Real Solutions, Rooted in Science

Texas agriculture doesn't need more politicians in cowboy hats; it needs serious solutions rooted in science and individual liberty. As an Ecologist, I know how the land works. As a Libertarian, I know how the economy works. Here is my plan to fix both.

1. Unleash Agricultural Freedom

The Problem: The Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) has become a barrier to entry, stifling innovation with excessive licensing fees, red tape, and arbitrary restrictions. They are treating small farmers like criminals and hemp producers like threats.

The Solution:

Deregulation: Aggressively cut the bureaucratic red tape surrounding the hemp industry, cottage food production, and local meat processing.
Food Freedom: End the war on raw commodities and small-scale producers. If you grew it, you have the right to sell it. If you want to buy it, you have the right to eat it. The government has no place at your dinner table.
Market Access: Eliminate pay-to-play licensing schemes that protect big corporate ag while crushing the family farm.

2. Absolute Property Rights

The Problem: Property rights are the bedrock of a free society, yet they are under constant attack from eminent domain abuse, regulatory overreach, and "conservation" groups that value bureaucracy over ownership.

The Solution:

No Trespassing: A hardline stance against TDA surveillance or warrantless inspections. Your land is your castle.
Stop the Seizures: Oppose the use of eminent domain for private gain or state convenience.
Right to Farm: Strengthen protections for landowners against nuisance lawsuits and zoning overreach. You shouldn't need a permit to be productive on your own property.

3. Fiscal Responsibility & Transparency

The Problem: The TDA has a history of bloating its budget and raising fees on farmers to cover administrative waste. Taxpayers and producers are being fleeced to pay for political theater.

The Solution:

The Audit: Launch a full, forensic audit of the TDA on Day 1. We will identify every wasted dollar and every redundant position.
Fee Reduction: Our goal is to cut TDA operating costs and pass those savings directly back to Texas farmers in the form of lower fees.
Lean Government: Run the Department like a business, not a slush fund.

4. Honest Science & Water Stewardship

The Problem: For too long, the state has pushed simplistic narratives—like the "War on Cedar"—claiming that blanket brush control is a silver bullet for our water crisis. As an Ecologist, I know the reality is far more complex. Promoting "conservation theater" over hard data misleads landowners and wastes resources.

The Solution:

Truth Over Trends: The TDA will stop functioning as a hype machine for unproven management practices. We will acknowledge the complexity of Texas ecohydrology—admitting that what works in one ecoregion may fail in another.
Open-Source Knowledge: We don't need to spend tax dollars on new studies; we need to unshackle the research that already exists. My administration will compile, organize, and publish a transparent review of current scientific literature, giving Texans unfiltered access to the facts about brush control and water yield.
Informed Independence: The government's job is not to manage your land, but to tell you the truth. By providing landowners with raw, unpoliticized data, we empower you to make the best decisions for your own property, your own water, and your own business.

5. Biosecurity: Real Defense, Not Just Paperwork

The Problem: Invasive species and foreign plant and animal diseases are the single greatest physical threat to Texas agriculture. Yet, the state’s current approach is reactive and bureaucratic. We have "Noxious Weed" lists that do nothing to stop the spread, and critical biosecurity programs have been plagued by mismanagement.

The Solution:

Defense is a Valid Government Function: Even a Libertarian believes in defense. Stopping a foreign blight or a contagion is one of the few legitimate roles of the TDA. We will pivot funding away from marketing and into biosecurity monitoring.
Early Detection, Not Late Regulation: Instead of fining a landowner because they already have an invasive weed, we will focus resources on prevention at the border and early detection networks.
Scientific Triage: As an Ecologist, I will prioritize threats that actually destroy economic value (like CWD or feral hogs) rather than wasting resources on "nanny state" quarantines that punish producers without stopping the pest.

6. Ending the "Nanny State"

The Problem: The current Commissioner claims to support small government but governs like a bureaucrat. Under Sid Miller, the TDA has treated Texas small businesses as piggy banks to fund a bloated agency.

The Solution:

Stop "Operation Maverick": We will never repeat the embarrassments of the past, like when the TDA launched a crackdown on BBQ joints for unregistered scales—threatening mom-and-pop shops with fines even when their scales were accurate. That is not consumer protection; that is a shakedown.
Roll Back the Fees: In 2016, the TDA raised fees on farmers and ranchers to cover a budget shortfall, collecting millions more than was necessary to run the programs. I will return that money to the producers by slashing licensing costs across the board.
Fix "Go Texan": Currently, the "Go Texan" marketing program acts like a "pay-to-play" scheme, where you have to pay the state to get the badge. We will audit the program to ensure it actually helps Texas producers, rather than just funding TDA promotional trips.

7. The Record: Annotated Evidence

We believe in transparency. The failures of our current incumbent listed above are not just political rhetoric; they are documented matters of public record.

The "Operation Maverick" BBQ Crackdown

Reference: Sid Miller Has A Beef With Exempting Barbecue Scales From Regulation (Texas Standard, 2017)
The Failure: The TDA launched "Operation Maverick" to target businesses—including small BBQ joints—for failing to register their scales. Critics called it an unnecessary bureaucratic squeeze on small business owners who were already operating honestly.

The $6.5 Million Fee Hike

Reference: Audit: Ag agency hikes on fees to Texas farmers and ranchers raised millions more than needed (The Texas Tribune, 2017)
The Failure: A State Auditor’s Office report found that the TDA raised fees on farmers and ranchers in 2016 to cover a budget shortfall, but ended up collecting $6.5 million more than necessary—effectively taxing producers to pad the agency's accounts.

Ethics Questions & "Pay-to-Play" Allegations

Reference: Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller's challengers take aim at his ethics (The Texas Tribune, 2022)
The Failure: Sid Miller’s tenure has been plagued by ethical questions, including the arrest of his top political consultant for allegedly soliciting cash in exchange for hemp licenses, casting a shadow over the integrity of the department’s licensing process.

Biosecurity Mismanagement

Reference: Spray boxes in use for fever tick eradication (Texas Farm Bureau, 2018)
The Failure: In the middle of a critical Cattle Fever Tick eradication effort, the Commissioner suddenly halted the use of "spray boxes"—a vital tool for ranchers—causing confusion and frustration among producers trying to protect their herds.

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