Accomplishments

National Conservative / Agricultural Leader

• Endorsed by President Donald J. Trump for Texas Agriculture Commissioner in 2018 and 2022.
• First statewide elected official in Texas to endorse Donald J. Trump for President in 2016, 2020, and 2024.
• Sued the Biden Administration as a private citizen and won against their illegal and racist DEI program for “socially disadvantaged” farmers, which was eventually repealed.
• Launched and hosted the non-taxpayer-funded nationally syndicated TV show Texas Agriculture Matters on RFD-TV, for 14 seasons.
• Launched a new show, Texas Our Texas, in 2025 – promoting Texas farmers, ranchers, and products to millions of viewers nationwide.
• Founding member of Donald Trump’s Agricultural Advisory Committee in 2016.
• Promotes Donald J. Trump for President and Texas conservative issues on major news outlets such as Fox News, News Nation, NewsMax, NBC News, CBS News, New York Times, and Washington Post as well as regional and local outlets across Texas.
• Predicted Donald Trump’s 2016 victory on national news.
• Witnessed the July 2024 assassination attempt on President Trump from just 30 feet away at the Butler, Pennsylvania rally; provided firsthand accounts in national media interviews, highlighting the chaos and calling for unity against political violence.
• Interviewed as a finalist for Secretary of Agriculture in Donald Trump’s first administration and praised Trump’s agricultural policies during his second term, including the $12 billion Farmer Bridge Relief program in 2025.
• Worked tirelessly for over 8 years to help pass legislation ending land ownership by hostile foreign countries.

Protecting the Consumers of Texas

• Took bold action against the Big Four meat packers’ anti-competitive practices by personally urging President Trump to investigate potential price-fixing, protecting Texas ranchers from unfair low prices and consumers from inflated beef costs—helping expose the monopoly power of many foreign-owned companies that dominate the market.
• Strongly opposed and protested state-enforced COVID-19 mandates and business lockdowns, issued an executive order declaring any agriculture and ag-supporting businesses “essential industries” to keep Texas food supply chains operational, saving thousands of jobs.
• Launched “Operation Maverick” to enforce consumer protection laws by identifying and registering pawn shops, grocery stores, and BBQ joints with unapproved scales, ensuring accurate measurements for Texas consumers and increasing registrations by 35% with over 7,000 previously unregistered businesses now monitored.
• Reduced subsidy payments to TDA license registrants on all regulatory services by 50% through efficiency reforms, making the TDA a fully cost recovery agency which does not rely on taxpayers to fund daily operations.
• Cut executive staff positions from 14 to 9, streamlining agency operations.
• Increased inspections of fuel pumps for accuracy, fuel quality, and illegal credit card skimmers, while enhancing consumer education through videos and alerts.
• Canceled a costly logistics contract and streamlined state inspections to enhance consumer and industry protection while reducing costs. Eliminating 19 positions and inspectors driving 1.9 million miles less.
• Increased fuel pump inspection frequency from every 12 years to every 1 years for better accuracy and safety.
• Put toilet paper back on store shelved during the COVID insanity. Obtained waver to suspend English-labeling requirements for toilet paper during the COVID-19 shortage, allowing Spanish-labeled imports to address supply issues quickly and efficiently.
• Established the AgriStress Helpline in 2022, a 24/7 support service for struggling farmers and ranchers, intervening in over 300 cases and securing additional funding for continued operations.
• Expanded the GO TEXAN program significantly in 2025, growing membership by 19% to over 2,100 participants, quadrupling Champion partners, and boosting promotion of Texas products to support local jobs and economies.
• Responded to major disasters like the 2024 Panhandle wildfires by revitalizing the Hay Hotline and mobilizing relief efforts to connect producers and deliver aid without taxpayer funds.
• Advocated for rural mental health and school nutrition, securing funding for free/reduced-price meals and launching initiatives to increase local food consumption in schools.

