Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller referred to as on supporters to get out the vote in November in what he termed a decent race for Republican statewide officer holders as he addressed points going through farmers Saturday on the Dunmon Ranch close to Powderly.
“Beto (O’Rourke) goes to show each Democrat out, and (Gov. Greg Abbott, myself and (Lt. Gov. Dan) Patrick, we’re going to get killed in Dallas, killed in San Antonio, Houston, Austin and El Paso,” Miller mentioned. “If I get 65% of the vote in Paris, Texas, I lose. I’ve acquired to have 75% to 80%. We’ve acquired to get our base, our individuals out to the polls.”
After touting his division’s accomplishments and his unfaltering help for former president Donald Trump, Miller responded to a number of questions from a gaggle of about 50 supporters gathered for a fundraiser for the Republican Ladies of the Purple River Valley, a gaggle led by Cynthia Rice-Tims, who mentioned she organized the group to take motion in opposition to unfettered liberalism and to comply with the instance of Christian patriots in the course of the American Revolution.
“We’ve acquired to handle enterprise,” Rice-Tims mentioned. “We will’t wait for somebody to rally us; we’ve acquired to be those with the megaphone.”
The 2-term commissioner referred to as the legalization of marijuana for medical functions and a ban on the sale of Texas land to China as his two prime legislative priorities for the upcoming 88th Texas Legislature that begins Jan 10.
“Now we have to cease letting China purchase our farmlands,” Miller mentioned as he famous 37 different states have some form of restrictions and eight states have a whole ban. “I acknowledge the significance of personal property rights, however in some unspecified time in the future you’ve acquired to place patriotism above income.”
“I’m not advocating leisure marijuana, but when we’ve got one thing that might assist anyone enhance their high quality of life, I feel It’s time,” Miller mentioned, as he famous Texas has had a restricted program since 2011 that has its winners and losers. “When you have epilepsy you may get a prescription, however if in case you have Parkinsons you’re out of luck. We simply have to get the bureaucrats and elected officers out of the medical discipline and let the medical doctors decide what’s greatest.”
The commissioners touted his division’s efforts throughout Covid by urging Go Texan corporations to transform to creating robes, masks and hand sanitizers together with opening warehouses and partnering with the Workplace of Emergency Administration to wanted protecting gear to hospitals throughout the state.
Miller additionally famous that in the course of the company’s newest Sundown Assessment, performed each 12 years, the division was credited with being the state’s most effective company.
“That’s not bragging on myself,” Miller mentioned. “That’s the standard of people who we’ve got working for us. I’ve individuals which are smarter than me, and I allow them to inform me what we have to do.”
The division’s duties run the gamut from client safety with weights and measures laws to defending agricultural manufacturing, to overseeing the general public faculty meal program, and amongst different issues, to managing the Go Texan advertising program that features world outreach and weekly radio and tv reveals.
To a spherical of applause, Miller mentioned he’s a loyal Donald Trump supporter.
“I used to be the primary statewide elected official that truly supported Trump in his first election,” Miller mentioned as he shared that he was thought of for agricultural secretary in the course of the first Trump administration and that earlier than the final presidential election, he was requested if he would contemplate the put up once more, and went by means of an intensive FBI background verify.
“The superb half about all of it, I handed and was able to go,” Miller mentioned. “I really like being your ag commissioner, I imply this job is the perfect job I’ve ever had and it simply matches me like a glove, but when the president of the US asks you to do one thing.”
Miller shared that he not too long ago spent about an hour with Trump at Mar-a-Lago.
“He hasn’t introduced but that he’ll run in 2024, however after that dinner assembly, I’m 100% satisfied he’s operating, and I’m wanting ahead to getting again in there as a result of all these things that we face may be mounted if we simply reinstate the Trump period coverage as a result of it was working.
Miller inspired the viewers to comply with him on Fb at Miller for Texas, and mentioned, “I’m by far essentially the most lively political individual in the US with nearly 900,000 followers reaching about 40 to 50 million individuals a month. I put a variety of data that will get me in bother a variety of occasions.”
Questions from the viewers, one about photo voltaic farms taking agricultural land in Lamar County, prompted Miller to speak about issues with the ability grid and the way in eight years he has by no means had a gathering nor acquired a cellphone name or letter from Gov. Greg Abbott.
“Earlier than the large February freeze final 12 months, I wrote him to place ag processing vegetation as a prime precedence, however acquired no reply,” Miller mentioned earlier than reminding his viewers that he proposed a 15-point plan a number of years in the past to repair the ability grid. “The Legislature handed two of the 15, one is to require the ERCOT board to reside in Texas and one which energy vegetation must do weatherization.”
In addressing the query, Miller went on to clarify that photo voltaic corporations goal blackland and a few of the state’s greatest farmlands as a result of mud from sandy lands covers photo voltaic panels and prevents them from working correctly.
“I hear a variety of complaints from individuals all throughout the state however there’s not a lot we will do due to personal property rights, however photo voltaic farms are getting a variety of warmth,” Miller mentioned.
In response to a query concerning the impact inflation has on previous federal grants, though Miller replied he has nothing to do with federal packages, the query did immediate the commissioner to speak about his profitable effort to dam a current federal mortgage forgiveness program sponsored by the Biden administration, that may forgive USDA loans on land purchases at 120%.
“To qualify for this mortgage, you needed to be Black,” Miller mentioned. “White boys don’t want to use. So we sued and gained proper off the bat, I imply, the courtroom mentioned, ‘yeah, that’s unconstitutional.’ So now they’ve come again and are doing it the best approach; it’s now for anyone economically deprived.”
In reply to a priority concerning the drought forcing ranchers to promote cattle, Miller agreed occasions are robust very similar to in 2010 however that the tip outcome will equate to herds with higher genetics.
“The Lord will ship us rain ultimately,” Miller mentioned. “We had an enormous liquidation in 2010-11, and most all people retains their best possible. They preserve the heifers and it vastly improves our genetics. It took us about six years final time to construct livestock numbers again.”
A query concerning the present administration’s plan to scale back the agriculture footprint by 30% by 12 months 2030 for conservation functions prompted Miller to weigh in on misconceptions about cows including carbon to the ambiance by means of flatulence.
“Cows are a ruminant animal and they don’t fart,” Miller mentioned. “They do belch since they regurgitate their meals. Cows don’t make carbon; they simply eat grass that has carbon in it and cross it alongside. In the event that they don’t eat it, it simply falls over and carbon is launched.”
When requested what Republicans can do to assist stop the Biden administration from advancing its local weather change laws, Miller emphasised the significance of mid-term elections.
“They’re pushing by means of every thing they probably can in a final ditch effort as a result of as soon as we take over the Home we will cease them,” Miller mentioned. “If we take over the Senate, we actually cease them.”
Likewise, Miller confused the significance of Republicans successful statewide elections as he famous the decline of rural illustration in Austin.
“Rural elected representatives used to run this state, however it’s not that approach any extra,” Miller mentioned. “Myself and the comptroller are the one statewide officers which have any form of ag background, and the others simply don’t perceive our way of life and the way arduous it’s to make a dwelling in agriculture.”
Though Miller expressed concern about Abbott, he confused the significance of rural conservatives getting out the vote in help of the Republican ticket.
