PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release:
November 14, 2023

COMMISSIONER SID MILLER APPOINTS REPRESENTATIVES TO THE TEXAS FOOD SYSTEM SECURITY AND RESILIENCY PLANNING COUNCIL

Council will ensure Texas has a robust food supply for future generations

AUSTIN – Today, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller selected four agriculture and food system professionals to serve on the Texas Food System Security and Resiliency Planning Council. During the 88th Regular Session, the Texas Legislature passed HB 3323, which established this special council in response to the Texas Food Access Study conducted by the Texas Department of Agriculture and the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.

To ensure that Texas has a secure and resilient food supply for future generations, this council will be tasked with contributing to and reviewing a state food system security plan, which must:

“Food security is national security,” Commissioner Miller said. “Without farmers, we have nothing to eat. I put great thought into appointing the representatives to this new council and I can guarantee their input will contribute largely to the success and security of a resilient food system.”

Celia Cole of Austin, Texas, was appointed the council’s food bank representative. As the CEO of Feeding Texas, Cole has extensive experience working with food banks across the state. Feeding Texas is the largest hunger relief organization in the state and is intimately involved with federal and state food security initiatives.

Dason Tucker of San Angelo, Texas, was appointed the council’s home-delivered meals representative. Tucker is the Executive Director of Meals for the Elderly, serving the Texas counties of Tom Green, Concho, Irion, and parts of Runnels. Tucker also serves as an officer for Meals on Wheels Texas, which provides education, advocacy, and connection to create a unified voice for nutrition providers that serve older Texans and individuals with disabilities.

Joe Patranella of College Station, Texas, was appointed to the council to represent a cooperative marketing association. Patranella is an attorney and Assistant Vice President at Capital Farm Credit. Capital Farm Credit interacts with agricultural producers on many levels and understands the financial needs of the agriculture industry. Patranella is a fourth-generation cow-calf producer who ranches with his family in Brazos, Burleson, and Milam counties.

Darren Turley of Dublin, Texas, was appointed to the council as a representative of an agricultural producer organization. Turley serves as the Executive Director of the Texas Association of Dairymen, representing the state's 300 dairy farm families and dairy cooperatives. Texas Association of Dairymen provides expertise on environmental issues, animal health, and farmer livelihoods in pursuit of providing a nutritious product for a healthy diet.

“These representatives were carefully selected because of their unique experience, record of leadership, passion for agriculture and food security, and the statewide nature of the organizations they represent,” stated Miller. “It is an honor to work alongside a network of dedicated and knowledgeable individuals who I am certain will ensure that our state continues to prosper for generations to come.”

Nine additional council members will join Cole, Tucker, Patranella, and Turley. Other members will be appointed by the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Speaker of the House. The council will also have representatives from the Texas Animal Health Commission, AgriLife Extension Service, the Health and Human Services Commission, and the Food and Nutrition Division of the Texas Department of Agriculture.

The initial meeting for the council will be held when all appointees have been confirmed by their respective offices and agencies.

 For additional information on the Texas Department of Agriculture, please visit our website. 
 

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For media inquiries, please contact:

Maddison Jaureguito 
Director of Communications
Texas Department of Agriculture
(512) 475- 1669 (Office)
Maddison.Jaureguito@TexasAgriculture.gov

More TDA press releases are available at TexasAgriculture.gov/Newsroom