week and thought I would share. Years ago, I heard a quote by Mr. Rogers.  He said that when tragedy strikes and everything seems so dark, you should look for the helpers. The firemen running into burning buildings. The… Read More →

Over the summer, I was very honored to be awarded the “State Specialist of the Year in Texas Agriculture” award from the Texas County Agricultural Agents Association. This group is made up of extension agents from across the state.  I so enjoy the chance to work with these folks and really appreciate them giving me this award.

We are excited and honored that for the third year in a row, the Texas Agriculture Law Blog has been selected as one of the top 100 legal blogs (“blawgs”) by the American Bar Association.  To view the full 2017 Blawg 100 list, click here. According to the American Bar Association Acting Editor-Publisher, Molly McDonough, “For 10 years, the Blawg 100 has helped shine a light on the stunning breadth of legal topics and voices to found in the legal blogosphere.  Journal editors have selected yet another stellar… Read More →

I want to take a moment and give a huge shout out to the Texas A&M University Law School team on winning the 2016 American Agricultural Law Association Quiz Bowl.  Team members are Stephanie Bradley Fryer, Tave Doty, and James Nichols. When I taught the first agricultural law course at the TAMU law school in 2014, I was really impressed with the quality of students.  That has certainly continued over the years.  Very proud of this group and encourage all of you looking for good new associates for… Read More →

In addition to the Cash Rent Report that we discussed last week, the USDA also published its yearly Land Values Summary earlier this month.  This survey looks at land prices and values nationwide.  To view the full report, click here. Farm Real Estate Value First up is the farm real estate value, which looks at the value of all land and buildings on farms.  A farm is defined as “any establishment from which $1,000 or more of agricultural products were sold or would normally be sold during the… Read More →

What do you have planned for your lunch hour on Thursday?  Stale sandwich?  Taking a nap?  A jog on the treadmill? For those of you interested in agricultural law, environmental law, water, law, or all of the above, we are excited to announce the Inaugural American Agricultural Law Association Teleforum will be held this Thursday, July 28 at 12:00 CST. The Teleconference is free for everyone to join and listen to attorneys who were actually involved in the Corps of Engineers v. Hawkes case talk about the case, the… Read More →