Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN Texas Everyone thinks were cows plows and sows at the Ag Department and we do do all that but we actually do a lot more said Sid Miller Texas Commissioner of Agriculture in an exclusive interview with Texas Insiders Jim Cardle.
Agriculture is the second largest industry in the state and creates $115 billion dollars a year. And with 1 in 7 jobs related to agriculture Texas leads the nation in many categories Miller said.
A Republican the Texas Ag Commissioner was featured as a Trump Campaign surrogate throughout much of 2016 and is an industry leader who is known all across the nation.
People dont realize it but we are also the Consumer Protection Agency for the state. Were responsible for maintaining and checking all the scales across Texas... you think of them at the grocery store or in weighing big trucks but its also at the airport when you weigh your luggage its at Starbucks where you buy a pound of coffee yogurt shops barbecue restaurants mail houses pharmacies you name it said Miller.
Were the agency that checks all the bar code scanners in the state. Were also in charge of rural healthcare for 177 counties.
The biggest program we run a $5 billion dollar program is the nutritional program for both the federal government and the state. Thats 5 million school meals each day. Its our job to oversee that 
program said the Texas Agriculture Commissioner.
Summer feeding programs Meals on Wheels during Hurricane Harvey we were also in charge of the USDAs commodities and getting food to those shelters where people were rescued.
So were a pretty busy bunch and thats only scratching the surface of it because we have over 130 statutory functions including marketing Texas products Miller said.
