Nathan “Nate” Sheets is a follower of Jesus, fifth generation Texan, a U.S. Navy veteran, a conservative Republican and a successful businessman who built the #1 branded honey company in America from a single backyard beehive. He is now running for Texas Agriculture Commissioner to bring real leadership, conservative values, and clean food reform to the people of Texas.
Born and raised in the Texas Hill Country, Nate grew up in a military family where duty and discipline were part of daily life. His father, Colonel Gary D. Sheets, served in the United States Air Force, and his mother was a strong woman who battled both breast cancer and Alzheimer’s — experiences that deeply shaped Nate’s belief in clean food, preventative health, and family resilience.
After graduating from Jack C. Hays High School in Kyle, Nate enlisted in the United States Naval Reserve. He served from 1988 to 1994, learning what it meant to lead with courage and serve with integrity. After his military service, he worked his way through college waiting tables and graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing from Texas State University..
Nate’s entrepreneurial journey began slowly. After experimenting with pens and pencils in the early 1990s, he ran a small advertising agency in Dallas. But his life changed when he bought a single beehive as a hobby and began bottling honey with his wife Patty in their garage.
That humble beginning became North Dallas Honey Company, and then later Nature Nate’s — a bold rebrand that emphasized transparency, quality, and purity. Under Nate’s leadership, Nature Nate’s became a pioneer in food testing, setting the industry standard for pesticide, herbicide, glyphosate, antibiotic, and sugar adulteration screening. He placed “100% Pure, Raw & Unfiltered” at the center of the label — and a Bible verse on every bottle.
By 2015, Nature Nate’s was the #1 branded honey in America, sold nationwide in major retailers like Walmart, Costco, and Kroger. Nate’s cell phone number was on every bottle from 1997 to 2014 — and he answered thousands of calls from customers who came to trust not just his product, but his heart and passion for clean food.
In 2021, Nate sold Nature Nate’s to Blue Road Capital and served as CEO until he resigned to pursue serving all Texans as the next Texas Agriculture Commissioner.
Business was never the whole story for Nate Sheets.
In 1997, he joined a mission trip to Venezuela with Global Missions Fellowship (GMF), where he saw hundreds come to faith in Jesus Christ and a vibrant new church planted. That experience changed Nate’s life.
Nate left his advertising career and joined GMF full-time, which later became E3 Partners, ultimately serving as Communications Director and later helping launch some of the most creative evangelism tools of the last generation — including the EvangeCube, a visual Gospel presentation tool that’s been distributed to over 10 million people worldwide that told the story of Jesus through pictures.
In 2008, Nate conceived I Am Second — a video testimony movement featuring celebrities, athletes, and everyday people sharing how Jesus transformed their lives. The series has garnered over 250 million views across the globe and continues to point people to faith, hope, and redemption.
In addition to his business and ministry work, Nate is now the owner and operator of Honey Rock Ranch, a 10,000-acre property in West Texas that was once part of the historic 6666’s Ranch. There he manages wildlife, runs a cow/calf operation, trains cutting horses, and experiments with regenerative ranching practices.
He knows firsthand the challenges that Texas ranchers face — from water access and soil health to labor shortages and government overreach. That’s why Nate is stepping up to serve as Texas Agriculture Commissioner.
Nate Sheets is not a politician. He’s a producer, a businessman, and a father who believes Texas needs new leadership rooted in real-world experience and eternal values.
Nate and his wife Patty have been married since 1996. They live in North Texas with their four children and daughter-in-law: Hudson and Tabi, Haddon, Sophie, and Samuel.
