Diana Padilla has spent a decade teaching Rio Grande Valley residents how to farm and was set to expand across the rest of the state, first in Kaufman County.

The New World Screworm fly poses a billion-dollar threat to the state’s economy.

The three-term incumbent is effectively the underdog in the primary race for his own seat, lagging in fundraising and under attack by members of his own party.

Christmas tree sales are up in the Lone Star State, even as many tree farmers are aging out of the business with no successors.

Texas lawmakers heard conflicting reports on the state’s readiness to fight the New World Screwworm, which is approaching the southern border.

In the self-proclaimed “Pumpkin Capital of the U.S.,” Floydada farmers are exporting pumpkins across Texas and the nation.

The federal agency accused Miller of disregarding proven strategies to combat the parasitic pest “in favor of clickbait publicity stunts.”

In May 2023, Miller wrote a letter urging university leaders to reconsider admitting a student whom he described as a “biracial Latina,” who was also the daughter of his political associate.

Starting Sept. 1, cultured meat sales will be banned for the next two years even though the product isn’t ready to be sold at a large scale.

Mounted patrol officers, known as tick riders, who typically patrol the southern border to protect cattle from fever tick, will also now serve as the first line of defense against screwworm.

Miller denies wrongdoing after allegations surfaced during an investigation into one his aides, who pled guilty to bribery. The agriculture commissioner has not been charged with a crime.

Aoudad sheep are joining the short list of animals Texas lawmakers allow to be shot from a helicopter, along with coyotes and feral hogs.

Far from the Capitol, students at Texas Tech spend time examining the quality of beef for meat judging competitions.

The Legislature has approved a conference committee report that lists sales to certain people from China, North Korea, Russia and Iran as threats to national security.

U.S. Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz hope to fund an operation to kill the parasitic fly before too much damage is done.

Supporters say the bill would protect farmland in Texas. Opponents say limiting PFAS chemicals in biosolids will force water utilities to look at other disposal methods, which will lead to higher utility bills.

If approved, the legislation would expand one of the state's most popular loan programs with even lower interest rates.

As lawmakers work to close loopholes that allow minors access to cannabis consumables, hemp farmers warn a total THC ban would strangle a once-hailed crop.

Commercial beekeepers in Texas have lost about two thirds of their honey bees since June last year, according to a recent survey.

Trump has vowed punishing tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China, which are Texas’ biggest international trading partners.

Since cattle imports were cut off in November, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller and some ranchers worry about the ban’s economic impact on beef producers and consumers.

The historical bipartisan legislation includes a bevy of policies from crop insurance to food stamps.

A hurricane and winter freeze devastated the South Texas industry. A lack of water is preventing a full recovery.

The fertilizer was promoted as an environmental win-win for years. An untold number of farmers and ranchers across Texas have spread it on their land.

The amendment to a 1944 treaty will help Mexico catch up with its water deliveries to the U.S. and might help Rio Grande Valley farmers devastated by low rainfall.

Rio Grande Valley farmers' concerns about a lack of water are being addressed in a new executive order issued by state agriculture commissioner Sid Miller’s office.

Todd Smith’s plea comes days before he was set to go to trial, where Miller was subpoenaed to testify.

Todd Smith was indicted in 2022 on felony charges of theft and commercial bribery related to taking money in exchange for hemp licenses that are issued by Miller’s office.

Millions of Texans would lose food subsidies and farm insurance if Congress doesn’t act before the end of the year.

Rising temperatures intensify drought and increase costs for the heavily subsidized crop insurance program.

Twelve years after a state law gave tax breaks for keeping bees on at least five acres, people are still getting into the trade — or throwing in the towel and hiring professionals to do it for them.

Dairy farmers and veterinarians in northern Texas furiously investigated a mysterious illness among cattle before the government got involved. Farm cat deaths were the tip off.

The Republican senator and congressman introduced a bill that would expand a federal aid program to pay ranchers when pregnant cattle are killed in disasters.

Big Green, a nonprofit that encourages Americans to grow their food, is partnering with Gardopia Gardens for a sustainable agriculture event.

Federal officials said the nation’s milk supply should be not at risk after a bird flu outbreak hits dairies in Texas, New Mexico and Kansas.

As ranchers recover from the Smokehouse Creek fire, they face the agonizing choice of what to do with an unknown number of injured cattle.

Texas wildfires have consumed acres of agricultural land, killing thousands of livestock, destroying crops and exacerbating challenges lingering from last year’s drought.

According to the most recent census, Texas has fewer than 26,000 Hispanic farmers compared to 236,000 white farmers.

