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]

COMMISSIONER SID MILLER REAPPOINTS MEMBERS TO THE TEXAS AGRICULTURE FINANCE AUTHORITY BOARD
Today, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller announced that he has reappointed four members to the Texas Agriculture Finance Authority (TAFA) Board. TAFA is a public authority within the agency designed to provide financial assistance for expanding Texas agricultural products, production, processing, marketing, and exporting.  [More]

TEXAS AGRICULTURE COMMISSIONER SID MILLER DECLARES WAR ON DEI
Today, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller announced that he was going to war against so-called “diversity, equity, and inclusion” (DEI) and “diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility” (DEIA) policies and that the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA), the multibillion-dollar agency he leads, will no longer contract or do business with entities that promote these discriminatory, demeaning, and immoral race and sex-based preferences which oftentimes violate the civil-rights laws of the United States.  [More]

STATEMENT BY COMMISSIONER SID MILLER ON USDA’S POSTPONED HORSE PROTECTION ACT FINAL RULE
Today, we’ve won the first battle. The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has announced a 60-day postponement of its new Horse Protection Act final rule, pushing the implementation date from February 1 to April 2, 2025. While this delay doesn’t eliminate our concerns surrounding APHIS’s heavy-handed final rule, it gives us critical time to oppose unnecessary federal overreach that burdens horse owners, trainers, and event organizers.  [More]

COMMISSIONER SID MILLER KICKS OFF THE START OF A NEW YEAR BY CELEBRATING AGENCY ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller kicks off the new year with his signature Texas charm and a tip of his hat, welcoming 2025 with optimism and gratitude. After a year of hard-fought achievements in 2024, the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) stands ready to embrace new opportunities, building on its successes to keep Texas at the forefront of agriculture.  [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 MILLER INVITES ELIGIBLE NONPROFITS TO APPLY FOR SUMMER NUTRITION PROGRAM SPONSORSHIP IN 2025
Today, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller announced the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) is accepting sponsor applications for its 2025 Summer Meal Programs. These programs connect eligible organizations with federal funds to sponsor meal sites that serve healthy meals for Texas children 18 years old and younger when school cafeterias are closed for summer.  [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]

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: 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]