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The Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) is a state agency that manages a variety of regulatory programs, welfare programs, and trade initiatives.
Established in 1907, the department is one of a few state agencies headed by a statewide elected official, the Agriculture Commissioner, who serves a four-year term.
A deputy commissioner and four assistant commissioners manage different divisions within TDA, and 27 advisory committees provide input to the department on various programs. TDA employs about 600 workers, half of whom are based in Austin and half of whom work at five regional offices, five livestock export facilities, and three laboratories.
Mission
TDA’s mission is to “partner with all Texans to make Texas the nation’s leader in agriculture, fortify our economy, empower rural communities, promote healthy lifestyles, and cultivate winning strategies for rural, suburban and urban Texas through exceptional service and the common threads of agriculture in our daily lives.”
Agricultural Regulation
The Texas Department of Agriculture regulates the growth and transport of agricultural crops and products to prevent the spread of pests and diseases in Texas through inspections, enforcing quarantines, and similar activities. In severe circumstances, TDA has limited authority to destroy plants or crops to suppress pests and diseases, such as citrus greening and citrus canker.
Nutrition Assistance
TDA administers several federal and state nutrition programs in partnership with public and private organizations throughout the state. Some nutrition programs provide free or reduced-cost meals and snacks, and others are commodity programs that distribute fresh fruits and vegetables. In fiscal year 2019, TDA served 2.8 million children daily through the National School Lunch Program, and distributed 192.8 million pounds of commodities to Texas schools and child care facilities through the USDA Food Distribution Program.
Consumer Protection
TDA inspects eggs, seeds, and organic products to ensure consumers are receiving goods as advertised. The department also regulates pesticide applicators to ensure restricted-use pesticides are safely handled, and inspects the calibration of commercial weighing and measuring devices, such as grocery store scales.
Rural Development
TDA provides financial assistance to Texas farmers and ranchers in the form of loan guarantees, interest rate reductions, and grants for young farmers. TDA also administers grant funds for community development and infrastructure improvement projects targeted to rural Texas communities, hospitals, and healthcare facilities.
Agriculture Promotion
TDA runs a membership-based marketing program, GO TEXAN, to promote a wide range of Texas agricultural products in local, national, and international markets.
Commodity Producers Poards
TDA oversees 11 commodity producers boards, which encourage the production, marketing, and use of specific agricultural commodities. These boards also coordinate education and research into the control of diseases, insects, and predators for the benefit of their products. All boards are funded exclusively by producer assessments.
Prescribed Burning Board
The Prescribed Burning Board regulates the practice of prescribed burning in Texas by setting education, experience, and insurance requirements and issuing certifications for burn managers and lead burn instructors. The 13-member board certified 92 burn managers and 18 lead burn instructors in fiscal year 2019. Landowners who use a licensed burn manager to conduct a prescribed burn are afforded statutory liability protections.
Texas Cooperative Inspection Program
The department and USDA jointly created and currently oversee the Texas Cooperative Inspection Program (TCIP) as a quasi-governmental body through a cooperative agreement. TCIP inspects produce grown in Texas or transported into the state to uphold USDA marketing orders, which establish minimum quality standards that produce must meet to enter the market. The program is funded by fees paid by producers for TCIP inspections. In fiscal year 2019, TCIP staff inspected more than 3.8 billion pounds of fruits, vegetables, and nuts.