Supporters of the amendment say it will protect farmers as the state’s largest cities continue to grow. Opponents suggest the amendment is too broad and ambiguous.

Egan sat down with Tribune environmental reporter Alejandra Martinez to talk about his new book, “The Devil’s Element: Phosphorus and a World Out of Balance,” which explains how overuse of phosphorus is impacting the environment.

The practice of using land for both agriculture and solar power generation, known as agrivoltaics, is becoming increasingly common in Texas and nationwide.

After 70 years on the farm, Jimmy Drake retired from the cotton business. With no family stepping up to take over the farm, he turned to a young neighbor.

The must-pass package of legislation known as the farm bill, which is renewed every five years, funds critical crop insurance and loans to farmers and food to low-income families.

The drought and triple-digit heat have hit many ranchers hard this summer. The cost of hay bales continues to soar, and the lack of production is leaving suppliers and livestock owners scrambling for options.

A minority of farmers in the Texas High Plains region are looking to organic and regenerative techniques to keep their soil healthy year round, despite a dry climate.

One year after a devastating drought, Texas agriculture watchers are wary that the positive effects of a wet spring could be zapped up with extreme heat.

Hydroponic farming is a type of farming that doesn't use soil. It's said to be more sustainable, using less soil and pesticides.

The policy comes as LGBTQ advocates are fighting a wave of hostile legislation at the Capitol, including proposals to restrict gender-affirming care for transgender children.

Burbank High School’s agriculture program is expanding and has partnered with a local San Antonio college to give students a closer look into the industry.

The department’s helpline is less than a year old. But advocates hope state lawmakers fully fund it as farmers and ranchers continue to face hard economic times and isolation.

A new Texas Department of Agriculture report also points to other factors that are making it harder for Texans to access and afford food, including wages falling behind rising costs of living.

“A year like this, where everything is disaster, is just, I’d say, devastating,” cotton farmer Steven Walker said.

The state’s agriculture commissioner oversees a vast portfolio including farming and ranching, rural health care and the scales you use at grocery store checkout.

Farming might not be a glamorous job for many, but simply put, we might not exist without the hardworking farm owners and laborers out there.

A company based in a Denver suburb turns up-cycled shipping containers into vertical hydroponic farms.. and claims the containers can create as much as two football fields worth of traditional agriculture.

As Texas continues to battle drought, groups are trying a market-based solution to help farmers and protect what little water is left.

Hemp advocates promised the Texas Legislature the crop was drought resistant. The 2022 drought has proven otherwise. And farmers are abandoning the nascent market.

Cotton is Texas’ largest crop, and industry experts say they expect just half the normal annual yield — which will drive up costs for consumers.

An old South Side rodeo venue is getting new life as the San Antonio Stockyards Historical Society (SASHS) renovates the ranch that once hosted the Charros Del Chaparral Charreada.

Daniel Alexander was enslaved when he founded a farm before the Civil War. 175 years later, his family is fighting to keep it intact as Texas plans to expand U.S. Highway 183.

Climate change is here. We want to document where its effects are being felt in Texas, how communities are adapting and what government officials should do to help.

Extreme weather events, water scarcity, risks of illness: Climate change is here, and it’s already affecting Texans.

Agents with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection intercepted a “rare” and damaging pest at the South Texas border earlier this month – the first time the bug has ever been spotted in the U.S.

The incumbent avoided a runoff. State Rep. James White had tried to unseat Miller with criticisms centered on controversies under Miller’s leadership.

You may be more familiar with the terms “genetically modified” or “GMO” — the new standard replaces those terms with “bioengineered” or “BE.”

Sid Miller is challenging a debt relief program that the U.S. Department of Agriculture saw as a way to correct historic discrimination. An advocate for Black Texas farmers says the challenge “pushes us back even further.”

A first-generation organic farmer is preparing the fields for more production as more people continue to buy organic foods.

For many San Antonio-area farmers, crops are their sole source of income, and rain is always a welcome sight, but too much can be a problem. A farmer on the Southwest Side says this week has already brought too much rain, damaging some of his crops.

Miller is running for a third term.

Miller was seen as a potential challenger to Abbott because of his vocal criticism of the governor's restrictions to stop the spread of COVID-19 last year.

Expect to pay more for chicken wings and breasts. The pandemic has tightened supplies, and a sudden surge in demand is driving prices up, forcing restaurants to adapt.

After failing last session, lawmakers finalized a bill — described as a “delicate compromise” — that provides new protections for landowners in negotiating with companies attempting to seize their land through eminent domain.

