Category Archives: Water Law

December 20, 2024 Weekly Round Up

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We have reached our final Weekly Round Up of 2024.  We would like to take a moment to thank all of you who read the Texas Agriculture Law Blog.  We appreciate your support of our work and your interest in agricultural law. With that, let’s jump into the stories in the news the past couple of weeks. *”The path forward is not remotely clear” on aid package for agriculture.  Congress has gone back to the drawing board on a spending bill that would fund the government and include… 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 →

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 →

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 →

Texas v. New Mexico – Where Are We Now?

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Recently, Jesse Richardson and I co-authored an article for Southern Ag Today looking at the current status of Texas v. New Mexico and what the United States Supreme Court’s recent opinion in this case may mean for water law going forward. To read the article, click here. For additional background on the case, read here and listen here.

May 10, 2024 Weekly Round Up

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Happy May!  We are back with a number of ag law stories in the news over the past couple of weeks. *Notices of Appraised value being sent to Texas landowners.  County Appraisal Districts around the state are sending out Notices of Appraised Value to landowners.  Be sure that you carefully review your Notice and timely file any protest you may have.  It is critical the property owners understand that while their property tax bill will not arrive until October, any protest regarding the taxable value of property must… Read More →

March 15, 2024 Weekly Round Up

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It has only been two weeks since our last Weekly Round Up, but there have been a number of major news items related to agricultural law! * Resources for producers and landowners impacted by Panhandle wildfires.  On Monday, we posted a blog with information for producers and landowners who suffered losses during the wildfires about resources available. We have continued to update that document as additional resources have been announced.  To read more, click here.  In particular, I want to highlight an announcement from USDA about $6 million… Read More →

February 16, 2024 Weekly Round Up

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There has been no shortage of agricultural law news in the last two weeks!  Here are some of the biggest stories from around the country. *Court revokes over-the-top dicamba registration; EPA issues existing stocks order.  In a situation similar to what cotton and soybean growers faced in 2020, a federal court has revoked the FIFRA registration for three dicamba products, XtendiMax, Enginia, and Tavium.  [Read Order here.]  On Wednesday, the EPA issued an existing stocks order which will allow “existing stocks” that were in the United States and… Read More →

2023 Ag Law Year in Review – Texas

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Last week, we discussed what a busy year it had been nationally for agricultural law.  To learn more, read here or listen here. This week, we are shifting our focus closer to home and looking at the biggest agricultural law issues in Texas this year. Ownership of Produced Water  The question of who owns produced water in Texas is extremely important and will have major implications for landowners and oil and gas operators across the state.  At issue is ownership of “produced water,” the water that comes out… Read More →

November 17, 2023 Weekly Round Up

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There have been a number of developments in key agricultural law issues around the country over the past couple of weeks.  From the Farm Bill to Right to Farm, WOTUS to water law, we’ll get you up to speed! *Texas voters pass Constitutional right to farm, other Constitutional amendments.  On November 7, Texas voters overwhelmingly passed Proposition 1, which means that Texans now have a right to farming, ranching, timber production, horticulture, and wildlife management in the State Constitution.  [Read more about Prop 1 language here and read… Read More →