Source: Texas Department of Agriculture
Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller announced on Thursday the creation of the Office of Water within the Texas Department Agriculture (TDA) to address critical water issues across the state. Since taking office, Miller has made water a top priority at TDA because of its importance to the agriculture industry and the Texas economy as a whole.
“Water is necessary to continue to produce food, fiber and jobs,” Miller said. “Despite being blessed with rain, our water issues have not gone away. We have been working from day one with stakeholders across the state to find solutions and plan for the future. Agriculture is the largest consumer of water. It only makes sense that we have a seat at the table when we are talking about water policy, because if you don’t have a seat, then you’re probably on the menu.”
TDA will work with stakeholders to address critical water needs for all citizens, not just specific constituencies. Technology, innovation and creativity will be the key to meeting our water needs for the next 100 years. Key stakeholders in this issue include farmers, ranchers, businesses, water districts, schools, river authorities, hospitals, cities, researchers and other state entities. Together, these groups will work on water issues.
“Recent rains have given us some relief from the drought, but most importantly, they have given us an opportunity to plan better for the future,” Miller said. “We must work together with our urban, suburban and agriculture counterparts to determine how we can meet the water needs for each of these critical groups and continue to be a world leader in food and fiber production. Failure to meet water demands will stall the Texas economy in every industry, not just agriculture.”