Nathan “Nate” Sheets, the Republican nominee for Texas Agriculture Commissioner, visited Tyler on Saturday afternoon as part of his 32-day statewide “Texans Should Feed Texans” bus tour. Sheets will face Democratic nominee Clayton Tucker and Libertarian Austin R. Kelly in the general election on Nov. 3, with early voting set to begin on Oct. 19. Sheets secured the Republican nomination after defeating longtime incumbent Sid Miller in the March primary election.
During his stop at the Smith County Republican Party headquarters, Sheets detailed his primary objectives if elected. These include invigorating the Texas agriculture economy, safeguarding farmland and water resources, granting rural communities more authority over local development, and cultivating opportunities for the next generation of farmers and rural workers.
Sheets, a fifth-generation Texan, U.S. Navy veteran, businessman, and founder of Nate’s Honey, emphasized his campaign's core message: "Texans Should Feed Texans." He stated that billions of dollars are spent on food within Texas, and a greater portion should support Texas producers to help them remain in business. Sheets identified significant economic challenges facing rural Texas and its agricultural sector, including declining farm profitability, escalating input costs, and an aging farming population. He expressed concern that the future of agriculture is at risk, noting, "farmers and ranchers just can’t afford to be in agriculture."
To address these economic hurdles, Sheets proposed fortifying the GO TEXAN program. This initiative, established by the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) in 1999, aims to market and promote Texas-made products and businesses. Sheets believes that by strengthening the program beyond its current status as merely a logo, it can foster more direct connections between farmers, ranchers, and consumers. He highlighted that people increasingly want to understand the origin and composition of their food, a concern amplified by recent food recalls.
Sheets also voiced strong support for regenerative agriculture, a practice he described as farming without chemicals and without tilling the soil. This approach uses animals for grazing, which helps return organic matter to the soil, improving plant nutritional value and increasing water retention. He cited a statistic that every 1% of organic matter returned to the soil can hold 20,000 gallons of water per acre, a significant factor given Texas’s water concerns. Sheets supports the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Regenerative Pilot Program, which has a $1 billion investment for fiscal year 2027 to aid farmers in transitioning to regenerative practices.
Protecting farmland and water resources is another key priority for Sheets. He acknowledged public concerns about data centers, noting their increasing presence in rural Texas and their potential impact on water systems used by local communities and agriculture. Sheets asserted that data centers, while not entirely opposed, must demonstrate a clear purpose and tangible local benefits if developed. He advocates for empowering county governments with limited tools to negotiate with large projects regarding infrastructure, hospitals, schools, roads, and property-tax impacts. This would allow local analysis and potentially help prevent detrimental developments. Sheets also maintained that a profitable agricultural sector is the most effective deterrent against the conversion of farmland into data centers, solar farms, and wind farms.
Beyond economic and resource management, Sheets aims to improve school nutrition in Texas. He pointed out that Texas, which feeds 5.5 million children, ranks 44th in the nation for the nutritional value of its school lunch programs. Sheets links healthy childhood eating to long-term health and a reduction in future healthcare costs. He proposes that schools prioritize purchasing locally produced food and incorporate healthier options, suggesting initiatives like student gardens and outdoor programs. Additionally, he seeks to establish better kitchen equipment in schools to facilitate actual cooking rather than reliance on microwaved meals.
Supporting and educating younger generations is crucial for the agricultural economy's continuity, Sheets said. He emphasized the importance of programs such as Future Farmers of America (FFA) and 4-H in schools, alongside agricultural scholarships, to provide children with exposure to agricultural career paths. He stressed that these efforts must be coupled with fixing the economic challenges of agriculture to make such careers attractive and viable. The general election is scheduled for Nov. 3, with early voting beginning Oct. 19.
