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Welcome to the Texas Department of Agriculture
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Howdy Neighbors!
You may not know it, but the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) touches your life almost every day. From the grocery store you visited today to the salsa you’re eating at dinner, TDA was there to help. From the healthy lunches at your child’s school to the scales used to weigh your luggage at the airport, TDA was there, too. From our role as the state consumer protection agency to administering school lunches and marketing Texas products, the TDA is a diverse and busy place. We work hard every day to serve you.
Since I was sworn into office in 2015, I’ve also worked diligently to make this agency better. Please take some time to browse our website and learn about the many ways we’re working better, faster and more efficiently for you. As always, it is my honor to serve as your Texas Agriculture Commissioner and remind you that Texas Agriculture Matters!
Your Servant,
Sid Miller
Texas Agriculture Commissioner
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The Latest Agency News
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OPINION: AGRICULTURE EDUCATION IS THE LATEST COVID-19 VICTIM
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Thursday, October 15, 2020, Agriculture can be a tough business. As an eighth-generation farmer and rancher, I am very familiar with the ups and downs brought on by drought, windstorms, hail, flooding, market fluctuation and government regulation. For that reason, it can often be hard to keep farming and ranching as a family business. When faced with the easier opportunities today’s world offers our kids, agriculture can be a pretty hard sell. It takes a special young man or young woman to step up and choose agriculture.
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COMMISSIONER MILLER ENCOURAGES TEXANS TO APPLY FOR TDA’S EVENT GRANT FUNDING
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Wednesday, October 14, 2020, AUSTIN- Today, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller announced the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) is now accepting applications for the Texas Event Grant, a program that provides funding for public events to promote Texas products and businesses. Cities, communities and organizations are encouraged to apply for Texas Event Grant funding for events in calendar year 2021. Applications must be submitted by December 15, 2020.
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COMMISSIONER MILLER KICKS OFF NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH WEEK
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Monday, October 12, 2020, AUSTIN- Today, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller announced the start of National School Lunch Week 2020, which takes place Oct. 12 to 16. National School Lunch Week recognizes the role of school nutrition in healthy lifestyles despite challenges brought on by COVID-19. The Texas Department of Agriculture’s (TDA) theme Blast Off with a Healthy School Lunch provided school nutrition teams with easy-to-use resources they can combine with their meal-service operations. Schools placed orders for more than 1 million educational pieces including social distancing floor decals, display-sized participation charts, buttons, stickers, and other resources promoting good nutrition and the hard work of school nutrition teams.
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COMMISSIONER MILLER HONORS WINNERS OF 2020-21 ART CONTEST
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Wednesday, October 7, 2020, AUSTIN- Today, Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller announced the winners in the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) 2020 You Art What You Eat student art contest. Artwork inspired by the winning entries will be displayed in schools across Texas during National School Lunch Week this month and School Breakfast Week in the spring. This year’s themes are centered around space exploration — Blast Off with a Healthy School Lunch and Blast Off with a Healthy School Breakfast.
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COMMISSIONER MILLER ANNOUNCES FARM TO SCHOOL MONTH
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Thursday, October 1, 2020, Today, Commissioner Sid Miller announced the Texas Department of Agriculture Farm to School Month will kick off in October 2020 to build connections between Texas farmers and ranchers and Texas students participating in federal school nutrition programs.
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COMMISSIONER SID MILLER ANNOUNCES 2020 HEALTH AMBASSADORS FOR A READY TEXAS (HART)
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Tuesday, September 22, 2020, AUSTIN- Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller today announced he has named a new team of high school students as Health Ambassadors for a Ready Texas (HART). These young Texans will increase awareness of local foods and Texas agriculture using resources such as TDA’s Farm Fresh Initiative. Ambassadors will also promote school meals during National School Lunch Week, Farm to School Month and other exciting events throughout the year. They collaborate with school staff and TDA to drive engagement in these activities as well as creating their own plans to develop healthier campuses.
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TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE PROVIDES GUIDANCE ON SCHOOL MEALS AS STUDENTS RETURN
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Thursday, September 17, 2020, (AUSTIN) This week Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller has provided additional guidance to the public, elected officials, and school leaders on how Texas will implement federal school meal programs in this state for the fall semester. This follows a broad announcement last week by USDA about availability and cost of school meals. The announcement from USDA can be read HERE.
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TEXAS AG COMMISSIONER SID MILLER RECRUITS STAR POWER TO PROMOTE FARM FRESH FOODS
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Sunday, September 13, 2020, AUSTIN- Today, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller announced Grammy award winning country music artist Miranda Lambert and All Pro Houston Texan linebacker Whitney Mercilus have teamed up with the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) to promote the agency’s Farm Fresh Initiative on radio and social media.
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COMMISSIONER MILLER ANNOUNCES FOOD ASSISTANCE IS NOW AVAILABLE TO TEXANS IN ORANGE COUNTY
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Wednesday, September 2, 2020, AUSTIN- Today, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller announced the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) was approved by USDA for the Disaster Household Distribution program in Orange County Texas through September 21, 2020. Texans impacted by Hurricane Laura in Orange County are now eligible to pick up food boxes that contain nonperishable food.
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SADDLE UP FOR SEASON TWO OF TEXAS AGRICULTURE MATTERS
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Monday, August 10, 2020, AUSTIN- Today, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller announced season two of his weekly television show Texas Agriculture Matters will air to 52 million viewers nationwide on the RFD-TV network on Tuesday, August 11, 2020 at 7pm ET / 6pm CT. Texas Agriculture Matters spotlights Texas agriculture through feature segments, one-on-one interviews and eye-catching infographics, all with equal doses of ag policy, local products, western heritage and rural lifestyle. From horses to hogs and fairs to forestry, Texas Agriculture Matters is a fun, informative look at the role of agriculture in our daily lives.
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COMMISSIONER MILLER ENCOURAGES TEXAS BUSINESSES TO ENTER 2020 TEXAS WORKS AWARDS
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Thursday, July 30, 2020, AUSTIN- Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller is encouraging businesses from the Lone star State to participate in the 2020 Texas Works Awards. Sponsored by the Texas Department of Agriculture’s (TDA) GO TEXAN program, the Texas Works Awards were created to showcase the state’s finest Texas businesses and entrepreneurs. Entries are due at Midnight August 4, 2020.
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COMMISSIONER MILLER ISSUES WARNING ON UNSOLICITED SEEDS FROM CHINA
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Monday, July 27, 2020, AUSTIN- Today, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller is urging Texans to take extreme precaution when receiving unsolicited seed packets from China. These packets have been mailed to multiple states, including Texas, falsely labeled as jewelry. Residents are advised not to plant the seeds as they could contain harmful invasive species or be otherwise unsafe.
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TDA supports communities that have been adversely impacted by natural disasters. Help Texans in need by making a donation to the STAR Fund today.
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Promoting the products, culture & communities that call Texas home
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Please find TDA on social media!
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