All rights reserved)FILE - In this May 20, 2019 file photo, honeybees are shown on a frame at beekeeper Denise Hunsaker's apiary, in Salt Lake City. Erika Thompson, owner and founder of the Austin-based Texas Beeworks, has a pretty unique job. Sure you’ve heard of beekeeping, but she’s helping to preserve, protect and increase honeybee populations in Texas. The company works by helping to support the bees with hive removals and hive hostings for residents and businesses. You can hire a beekeeper to place and manage hives on your property registered by the Texas Apiary Inspection Service.

SAN ANTONIO – Losses in the agriculture industry brought on by the winter storm in Texas are now estimated to be $605 million, according to the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. Dr. David Anderson, the education agency’s livestock economist, said included in that figure are $228 million in losses to the livestock and poultry industries, as well as the animals who died due to the cold. RELATED: Texas Farm Bureau, others assessing winter storm damage“That probably ate up a lot more cost than they were expecting in producing the birds this year,” Anderson said. Full Screen 1 / 6 Image courtesy of Bryan Bettice, Adkins, Texas. Many had pumps that froze up, and damaged pipe systems now need repair to get water to their cattle.

POTH, Texas – As the president of the Texas Farm Bureau, Russell Boening experienced much of what the rest of the state’s agriculture industry endured during last month’s record cold. Boening said he agrees with Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller’s prediction that the financial impact of the winter storm could be a billion dollars, if not more. AdWith the fragrant orange blossoms already on the trees, Murden said next year’s crop is gone. He said it’s been estimated the citrus industry has an economic impact of $468 million. The Texas Farm Bureau has been assessing the winter storm damage, but its spokesman said the figures, when complete, will come from the Texas Department of Agriculture and the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service.

“What we need to do is get some real sharp pruners, get some quality hand pruners, hedge shears, quality loppers and start. Rodriguez also recommends pulling the organic mulch away from plants to allow the late February sun to warm up the soil. Other plant life, like palms and sago palms, also took a beating. As long as their center is nice and firm, sago palms can make a comeback. Also, keep in mind that while we are approaching our average final freeze date in San Antonio, a freeze in March is always possible.

POTEET, Texas – The area farmers who grew crops were unable to completely protect them against the record cold and are finding their prized harvest ruined after last week’s winter storm. “They got really cold, to the point where they just got brittle and they’re falling apart right now,” said Donovan Garcia Jr., who grows some of Poteet’s prized strawberries. Texas A&M AgriLife extension agents will be throughout affected areas assessing the damage and the economic impacts. Fernando Gonzalez, a major produce distributor, said he is “cautiously optimistic” because the supply is good. “There’s so much product that comes into Texas from all over the United States,” Gonzalez said.

ST. HEDWIG, Texas – Farmers across Texas were hit hard by the recent winter storm and rotating blackouts that knocked out power in many communities. Consumers can expect to feel the effects at the grocery store, with empty shelves and higher prices for some products. But the Scotts could not make it through the 2021 winter storm that left much of Texas without power. State relief for farmers is not available, and federal funds are slow to trickle in, according to the agriculture commissioner. The Texas Department of Agriculture has the STAR Fund, which is made up of private donations that help farmers during a disaster.

Texas Tiny bags marked as jewelry have been showing up in the mailboxes of Texas residents but it turns out the bags actually contain seeds. Texans arent the only ones who have received packages of mystery seeds, residents across the nation have reported receiving unsolicited packages that appear to have originated in China, according to a CNN report. To date, packages containing these mystery seeds have also been received in Washington, Virginia, Utah, Kansas, Louisiana and Arizona, according to a press release from the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. If you do receive a bag of the mystery seeds, do not throw them away. It could be a scam, or it very well could be dangerous, said Agrilife extension horticulturist Larry Stein.

SAN ANTONIO – Hemp farming has begun in Texas this year and one set of farmers outside Boerne says they have some of the first crops in the state. The Texas Department of Agriculture began licensing farmers and businesses early this year to grow hemp after the state legislature greenlit farming of the plant. Pur IsoLabs in Bergheim, 10 miles east of Boerne off Highway 46, is one of the first to be licensed. Ruple and his wife Jennifer own Pur IsoLabs and have sold hemp products for the past five years, now they are expanding their business by starting to grow hemp right next to their store. This is just the beginning for the hemp farm industry, the future looks very promising for a plant that can be used in many ways.

This panel features state officials and a former U.S. agriculture secretary talking about the state of agriculture in 2020 and beyond.