COMMISSIONER MILLER PROVIDES UPDATE ON HOCKLEY COUNTY BEETLE INFESTATION
Thursday, September 21, 2023, AUSTIN - Today, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller provided an update on the red flour beetle infestation in Hockley County. On August 24, 2023, the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) announced increased support for the city of Levelland in their ongoing efforts to eliminate the intrusive red flour beetle. Since then, almond hull piles have decreased drastically. The city of Levelland will continue to issue citations until the entirety of almond hulls have been removed from the Penny Newman Grain Company. Following the removal, the facility will be thoroughly treated with a registered insecticide named Tempo.  [More]

COMMISSIONER SID MILLER AWARDED $500,000 IN FUNDING FOR AGENCY'S GLOBAL TRADE EFFORT
Monday, September 18, 2023, AUSTIN- Today, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller announced the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) awarded $500,000 in grant funding to the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) through the State Trade Expansion Program (STEP) grant program. TDA will use the funding to expand export-related activities of small businesses in Texas and increase export dollars earned by those companies.  [More]

CHILD AND ADULT CARE FOOD PROGRAM SUPPORTS HEALTHY LIFESTYLES IN THE LONE STAR STATE
Friday, September 8, 2023, AUSTIN- Today, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller encouraged Texans to learn more about accessing healthy meals in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). The Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) administers this federally funded program for approximately 13,000 CACFP sites in the Lone Star State including adult day care centers, childcare centers, home-based day cares and afterschool programs. These important TDA partners serve nutritious free or reduced-price meals and snacks for eligible children and adults.  [More]

STATEMENT BY TEXAS AGRICULTURE COMMISSIONER SID MILLER ON AMENDED WATERS OF THE U.S. RULE
Tuesday, August 29, 2023, Today the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a final rule on an amended Waters of the United States (WOTUS) implementation program. The “final” rule was published without input from citizens after the EPA bypassed standard public comment period.  [More]

COMMISSIONER MILLER ANNOUNCES TDA WILL RECEIVE 12.2 MILLION DOLLARS FROM USDA TO STRENGTHEN LOCAL FOOD SYSTEMS
Monday, August 28, 2023, AUSTIN -Today, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller welcomed a 12.2-million-dollar cooperative agreement with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to administer the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure (RFSI) program. The purpose of the RFSI program is to build resilience in the middle-of-the-supply-chain and strengthen local and regional food systems by creating new revenue streams for their state’s producers.  [More]

COMMISSIONER MILLER ANNOUNCES $1.4 MILLION IN USDA FUNDING TO STRENGTHEN STATE’S SPECIALTY CROPS
Friday, August 25, 2023, AUSTIN- Today, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) awarded over $1.4 million in Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) funding to Texas. This grant allows TDA to fund projects that will open new market opportunities for Texas specialty crop producers and increase the state’s competitiveness of specialty crop products.  [More]

COMMISSIONER MILLER ASSISTS COUNTY IN FIGHT AGAINST BEETLE INFESTATION
Thursday, August 24, 2023, AUSTIN - Today, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller announced the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) will implement an immediate strategy to assist the city of Levelland in an ongoing fight against a red flour beetle infestation.  Without intervention, infestations can easily transfer from one product to another, likely spreading into local commercial, agricultural, and residential areas.  [More]

STATE OF TEXAS AGRICULTURE RELIEF FUND AVAILABLE FOR TEXAS FARMERS AND RANCHERS
Monday, August 21, 2023, AUSTIN – Today, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller announced that the State of Texas Agriculture Relief, or STAR Fund, is ready to assist Texas agriculture producers affected by critical wildfire activity that has sparked across the state. At least 8,500 acres of Texas land have burned since Aug. 1.  [More]

COMMISSIONER MILLER ANNOUNCES APPLICATIONS FOR YOUNG FARMER GRANT PROGRAM ARE NOW OPEN
Thursday, August 17, 2023, AUSTIN – Today, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller announced that applications for the Texas Department of Agriculture’s (TDA) Young Farmer Grant Program (YFGP) are open. This announcement is part of a larger effort to strengthen and sustain Texas’ position as an agricultural powerhouse. Funds from the YFGP provide financial assistance to young producers across the state who are interested in creating or expanding an agricultural business of their own. By supporting young farmers, TDA aims to maintain a vital agriculture industry for generations to come.  [More]

Advisory: Applications available for Texans Feeding Texans - Home-Delivered Meal Grant Program
Monday, July 31, 2023, Commissioner Sid Miller announced that applications for the Texans Feeding Texans - Home-Delivered Meal Grant are now available on the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) Home-Delivered Meal Program webpage. Applicants are urged to reach out to their county commissioners as soon as possible.  [More]