By American-Statesman Editorial Board, Opinion staff
Texas is home to the nation’s largest farming and ranching industry, and the agriculture commissioner plays a crucial role in promoting and growing those industries while also protecting consumers from price gouging and food market volatility.
“Our focus will be to increase the profitability of producers so farmers and ranchers can stay in business,” he told our Editorial Board. “And then also at the same time, working on … affordability of food (for) consumers.”
One way Sheets hopes to lower food prices is by overhauling the office’s Go Texan program, which promotes Texas-made agricultural products with exclusive marketing, funding and other supports. He wants to “create a robust agriculture ecosystem” that he says would allow consumers to buy directly from producers, bypassing warehousers, distributors and wholesalers.
All Texans need healthy food, no matter who they vote for. Sheets describes himself as a “Trump conservative,” but he also signaled he can be an agriculture commissioner who advocates for Texans above party, telling us the Trump administration’s removal of tariffs on beef from Argentina and Brazil in August was “a very bad policy decision.” We urge Sheets, if elected, to maintain that focus on what’s best for Texas farmers, ranchers and consumers, regardless of who occupies the White House.
Sheets’ Democratic opponent is Clayton Tucker, a rancher and organizer from Georgetown. Tucker offers compelling ideas for implementing more sustainable and regenerative farming methods, but
Sheets brings more extensive food industry experience.
Libertarian Austin R. Kelly and Green Party candidate Alfred Molison Jr. are also running.
Whoever wins in November will have to restore stability at the Texas Department of Agriculture after 12 years of controversies under Sid Miller, who lost to Sheets in the Republican primary.
The agriculture commissioner should worry about what’s for dinner, not the latest hot-button issue up for debate. We recommend Sheets as the candidate best equipped to champion Texas agriculture.
