Celebrating Texas 12 Farmers and Growers

America is a strong nation because of the farmers, workers, and businesses that make up our agriculture industry. It’s no surprise that our great state’s farmers and ranchers play a Texas-sized role in producing the food, fiber, and fuel that carries our country. Texas is the top farming state in the nation, with over 250,000 farms covering the most farm acres in America. Whether you live in a rural area or downtown Fort Worth, the sacrifices and countless hours worked by farmers in Texas, including our farming friends and neighbors here in Texas 12, impacts your life every day.

The Texas Farm Bureau is a leading voice for Texas agriculture.  It is a member of the Farm Bureau, a national organization with memberships across America that advocate for agricultural communities. Over the years, I’ve been proud to work with the Texas Farm Bureau on many key initiatives helping our farm and ranch families, like strengthening agriculture supply chains and protecting Texas producers against overregulation. During the height of the pandemic, I had important discussions with the Texas Farm Bureau about trade and supporting our farmers and producers—the unsung essential heroes who kept our supermarket shelves stocked with food in the face of the unexpected. Securing the resources to assist our farmers throughout the pandemic has been a top priority for me, and I remain committed to seeing President Biden and his Administration unfreeze funds in the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program, which provides relief to food producers whose profits suffered due to the pandemic.

I recently met once again with the Texas Farm Bureau and some of our local farmers and ranchers at a Weatherford farm to discuss how I can continue to ensure that their voices are heard in Washington. Among other important topics, we discussed how I can work with them so that Congress’ upcoming farm bill will address the concerns of our farmers and rural communities.

To ensure that that all aspects of Texas agriculture remain America’s best, I was proud to join Rep. Kevin Brady in February to announce the creation of the new Texas Ag Task Force. The Task Force will champion our state’s agricultural perspective in Congress, especially following President Biden’s appointment of an Agriculture Secretary with a Midwest focus.

Here in and around Texas 12, we’ll soon be coming up on peak season for the heart and soul of our region’s produce: time for berries, peaches, tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, and more. Meanwhile, our Weatherford ranchers have earned Weatherford its longstanding nickname as the undisputed “Cutting Horse Capital of the World.” Let’s always remember that Texas farmers, ranchers, and their families are a huge part of what makes our state so great. If you can, thank a farmer. From cattle to cotton, there’s a vast, vibrant network of food and farming folks across Texas who feed and fuel our world.