Commissioner Miller Advocates for Agriculture
Thursday, July 16, 2015 | Author: Abby Quintanilla, Karnes City FFA
Texas FFA members and guests erupted in applause as Texas Commissioner of Agriculture, Sid Miller, advocated the importance of agriculture, teachers and how the FFA impacted his life.
“I owe a lot of who I am today to the FFA,” Miller said. “The biggest influence on my life came when I was a senior in high school… I had a hero, and that was my ag teacher.”
In Wednesday’s afternoon session, Miller articulated the importance of Texas agriculture, and the variety of opportunities through FFA.
The former agriculture teacher, world champion cowboy, and lifetime member of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo said, “Agriculture is the glue that has held our state together, even when we were a republic.”
The Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) lends loans to young farmers, houses rural health care, inspects warehouses, and runs 12 nutritional programs in Texas. Miller believes that Texas agriculture matters.
“[The Texas Department of Agriculture is] making a pathway for young people to come into agriculture and find jobs and vocation,” Miller said. “We have a grant program, and we give money away to young people to get started in the agricultural business.”
Reporter: Abby Quintanilla, Karnes City FFA
Photographer: Noah Ontiveros, Weimar FFA
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