Commissioner Miller Kicks Off Annual Farm Fresh Challenge For Texas Schools
AUSTIN – Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller today announced the start of the Texas Department of Agriculture’s (TDA) annual Farm Fresh Challenge for Texas schools. Formerly known as the Local Products Challenge, the event runs throughout October and recognizes school nutrition teams that serve more local products in meals while teaching children about foods grown and raised in Texas. This year TDA added social media as a challenge goal by encouraging schools to share their successes online. More than 216 school districts and charter school organizations have pledged participation for 2018.  [More]

Commissioner Sid Miller Announces Progress On Cattle Fever Tick Spray Boxes After Trip To Washington D.C.
Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller today announced that progress is being made on his efforts to protect Texas cattle from any adverse effects from pesticide spray boxes used to combat the deadly Cattle Fever Tick. Miller announced, as a result of his meetings in Washington, he has secured the option for cattle producers to hand-spray their livestock in lieu of using the spray boxes. Also, the Texas Department of Agriculture has published a new rule related to the spray boxes and is actively seeking input from ranchers and industry representatives.  [More]

TDA Awarded $600,000 For Global Trade Effort
(AUSTIN) Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller accepted a grant for $600,000 from the State Trade Expansion Program (STEP) of the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of International Trade this week. The Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) will use the funding to expand export-related activities of small businesses in Texas and increase export dollars earned by those companies.  [More]

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller Statement Reopening Cattle Spray Boxes
I am allowing the Cattle Fever Tick spray boxes to reopen as of today for a period of 45 days while I continue discussions with TAHC, USDA and EPA on a long term solution. I am hopeful that these agencies will have that solution in place before the September 24th deadline.  [More]

Commissioner Miller Offers Compromise On Cattle Spray Boxes But Agencies Don't Show
(AUSTIN) Yesterday, at a special meeting scheduled last week to address the issue of cattle spray boxes, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller presented a compromise solution that would allow the boxes in South Texas to reopen immediately . . . but state and federal agencies weren’t around to hear it.  [More]

Commissioner Miller Urges State And Federal Agencies To Meet To Address Cattle Pesticide Spray Boxes
Today, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller called on federal and state agencies to meet as soon as possible to address rancher’s complaints about pesticide spray boxes in South Texas used to combat Cattle Fever Ticks. Ranchers complained to Miller that the spray boxes designed to protect their cattle were instead killing them, prompting Miller to personally inspect the devices Monday.  [More]

Commissioner Miller Shuts Down State And Federal Fever Tick Spray Operations Citing Livestock Deaths And Rancher Complaints
(AUSTIN) Today, in a personal inspection visit to a ranch in South Texas, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller shut down a Cattle Fever Tick spray box operation and ordered the remaining 15 spray boxes also shut down. These spray boxes apply a high-powered insecticide called Co-Ral, at seven times the recommended agriculture rate, to combat ticks that may infect livestock with deadly Texas cattle fever. Commissioner Miller cited lack of ventilation in the confined spray box which violates federally-approved label requirements for the insecticide. Miller also noted that licensed applicators were not present at the inspection, as required by state and federal law.  [More]

Texas Department of Agriculture Announces New Hay Hotline Website
(AUSTIN) Today, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller unveiled a new and improved hay hotline designed to serve as a comprehensive clearinghouse for farmers and ranchers in need of hay for their livestock. The Texas Department of Agriculture Hay Hotline provides an online marketplace for hay buyers and sellers, and can even help locate grazing land for lease.  [More]

Texas Department of Agriculture to hold produce safety meetings statewide
The Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) today announced it will hold a series of community meetings across the state to collect input on implementing the new federal law to promote the safety of fruits and vegetables grown across the country. The meetings will serve as a forum to gather public input as TDA develops the rules to administer this comprehensive new federal mandate.  [More]

Commissioner Miller Calls for Action on Temporary Federal Worker Program
In a letter addressed to federal officials, Commissioner Miller today asked for an opening of the program that affects the availability of temporary workers like those needed by the Texas shrimp and other agriculture industries.  [More]