Sid Miller
Sid Miller
Before he tested positive for COVID-19, we were lucky enough to catch up with Sid Miller, the always affable and loquacious Texas Agricultural Commissioner, who answered a few our nosy questions.
Miller had just completed moderating a panel full of local Texas businesses, agricultural producers, and marketers called “How the West Wins.” The panel focused on how Western businesses have continued to thrive despite the pandemic. While the title of the program might seem overly assured, Miller contends that the West, and the Lone Star State in particular, have instituted the right methods while intelligently navigating the perils of the pandemic.
Miller was diagnosed with COVID-19 Wednesday, and, according to the Texas Tribune, is quarantining at his ranch.
Below are some excerpts from the 15-minute conversation. We talked about numerous topics, including the potential divisiveness of the state’s message, a new administration in the White House, and how kids in school are receiving their nutrition.
Fort Worth Magazine: So, how has the West won in your opinion?
Sid Miller: It's our heritage, it's our culture, it's our lifestyle, it's our values, it's our work ethic. It's just kind of gotten away in certain parts of America. You take a rancher farmer, they get up at daylight, work till dark, then they shell peas. After shelling peas, they go to a PTA meeting, or go to a board meeting. And then they smile about it and get up and do the same thing the next day. They're very independent, so I think everybody kind of admires that. I think people wish they could get to Texas I didn't have to drive in this traffic and the smog and fight the daily rush hour. Wouldn't it be nice to just get out there and be on horseback and watch the sun go down? It's romantic. I think that's maybe the word I'm looking for.
FW: But is it safe to conclude that that might not resonate with everybody? Do you think there are other parts of the country who we’re trying to persuade to bring their businesses to Texas that might not connect with it?
SM: I think Orange County in California probably has stuff that's connecting with, 11 million people in one county. You probably don't see many guys riding off in the sunset or sitting on the tractor seat. Probably a few, but not the average. And maybe somebody that grew up on concrete and asphalt, they just don't understand what fresh plowed earth smells like. What kind of feeling that gives you. They've never helped give birth to a newborn calf. Just things like that. You just can't get when you live on the asphalt and concrete.
FW: So how do you reach people like that? Those who are used to asphalt and concrete and maybe even some of the conveniences that that brings?
SM: You know, I do it with my TV show. I have a weekly TV show and we talk about why Texas agriculture matters, and we try to educate people. We try to tell them where their food comes from and where their clothing comes from, and why agriculture's important. So we work real hard at that. We do a lot with the schools. We do gardening kits for the younger grades and let them grow some stuff. We work real hard at that.
FW: Do you think there are any places we can improve? Any ways the West can do better?
SM: We're continually looking at ways to do that because the 2% of us feed the other 98%. So, it's not a big section of the population. But to answer your question, after the COVID thing, we're having to redo the way we reach people. It's more social media, it's not one-on-one, it's not in-person. We're trying to get Western events publicized like the National Finals Rodeo and get it into people's homes so they can connect. If you want to see the most patriotic sporting event in America, just go to a rodeo. Nothing comes close, I promise you. So that's why people like the western lifestyle, where it's traditional values, or traditionally patriotic. I think that's kind of what appeals to a lot of people.
FW: Now I can't help but as, but what does the prospect of a new administration in the White House change anything?
SM: I'm afraid it could drastically change the outlook on agriculture. I've spent about 40% of my time fighting the federal government for our farmers and producers. Under this administration, I'm part of the team.
I'm responsible for 5 million school meals each day. So, when I got there, instead of having healthy kids, we had healthy trash cans. And now, since we've worked and did away with all the regulations from the State, our kids are back in the cafeteria eating. And the food's good again. I'm afraid that it'd be more regulations, more restrictions, more oversight, more big brother. And it just makes it hard to deliver under those circumstances.
That same plate to a kid in New York City and the same plate in Laredo. It doesn't have a lot of what I call cowboy logic.
We look at it from an angle of local control. We think that the local school boards, the local nutritionists and parents should have a say in what their kids are eating. And they shouldn't be mandated 100% by the federal government.
I institute the Farm Fresh Fridays when we started. So, we challenge schools, at least on Friday, to serve some locally grown products. And have the farmer come in and explain how the food got on their plate — whether it's the milk they're drinking, or eggs, or whatever. From there, we expanded that to doing the sending out garden kits for these kiddos.When I took over, our schools were buying zero local product serving in the cafeterias. Last year we got our results in. They bought over $60 million worth of local products served fresh. No salt, no preservatives, not flash frozen, no dyes. Many times it's organic. They like to eat that good, fresh food.
