COMMISSIONER SID MILLER CELEBRATES AN OUTSTANDING YEAR OF PESTICIDE WASTE REMOVAL EVENTS
Today, Commissioner Sid Miller celebrated an outstanding year of pesticide waste removal events conducted by the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) and the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. These free, public events have allowed Texas agriculture producers to safely dispose of unwanted pesticides and recycle pesticide containers. In total, the events held in Erath, Nueces, and Hidalgo Counties collected over an estimated 312,500 pounds of unused pesticides from 231 participants.  [More]

OPINION: DOLLARS DON’T KILL SCREWWORMS
The federal government has a bad habit of spending money on problems before even figuring out what’s really wrong, and the recent New World screwworm scare is a prime example. This is typical Washington behavior—prematurely spending first and asking questions later. But here in Texas, we do things differently. We solve problems with proven solutions, not government handouts and wasteful spending.  [More]

OPINION: A COMPASSIONATE AND SENSIBLE CANNABIS POLICY FOR TEXAS
Just down the street from the Austin headquarters of the Texas Department of Agriculture is a trailer selling consumable cannabis products; the sole purpose of these products is to inebriate. When did the Texas legislature debate recreational marijuana and ultimately vote to legalize it?  [More]

COMMISSIONER MILLER SHARES TIPS TO PROTECT TEXANS DURING COLD FRONT
AUSTIN- An arctic blast is expected to sweep across the state. Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller reminds farmers, ranchers, and Texans to prepare their livestock, farm equipment, and homes for the cold weather. Proper preparation can make the difference between a successful season and costly setbacks.  [More]

OPINION: NEW HORSE PROTECTION ACT RULE: MORE HARM THAN GOOD?
The Biden Administration’s new Horse Protection Act (HPA) rule might sound like a good idea on paper, but let me tell you—it’s a disaster in practice. This rule isn’t about protecting horses; it’s about federal bureaucrats grabbing more control over an industry they clearly don’t understand. The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) new rule is so absurd that it makes using fly spray on a horse a potential violation. That’s not a joke—they can’t be serious!  [More]

STATEMENT BY COMMISSIONER SID MILLER ON USDA’S NEW RULE ON THE HORSE PROTECTION ACT
“Ten agricultural leaders, including the Commissioners, Directors, and Secretaries of the various State Departments of Agriculture, have joined me in writing a letter asking the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to begin the process of formally withdrawing, in its entirety, the Horse Protection Amendments final rule, published in the Federal Register on May 8, 2024. Portions of these amendments are scheduled to become effective on February 1, 2025. We have also asked the USDA to explore all available options, including delayed implementation of enforcement of the entire rule.  [More]

COMMISSIONER SID MILLER SAYS MYSTERY SEED PACKAGES FROM CHINA ARE BACK
Today, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller urges all Texans to exercise extreme caution if they receive unsolicited packages containing unknown seeds or liquids. The Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) has recently been alerted to a mystery package delivered to Clute, TX, containing unidentified seeds and a liquid container sent unsolicited from China.  [More]

STATEMENT BY COMMISSIONER SID MILLER ON GOVERNOR ABBOTT’S LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES
I applaud Governor Greg Abbott for using his State of the State address to highlight many of the same critical issues I’ve been fighting for—supporting Texas families, our hardworking public servants, and the farmers and ranchers who keep this state running. Finally, we are eliminating discriminatory DEI policies from the state government, a fight the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) has joined.  [More]

COMMISSIONER SID MILLER URGES CAUTION AS MORE TEXANS RECEIVE CHINESE MYSTERY SEED PACKAGES
Today, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller announced new reports of unsolicited seed packages arriving across Texas from Chinese vendors. The Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) is working swiftly to safely collect these packages and ensure they are delivered to the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) for inspection. One Texan reported ordering a dog toy from the Chinese vendor TEMU, only to receive a package of seeds instead. With the total number of reported packages now at five statewide, Texans are urged to exercise caution when opening any unexpected packages from China.  [More]

COMMISSIONER SID MILLER ISSUES AN IMPORTANT UPDATE ON THE MYSTERY SEED PACKAGES DELIVERED FROM CHINA
Today, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller provided an important update on the ongoing issue of unsolicited seed packages arriving in Texas from Chinese vendors. So far, Texas has received a total of 17 seed packets, and yesterday, residents in Florida and Washington State reported receiving similar packages. Commissioner Sid Miller is working closely with the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) acting Secretary of Agriculture and the Department of Homeland Security to safely collect these packages and ensure they are delivered to the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) for a thorough inspection.  [More]