Opinion: A Tremendous Year for Texas Agriculture

An Editorial by Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller

As we close out this year and look toward the next, it's appropriate to reflect on the incredible progress we've made for Texas at the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA). Texans are known for hard work, grit, and a love for the land that feeds and clothes the world. This year, that spirit was on full display. We focused on real results for real Texans.

This year was not without its road bumps. To put it bluntly, this year gave Texas agriculture challenge after challenge. This has been one of the toughest stretches in recent memory for Texas agriculture producers. Farmers and ranchers across the state faced rising input costs, global market disruptions, and lingering inflation brought on by the Biden administration. Texas Gulf seafood continues to combat devastating trade imbalances. We've had a farm bill that needs updating, leaving our producers with out-of-date support and crop coverage. That's just a start. It's a long list.

Despite these headwinds, Texas agriculture rose to the challenge with new innovations and record crops. Through it all, the Texas Department of Agriculture worked tirelessly alongside our producers, advocating for their interests and ensuring they had the tools and support needed to keep feeding, clothing, and fueling the world.

There are several key victories to celebrate. One of our most significant roles was in standing up and protecting Texas livestock and crops from serious biosecurity threats. From invasive pests to dangerous animal and plant diseases, the Texas Department of Agriculture worked tirelessly to find solutions. We faced the Cotton Jassid, Rice Delphacid, Citrus Greening, Equine Herpesvirus, Pasture Mealybug, Red Flour Beetle, and New World screwworm, to name a few. It's another long list that we've faced head-on that would have had devastating consequences for our ranchers and for our national food supply if left unchecked.

Thankfully, Texas farmers and ranchers know that when the stakes are high, they can count on us to have their backs. That is why we strengthened our vital biosecurity enforcement, worked hand in hand with the Trump administration and our state partners, and responded quickly to deliver the public key information. We remained vigilant, and I am proud to say that Texas has led the nation in biosecurity response.

When foreign nations failed to honor their obligations and left our producers without precious water, or when disasters struck and damaged vital infrastructure, our agency stood firmly behind Texas agriculture. To combat ongoing failed water deliveries, I issued an unprecedented executive order giving Texas farmers and ranchers the green light to tap into the Rio Grande River for much-needed irrigation. Water that at the time would have otherwise gone to waste washed into the Gulf of America. We also responded swiftly by expediting 1944 Water Treaty grant applications and mobilizing aggressive fundraising efforts through our STAR Fund. Time and again, we were there to help Texas producers recover, rebuild, and get back on their feet.

Our nutrition program is one of our greatest responsibilities, and among our proudest achievements. Texas is leading the nation in ensuring children and senior communities receive healthy meals through our Farm Fresh Network and school nutrition partnerships. We work with schools to ensure that kids, when they are at school, are given nutritious, healthy fuel to help them learn and grow. We also fought hunger, expanding support for food banks. And we've continued to fight fraud and misuse of state and federal nutrition dollars. Making sure Texans are fed is sacred work, and we take that duty seriously.

This was also a banner year for our GO TEXAN program. More producers and agribusinesses than ever are displaying the GO TEXAN mark, and we've seen a nearly 20% increase in membership this year. More stores and restaurants are sourcing Texas-grown products. And more families are choosing our products at checkout. Even as State Fair lost nearly half a million visitors this year, our GO TEXAN Pavilion, sponsored by Southwest Dairy Farmers, didn't miss a beat.

Our local and global outreach campaigns helped Texas farmers and ranchers connect directly with consumers in new and meaningful ways. Whether it's across the street at H-E-B or on the shelves in South Korea, our mission is to get Texas products into every expanding market. From Texas wine to Texas honey, from our cattle producers to our specialty crop growers, GO TEXAN continues to shine as the gold standard for supporting local agriculture and the best of Texas products.

The Texas State Office of Rural Health at the Texas Department of Agriculture also delivered meaningful results for rural communities across the state this year. Our office has expanded access to care by providing technical assistance, grants, and operational support to rural hospitals, clinics, and healthcare providers, helping them recruit and retain medical professionals, modernize facilities, and remain financially viable.

TDA earned national recognition for improving the quality of care in rural critical access hospitals through our Flex Program, reflecting a strong commitment to accountability and patient outcomes. Through these efforts, TDA has strengthened and better equipped rural healthcare to serve Texans where access to care matters most.

Across every corner of this state this year, Texas agriculture proved once again why it remains the backbone of our nation. This has been a year of action, innovation, and results. But we are not slowing down. Next year will bring new challenges and new opportunities, and TDA will be ready.

Texas farmers and ranchers feed the world. They deserve a Department of Agriculture that fights for them, and that is precisely what we delivered this year. The future of Texas agriculture is the boldest and grandest in the world, and we have so much more to accomplish together.