- Texas Department of Agriculture
-
The main offices of the Texas Department of Agriculture are located on the 11th floor of the Stephen F. Austin State Office Building
The Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) is a state agency within the state of Texas, which is responsible for matters pertaining to agriculture, rural community affairs, and related matters.
TDA was established by the 13th Texas Legislature in 1907. TDA is headed by the Texas Agriculture Commissioner, one of four heads of state agencies which is elected by statewide ballot (and the only one where the provision for statewide election is mandated by legislative action, not enshrined in the Texas Constitution) for a four-year term, concurrent with the gubernatorial election (prior to 1978, the term was two-year).
The department is headquartered on the 11th floor of the Stephen F. Austin State Office Building at 1700 North Congress Avenue in Austin.[1][2]
The mission statement of the Texas Department of Agriculture is: 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.
Texas Department of Agriculture Agency overview Formed 1907 Headquarters 1700 N Congress, 11th Floor Austin, Texas Employees 650 Agency executive Todd Staples, Commissioner Website http://www.TexasAgriculture.gov Contents
Commissioners of the Department of Agriculture
NOTE: Milner was appointed as Commissioner prior to the first statewide election in 1908.
Commissioner Beginning Term Year Ending Term Year Robert Teague Milner 1907 1908 Edward Reeves Kone 1908 1914 Fred Davis 1915 1920 George B. Terrell 1921 1930 James E. McDonald 1931 1950 John C. White 1951 1977 Reagan V. Brown 1977 1982 Jim Hightower 1983 1990 Rick Perry 1991 1998 Susan Combs 1999 2006 Todd Staples 2007 (present) Divisions
The department is divided into the following divisions:
- Administrative Services--Provides TDA support functions[3]
- Communications--Provides media information, public information and TDA internal support services[4]
- Financial Services--Provides TDA accounting, budgetary, and purchasing functions[5]
- Food and Nutrition--Administers the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s School Lunch, School Breakfast, Summer and After School Snack Programs in Texas public schools, including technical assistance and training to school district child nutrition professionals to help them stay abreast of state and federal policies, as well as processing of reimbursements to schools participating in the Child Nutrition Programs[6]
- General Counsel--Provides legal assistance to TDA divisions, and its Enforcement section investigates administrative violations of various state and federal laws regarding pesticides, herbicides, and consumer laws[7]
- External Relations--Provides support to the Commissioner and the agency by monitoring and analyzing federal and state legislative and regulatory activities that affect Texas Agricultural producers and consumers as well as studying issues that affect rural Texas; also responsible for the management of several TDA grants including the Texas Israel Exchange Program, the Urban School Agricultural Grant Program, the Surplus Food Grant Program, Enology/Viticulture Research Grants, the Leon River Restoration Project Grant and the Feral Hog Damage Abatement Program[8]
- Marketing and Promotion--Works to increase the sales of both raw and processed Texas agricultural commodities by promoting Texas food, fiber, wine, livestock, horticulture and forestry products under the GO TEXAN campaign[9]
- Pesticide Programs--TDA is designated as the state’s lead agency in the regulation of pesticide use and application. The division is responsible for licensing and training pesticide applicators, overseeing worker protection, registering pesticides for sale in the state and working to minimize unnecessary impacts to agriculture while enhancing protection of endangered and threatened species as mandated by the federal law[10]
- Regulatory Programs--Oversees items like seed/egg quality, nursery products, and the accuracy of grocery scales and gasoline pumps; also protects against the movement of harmful pests into Texas[11]
- Rural Economic Development--Assists rural communities and businesses to create and retain jobs through business development and community assistance, and through the GO TEXAN Rural Community Program, the division promotes agricultural diversification, small town revitalization and rural tourism[12]
References
- ^ "Contact Us." Texas Department of Agriculture. Retrieved on March 13, 2009.
- ^ "HR Directors." State of Texas Classification. Retrieved on March 13, 2009.
- ^ http://www.agr.state.tx.us/agr/program_render/0,1987,1848_5356_0_0,00.html?channelId=5356
- ^ http://www.agr.state.tx.us/agr/program_render/0,1987,1848_5357_0_0,00.html?channelId=5357
- ^ http://www.agr.state.tx.us/agr/program_render/0,1987,1848_5365_0_0,00.html?channelId=5365
- ^ http://www.agr.state.tx.us/agr/program_render/0,1987,1848_5359_0_0,00.html?channelId=5359
- ^ http://www.agr.state.tx.us/agr/program_render/0,1987,1848_5360_0_0,00.html?channelId=5360
- ^ http://www.agr.state.tx.us/agr/program_render/0,1987,1848_5361_0_0,00.html?channelId=5361
- ^ http://www.agr.state.tx.us/agr/program_render/0,1987,1848_5364_0_0,00.html?channelId=5364
- ^ http://www.agr.state.tx.us/agr/program_render/0,1987,1848_5319_0_0,00.html?channelId=5319
- ^ http://www.agr.state.tx.us/agr/program_render/0,1987,1848_5362_0_0,00.html?channelId=5362
- ^ http://www.agr.state.tx.us/agr/program_render/0,1987,1848_5363_0_0,00.html?channelId=5363
Texas Department of Agriculture
External links
Categories:- State agencies of Texas
- Agriculture in Texas
- State departments of agriculture of the United States
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