We are very excited to announce the launch of our Where’s the Beef Video Series.  If you are interested in or involved with direct beef sales, this information is for you! In these seven interviews, we talked to people with boots on the ground in the direct beef sales arena.  From producers who have taken a variety of different approaches to marketing their beef, to a small packing plant operator who works with a number of these businesses, to the State of Texas licensing authority, we asked the... Read More → The post Introducing Our Where’s the Beef Video Series! appeared first on ..read more

We recently published a new fact sheet asking the question, “Do you have a flight plan?” Photo via Unsplash Taking time to gather documents and build a flight plan is an important, but often overlooked part, of an estate plan. To learn more, click here.   The post Do You Have a Flight Plan? appeared first on Texas Agriculture Law ..read more

When a teenager was killed while riding in an ATV owned by Blackjack Ranch, was the Ranch liable for his death?  This was the question before the court in Mitschke v. Borromeo. Photo by Nikolas Noonan Background Justin Behrens worked as the foreman and sole employee of Blackjack Ranch (Ranch).  The Ranch was owned by Marida Favia del Core Borromeo (Marida).  The Ranch and Marida owned a Polaris Ranger ATV. On April 2017, the ATV was parked at Justin’s house.  Justin’s 16-year-old son, Bristen, and two of his 16 year-old friends took the ATV out to go fishing.  ..read more

The ownership of forty-two acres was in dispute in Best v. Thornton, a case involving claims of adverse possession when a barbed-wire fence was built off the property line decades ago. Photo by Arsh Khan  Background In 1975, Randolph Best’s grandmother deeded him a one-third undivided interest in two contiguous tracts of land.  The remaining two-thirds undivided interest were deeded to the remaining Appellants in this case.  One tract contained 322 acres and the other contained 320 acres, for a total of 642 acres. In 2020, a survey was conducted in conjunction with the s ..read more

It has been a whirlwind of a couple of weeks for agricultural law.  Here is a quick rundown of some of the biggest stories in the news. Photo via Plains Cotton Growers *Federal government lifts boundary limitations on Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge.  The US Department of the Interior has lifted boundary limitations on four wildlife refuges across the country, including the Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge here in Texas.  This will allow these refuges to expand their acreage.  Importantly, the acquisition of any additional acreage will be voluntary and will not be tak ..read more

Summer is here and there are plenty of agricultural law updates to discuss. Photo by Darla Hueske  *Lawsuit filed challenging law creating business courts.  On May 23, Dallas County filed suit challenging the constitutionality of the business court system created by the Texas Legislature last session.  The new courts have jurisdiction in high-dollar business cases, with the judges appointed by the governor and a 15th Court of Appeals to hear all appeals.  The lawsuit challenges the constitutionality of the business court set up in creating a state-wide district for the n ..read more

A recent Texarkana Court of Appeals decision in Bell v. Cain looks at liability of a landowner when a tree falls onto an adjacent roadway and injures a driver.  This case offers important considerations for all rural landowners to keep in mind. Photo by Nic Y-C  Background Mrs. Toole owned a 148-acre tract of land in rural Harrison County.  In 2017, she appointed her daughter, Katherine Toole Belle, as her attorney-in-fact to manage her affairs.  Mrs. Toole died in 2018 naming Katherine as her executor and leaving the property to Katherine. In April 2019, a win ..read more

We have made it to another Friday and the start of summer for many!  There are a number of important agricultural law stories in the news. Photo by Darren Halstead * House Committee on Agriculture releases Farm Bill Draft.  The House Committee on Agriculture, led by Chairman GT Thompson released its draft of the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024 last week.  To learn more about what it included in the bill, click here. * USDA announces electronic identification rule for cattle and bison; effective November 5, 2024.  The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspec ..read more

From property taxes to landowner liability, cell-cultured meat labeling to Right to Farm, the 2023 Texas Legislative Session included a number of new laws important for rural Texas landowners and agricultural producers. I recently wrote a paper explaining each of these laws for the State Bar of Texas John Huffaker Agricultural Law Continuing Legal Education course.  To read the paper, click here. Key bills of which Texas landowners and agricultural producers should be aware include: Texas Right to Farm statute amendments (HB 1750, HB 2308, HB 2947) – Modified the time in operation requ ..read more

Over the past few months, I have done a number of recorded presentations and interviews.  We have collected those in one place for you to watch and/or listen below. Farm & Ranch Estate Planning Presentation – Tarrant County Women in Agriculture A couple of months ago, I had the opportunity to talk farm and ranch estate planning basics with at a program for women hosted by Tarrant County AgriLife Extension.  To watch, click here. If you are interested in a more in-depth discussion of these same topics, check out a program I did for Texas Corn Producers here. National Land Podcas ..read more