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GOVERNOR CALLS FOR 5% BUDGET CUT, MILLER WILL CUT TDA 10%
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Wednesday, May 27, 2020, AUSTIN – Following the recent request by Governor Greg Abbott for agencies to cut their budgets by 5 percent, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller has ordered his staff to deepen that cut to 10 percent. Agencies have been requested to submit their budget cut plans by June 15.
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COMMISSIONER MILLER ANNOUNCES GENEROUS DONATION TO RURAL HOSPITALS
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Tuesday, May 12, 2020, AUSTIN – Today, Commissioner Miller announced that a generous donation of $56,000 has been made by Apache Oil Corporation (Houston) to meet the supply needs of six rural hospitals in West Texas. Funds from this donation will be used to combat COVID-19 in these rural communities. This remarkable donation follows Commissioner Miller’s appearance on CBS 60 Minutes emphasizing the demand for assistance in rural Texas.
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MILLER ANNOUNCES MORE FEDERAL HELP FOR RURAL HOSPITALS
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Friday, May 8, 2020, AUSTIN – Today, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller announced that more financial help is on its way for rural hospitals in Texas with a federal allocation of $634 million dollars going to 393 rural providers across Texas. Each rural provider will receive at least $1 million, with additional funding provided based on a federal formula. The money comes from the federal Health and Human Services Provider Relief Fund.
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COMMISSIONER MILLER SEEKS FEDERAL HELP TO PROTECT BEEF INDUSTRY
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Thursday, May 7, 2020, AUSTIN – Today, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General William Barr asking him to investigate the potential of beef industry price fixing involving meat packers in the United States. The letter dated May 7, 2020 asks General Barr to probe beef pricing processes in the U.S. beef industry with a goal of protecting Texas farmers and ranchers.
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USDA "Farmers to Families Food Box" Program Announced
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Friday, May 1, 2020, On April 17, 2020, Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue launched the Farmers to Families Food Box Program. Through this program USDA will partner with regional and local distributors, whose workforce has been significantly impacted by the closure of restaurants, hotels and other food service entities, to purchase up to $3 billion in fresh produce, dairy and meat products.
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COMMISSIONER MILLER TO RURAL HOSPITALS: HELP IS ON THE WAY
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Friday, April 17, 2020, AUSTIN – Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller announced his office has secured emergency federal funding to help rural Texas hospitals struggling in the COVI9-10 pandemic. Beginning next Wednesday, April 22, TDA will distribute approximately $90,000 per hospital to over 130 rural hospitals in Texas.
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TDA EXTENDS APPLICATIONS FOR FAMILY LAND HERITAGE RECOGNITION
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Wednesday, April 15, 2020, AUSTIN – Today, Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller announced the 2020 Family Land Heritage application deadline has been extended to July 1, 2020. With many county offices closed to the public in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, this extension is intended to allow families additional time to gather the documents necessary to apply.
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COMMISSIONER MILLER ISSUES FIRST HEMP LICENSE IN TEXAS
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Thursday, April 9, 2020, AUSTIN – Today, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller announced the first Texas industrial hemp license was issued earlier this week to a farmer in Killeen, Texas. The license grants this farmer the opportunity to grow hemp in Texas for one year. As a part of the application process, the applicant specified a facility where the hemp will be grown. This first license represents the long-awaited launch of the hemp industry in Texas following the passage of the Farm Bill by Congress in 2018.
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TDA RECEIVES IMPORTANT USDA FLEXIBILITY ON SCHOOL MEALS
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Wednesday, March 25, 2020, AUSTIN – Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller tonight announced the Texas Department of Agriculture has received important approval on waivers designed to loosen federal meal program mandates so Texas schools can continue to provide meals during the COVID-19 emergency. One of the most important waivers will now allow parents to pick up meals for their children without the children being present.
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OPINION: NATIONAL AGRICULTURE WEEK 2020
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Saturday, March 21, 2020, With COVID-19 continuing to impact communities across the country, now more than ever, we need to recognize the importance of the agriculture industry. Sunday, March 22nd marks the beginning of National Agriculture Week and it’s the perfect time to remind our fellow Americans of the importance of the agriculture industry. It’s no accident Americans enjoy the safest, most affordable and most abundant food supply in the world.
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COMMISSIONER MILLER REQUESTS GOVERNOR TO LIST AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY AS AN ESSENTIAL SERVICE
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Saturday, March 21, 2020, AUSTIN – Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller has requested Texas Governor Greg Abbot recognize the agriculture industry as an essential industry which provides a service indispensable in the effort to protect our nation’s food supply. In a letter to Governor Abbott, Commissioner Miller stressed the significant role farmers and ranchers play during the COVID-19 health emergency. Miller asked the Governor to provide protection and assistance to the agriculture industry during this global pandemic as an industry that is needed now, more than ever.
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