Texas Agricultural Leader

• Made Texas the only state in the USA to increase agricultural exports during the China trade war, including reopening key markets like China for beef and boosting sales through strategic trade missions and partnerships around the globe.
• Constructive brand new, state-of-the-art TDA livestock export facilities at Houston Airport and Del Rio, modernizing infrastructure to facilitate global shipments of Texas cattle and other livestock.
• Facilitated a major donation of 561,600 eggs by Cal-Maine Foods to the Houston Food Bank during the COVID-19 pandemic, providing essential protein to communities in need
• Maintained Texas as the #1 cattle-producing and exporting state in the USA, leading the nation in beef production and supporting ranchers through policy and market access initiatives.
• Revitalized and expanded the Hay Hotline as a comprehensive online resource connecting hay buyers, sellers, and those in need during disasters like droughts and wildfires.
• Cleared a multi-year backlog in organic crop certifications within months of taking office, enabling Texas farmers to meet growing demand for certified organic products.
• Established and maintains the Texas Department of Agriculture Market Roundup Report, providing daily market price updates to keep farmers and ranchers informed and competitive.
• Mobilized the State of Texas Agriculture Relief Fund (STAR Fund) to raise over $731,000 for Hurricane Harvey recovery and more than one million dollars for the 2024 Panhandle wildfires, delivering hay, feed, fencing, and aid without taxpayer funds.
• Facilitated the annual Texas Memorial Agricultural Ceremony at the Texas Capitol, honoring farmers and ranchers who dedicated their lives to agriculture and passed away in the previous year.
• Oversaw the TDA State Office of Rural Health, which earned the 2021 Medicare Beneficiary Quality Improvement Spirit Award for excellence in supporting rural healthcare delivery.

Food Nutrition and Access

• Returned local control to Texas schools by eliminating burdensome state mandates on food choices, empowering districts and parents to decide what nourishes their children.
• Ended the restrictive federal “Let’s Move” guidelines (often associated with Michelle Obama’s program) that prioritized low-fat, processed options over real, satisfying foods—focusing instead on practical nutrition that kids actually eat.
• Launched and expanded the Farm Fresh Initiative, including Farm Fresh Fridays and the annual Farm Fresh Challenge, connecting local Texas farmers directly with schools.
• Administer the Farm Fresh program effectively, with 88% of Texas child nutrition programs voluntarily purchasing local foods—resulting in over $300 million annually spent on Texas products despite federal cuts.
• Promoted the Jump with Jill program to encourage physical activity and healthy food choices among children, combining fun education with better eating habits.
• Strongly supports the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) initiative under President Trump and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., advocating for real food, reduced processed items, and introduced regenerative farming practices to combat chronic health issues in children.
• Supported summer meal programs and food access during emergencies, including government shutdowns, by distributing millions in aid to keep children fed year-round.

Promoting Texas Products to the World

• Led Texas to remain the nation’s top agricultural exporter, with strategic trade missions and market openings driving billions in revenue for Texas farmers, ranchers, and producers through 2025.
• Conducted numerous international trade missions to Australia, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Dubai, Germany, Romania, South Korea, Thailand, France, Mexico, and many other countries, opening new global markets and generating millions in sales for Texas agricultural products, leading trade missions on every continent except Antartica, even opening a trade office in Buenos Aires.
• Hosted high-profile events like the GO TEXAN Pavilion at the State Fair of Texas, showcasing Texas foods, crafts, and innovation to millions of visitors and achieving record-breaking sales.
• Partnered with renowned Texas storytellers Bob and Kelli Phillips as official GO TEXAN brand ambassadors to amplify promotion of Texas agriculture and products statewide.
• Sponsored major festivals and events, including the 2025 Crossroads of Texas GO TEXAN Country Festival in Waxahachie, celebrating Texas heritage, talent, and agricultural products.
• Supported specialized promotions for key industries, such as featuring GO TEXAN booths at the Texas Pecan Growers Association Conference to connect producers with resources and markets.
• Enhanced domestic and international visibility through the GO TEXAN Marketing Enhancement Grant Assistance (MEGA) Program and Event Grants, funding partners to promote Texas products at events and in media.
• Maintained Texas as the #1 cattle-producing and exporting state, promoting beef and livestock globally through trade facilities and partnerships.
• Promoted Texas products worldwide via the nationally syndicated TV shows, Texas Agriculture Matters and now Texas Our Texas on RFD-TV, reaching 63 million homes and highlighting farmers, ranchers, and Texas-grown goods.
• Established the Go Texan NASCAR racing team – allowing Go Texan members to sponsor the #22 car in the NASCAR series, bring visibility of our members’ businesses to millions of racing fans.

