2024 Ag Law Year in Review – National

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As 2024 comes to a close, let’s take a look back at some of the biggest agricultural law stories across the United States.  If you want to hear more about these issues, click here for a podcast episode I did with Paul Goeringer. US Supreme Court Overturns Chevron Deference.  It seems likely that nearly every legal year in review, regardless of the specific focus, will include the United States Supreme Court decision in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo.  This decision will have broad implications for all industries, including… Read More →

December 6, 2024 Weekly Round Up

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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 →

UPDATE: Corporate Transparency Act Reporting Reporting Deadline Now January 13, 2025

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*Update:  On January 23, 2025, the United States Supreme Court lifted the nationwide injunction in Texas Top Cop Shop, LLC v. Garland.   However, a nationwide injunction entered by the United States District Court for the District of Texas remains in place in a separate case, Smith v. US Department of Treasury. In ight of that, at this time the reporting deadlines are not in place and the requirement is not being enforced.  For the most up to date information, click here. As 2024 draws to a close, there… Read More →

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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***UPDATE***  Brazos County voters voted 70% in favor of the stock law.  However, the county announced shortly after election day that the stock law was on hold due to some questions about the process of the election.  [Read more here.] 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… 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 →