2016 was quite a year for agricultural law. From the FAA passing UAS regulations, to a major water law decision by the Texas Supreme Court, to Congress passing a GMO labeling bill, a lot has happened in the past 12 months. This article will recap some of the highlights of the past year.

It may seem like a scene from a science-fiction movie, but thanks to new regulations passed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the commercial use of drones (technically called unmanned aircraft systems or UAS) is now available in the U.S.

What if someone is injured on my property? It is a concern shared by landowners across the country. Although the law regarding landowner liability differs greatly among states, many states have statutes designed to protect landowners in certain situations where injures occur.

Child labor laws help ensure that workplace responsibilities and conditions for minors are safe. Because many farmers and ranchers employ minors to help with various agricultural tasks, it is critical that producers be aware of these laws and know what children can and cannot do.

Last month, Chief Justice Roberts wrote a unanimous opinion in United States Army Corps of Engineers v. Hawkes Co. Inc., holding that landowners have the right to challenge jurisdictional determinations by the EPA or Corps of Engineers (COE) that water on their lands is governed by the Clean Water Act.

There is no way around it; farm and ranch work can be dangerous. Employee injuries on farms and ranches occur and result in grave damages. In certain situations, an injured employee may be able to (or required to) seek recovery under workers’ compensation statutes.

The ag industry has been concerned for many years about protecting operations from trespassers who seek to secretly videotape footage of animals. Producers point to concerns over the safety of their animals, employees, facilities and privacy as reasons to prevent this type of activity.

The Veterinary Feed Directive has been in the news a great deal lately. Even in this magazine, several articles discussing the provisions of this new rule have been published already this year. One important issue, however, has not been frequently discussed.

The dreaded topic of “waters of the United States” is in the news again. This time, however, it is not the definition of the term at issue.

By Jan. 1, 2017, if a cattle producer wants to feed his livestock certain medicated feeds, he cannot simply go to the feed store, purchase the feed and dump it in the feedbunk.