Protecting Our Texas Environment

• Advocates for removing “forever chemicals” like PFAS from the environment and food supply, highlighting threats to public health and supporting safer agricultural practices through TDA programs.
• Called on state and feds to eliminate fluoride from drinking water.
• Manages the Agricultural Pesticide Waste Collection Program, partnering with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, to help farmers, ranchers, and the public safely dispose of old, unwanted, and dangerous pesticides (like DDT, chlordane) that are banned or expired, preventing environmental contamination.
• Significantly ramped up pesticide audits (increase of 334%), enhancing oversight of pesticide use, storage, and application to minimize environmental risks such as runoff into water sources or soil contamination.
• Promotes and supports tools to combat feral hogs, an invasive species causing extensive environmental damage including soil erosion, water source contamination, wetland habitat loss, and ecological degradation.

Water Use and Preservation

• Issued an executive order in 2024 authorizing Texas farmers and ranchers to access Rio Grande water for irrigation, providing critical relief amid shortages and ensuring agricultural operations could continue during disputes over international water deliveries.
• Strongly advocated for enforcement of the 1944 U.S.-Mexico Water Treaty, working closely with the Trump administration to pressure Mexico into compliance—resulting in a landmark 2025 agreement for immediate release of 202,000 acre-feet of water to Texas farmers, applauding President Trump’s tariff threats that secured this vital win for Rio Grande Valley agriculture.
• Administered a $280 million USDA grant program in 2025 to support Rio Grande Valley producers impacted by water deficits, delivering direct assistance to farmers and ranchers facing shortages from Mexico’s treaty violations.
• Championed the historic revival of sugarcane production in Texas by supporting Santa Rosa Sugar LLC’s efforts to reopen the Santa Rosa sugar mill in 2025, restoring a key industry in the Rio Grande Valley devastated by drought and water issues.
• Authored and promoted “The Great Texas Water Plan,” a comprehensive vision for Texas water self-reliance through large-scale capture, reclamation, desalination, storage, and infrastructure investments to secure the state’s future amid growing demand and shortages.
• Campaigned vigorously for Proposition 4 in 2025, which voters overwhelmingly approved to dedicate $1 billion annually from sales tax revenue to the Texas Water Fund—unlocking billions for critical water projects, conservation, and infrastructure upgrades statewide.
• Advocated for replacing aging and leaking water pipes across Texas, highlighting billions of gallons lost annually to infrastructure failures and pushing for repairs, reuse, and conservation technologies to prevent waste and ensure every drop counts for agriculture and communities.
• Promoted innovative water recycling and conservation projects statewide, featuring Texas leaders in water reclamation on his TV show and supporting policies to expand reuse for agricultural and rural needs.
• Fought to protect Texas water rights from diversion to urban areas or foreign interests, emphasizing “Water for Texans, by Texans” to prioritize agricultural security and rural economies in the face of population growth and drought challenges.

Other Notable Achievements

• Delivered critical shipments of personal protective equipment (PPE) to rural West Texas hospitals during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring frontline healthcare workers had the supplies needed to protect communities.
• Turned around an $18 million budget deficit at the Texas Department of Agriculture upon taking office, restoring fiscal stability and enabling agency efficiency without raising taxes.
• Met with Mexican state governors and officials along the Texas-Mexico border to advocate for Texas farmers and ranchers, publicly supported construction of a border wall, and communicated these priorities to national media and the Trump administration.
• Appeared on CBS 60 Minutes to highlight the need for expanded healthcare access in rural Texas communities, drawing national attention to the challenges faced by underserved areas.
• Elected President of the Southern United States Trade Association (SUSTA) as Texas Agriculture Commissioner, leading regional efforts to expand agricultural exports from the South.
• Authored the landmark Texas Sonogram Bill (HB 15, 2011) as a Texas State Representative, requiring informed consent and ultrasound before abortion procedures, saving 15-20 thousand babies per year.
• Authored and passed the “Pork Chopper Bill” (HB 1026, 2011) as a State Representative, legalizing the hunting of feral hogs from helicopters to control invasive populations and protect Texas agriculture.
• Filed legislation as a State Representative to equip Texas Highway Patrol with machine gun boats for enhanced security on the Rio Grande River.
• Led efforts to expand broadband access in rural Texas, partnering with state agencies to connect underserved agricultural communities and improve economic opportunities.
• Under Sid’s leadership, the Texas Sunset Advisory Committee called the Texas Department of Agriculture the best run government administration in the state.