Republican challenger for Texas Agriculture Commissioner discusses priorities and his endorsement by Governor Abbott

In a rare move, Governor Greg Abbott recently endorsed a challenger in a statewide race over the incumbent. He backed Nate Sheets in the Republican primary for Texas Agriculture Commissioner over Sid Miller, who was first elected to the position in 2014 and who is seeking his fourth term in office.  

In an interview with CBS News Texas, Sheets said, "Obviously, when you have the top Republican in the entire state getting behind your campaign, and for the very first time ever siding against a sitting statewide incumbent, that's a pretty big statement. He feels like there is just a much higher standard that we can achieve at the Texas Department of Agriculture, and keep at the center of the focus of the TDA, farmers and ranchers who you're there to serve, and consumers, all Texans, families."

When asked recently about his endorsement, Abbott told CBS News Texas, "I've gotten to know Nate. He's a great guy, will do a terrific job, will be a great asset to the state of Texas with the experience that he brings, with the mindset that he brings, and what his vision is for the future of Texas."

CBS News Texas reached out to Commissioner Sid Miller multiple times last week for an interview, but we didn't hear back. 

Sheets founded the company Nature Nate's, which produced raw and unfiltered honey. He has since sold the firm he created. Among his priorities if elected, ensuring that farmers and ranchers have their crops and cattle purchased by Texas universities, schools, and government agencies. "We're going to work with Governor Abbott and make sure that we have Texas farming and ranching purchased first and foremost."

He said he will also focus on helping farmers boost their revenue, as their costs have increased. "Farmers and ranchers can't afford to be in business any longer. I'm going to focus on creating revenue and marketing opportunities to be able to help drive revenue, whether it's direct-to-consumer or direct to Texas First, or internationally... to really drive their revenue and make farming and ranching a viable industry in the future for anyone that would like to be involved."

Sheets said he favors a federal E-Verify program for all employment in Texas. "E-Verify levels the playing field. We have the H-2A program, which allows us to bring in Guatemalans or Mexican nationals for a 10-month period, and you end up paying about $40 an hour, including all costs. You have to pay for their housing and other expenses. That's one program that's there and President Trump and Secretary (Brooke) Rollins, (the Secretary for the U.S. Department of Agriculture) has said they will not limit the amount of the H-2A workers that are needed for agriculture because they do not want to bring disruption. But beyond that program, the E-Verify program actually is encouraging from an agriculture standpoint to make sure that the people that you have there working on your farm or on your ranch are not going to be disrupted by having someone come in, like ICE, and come looking for illegal aliens that you have."

Whoever wins the March 3rd primary will face the Democratic candidate for Texas Agriculture Commissioner, Clayton Tucker, in November.  

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