Texas Department of Agriculture Self-Evaluation Report

Self-Evaluation Report

Texas Department of Agriculture September 2019

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. Agency Contact Information............................................................................................... 1 II. Key Functions and Performance ......................................................................................... 2 III. History and Major Events.................................................................................................. 26 IV. Policymaking Structure ..................................................................................................... 34 V. Funding ............................................................................................................................. 45 VI. Organization...................................................................................................................... 56 VII. Guide to Agency Programs ............................................................................................... 61

i. Agency Internal Support Services ....................................................................................................................................... 61 ii. Food and Nutrition Division ................................................................................................................................................ 71 iii. State Nutrition Assistance Programs .................................................................................................................................. 88 iv. Texas Cooperative Inspection Program .............................................................................................................................. 95 v. Rural Economic Development and International Trade Program ....................................................................................... 99 vi. Texas Agricultural Finance Authority (TAFA) ................................................................................................................... 112 vii. Marketing ......................................................................................................................................................................... 119 viii. Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) .............................................................................................................. 124 ix. State Office of Rural Health (SORH) ................................................................................................................................. 136 x. Aquaculture ...................................................................................................................................................................... 147 xi. Grain Warehouse Program ............................................................................................................................................... 150 xii. Handling and Marketing Perishable Commodities............................................................................................................ 154 xiii. Organic Certification Program .......................................................................................................................................... 158 xiv. Seed Quality Program ....................................................................................................................................................... 164 xv. Ag Pesticide Regulation .................................................................................................................................................... 170 xvi. Structural Pest Certification Services................................................................................................................................ 178 xvii. Consumer Product Protection .......................................................................................................................................... 185

xviii. Plant Health Program........................................................................................................................................................ 193 xix. Prescribed Burning Board ................................................................................................................................................. 200

VIII. Statutory Authority and Recent Legislation.................................................................... 205 IX. Major Issues .................................................................................................................... 215

i. Issue 1: Texas Rural Foundation ....................................................................................................................................... 215 ii. Issue 2: Wine Funding....................................................................................................................................................... 215 iii. Issue 3: GO TEXAN license plate revenue ......................................................................................................................... 216 iv. Issue 4: Cost Recovery Model for Marketing ................................................................................................................... 216

X. Other Contacts................................................................................................................ 217 XI. Additional Information ................................................................................................... 227 XII. Agency Comments .......................................................................................................... 235 XIII. Appendix ......................................................................................................................... 236

Self-Evaluation Report

Texas Department of Agriculture Self-Evaluation Report

I. Agency Contact Information

A. Please fill in the following chart.

Texas Department of Agriculture Exhibit 1: Agency Contacts

Name

Agency Head

Sidney Miller

Agency's Sunset

Liaison

Jim Reaves

Table 1 Exhibit 1 Agency Contacts

Address

1700 N. Congress Ave. Austin, Texas 78701

1700 N. Congress Ave. Austin, Texas 78701

Telephone and

Fax Numbers

Email Address

512.463.1408 888.216.9867

Sid.miller@

512.475.0044 888.216.9867

Jim.reaves@

June 2019

1

Sunset Advisory Commission

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