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Texas Department of Agriculture August 2007

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Texas Department of Agriculture August 2007 Self-Evaluation Report Texas Department of Agriculture August 2007 Texas Department of Agriculture 1 August 2007 TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Agency Contact Information.............................................................................................. 3 II. Key Functions and Performance........................................................................................ 3 III. History and Major Events................................................................................................ 14 IV. Policymaking Structure......................................................................................................18 V. Funding ..............................................................................................................................24 VI. Organization.......................................................................................................................38 VII. Guide to Agency Programs................................................................................................41 Agency Internal Support Services .....................................................................................41 External Relations..............................................................................................................47 Food and Nutrition.............................................................................................................53 Marketing and Promotion ..................................................................................................63 Pesticide Programs.............................................................................................................72 Regional Operations..........................................................................................................86 Regulatory Programs .........................................................................................................91 Rural Economic Development.........................................................................................106 Texas Cooperative Inspection Program...........................................................................113 VIII. Statutory Authority and Recent Legislation ....................................................................117 IX. Policy Issues....................................................................................................................124 X. Other Contacts.................................................................................................................130 XI. Additional Information ....................................................................................................138 XII. Agency Comments...........................................................................................................143 Texas Department of Agriculture 2 August 2007 Texas Department of Agriculture Self-Evaluation Report I. Agency Contact Information A. Please fill in the following chart. Texas Department of Agriculture Exhibit 1: Agency Contacts Telephone & Name Address Fax E-mail Address Numbers Agency Head Todd P.O. Box 12847 512-463-1408 Staples Austin, TX 78711 888-232-2375 [email protected] Agency’s Catherine Sunset Wright P.O. Box 12847 512-463-7700 catherine.wright- Liaison Steele Austin, TX 78711 888-203-5567 [email protected] II. Key Functions and Performance A. Provide an overview of your agency’s mission, objectives, and key functions. Mission Statement Partner with all Texans to make Texas the nation’s leader in agriculture, fortify our economy, empower rural communities, promote healthy lifestyles and cultivate winning strategies for rural, suburban and urban Texas through exceptional service and the common threads of agriculture in our daily lives. Agency Overview The Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) was created in 1907 pursuant to Chapters 11 and 12 of the Texas Agriculture Code. The agency is headed by the Commissioner of Agriculture, a statewide-elected official who serves a four-year term. TDA headquarters are located in Austin, and the agency has five regional service offices, four satellite offices, six laboratories and six livestock export facilities located throughout the state. TDA is a full-service agency, involved with all phases of modern agriculture, agricultural businesses and consumer protection. The agency’s primary functions include regulatory activities, marketing, statewide economic development, producer outreach, agricultural resource protection, agricultural research and promoting healthy nutrition for all Texans. Texas Department of Agriculture 3 August 2007 TDA nutrition programs help promote a healthy lifestyle through the benefits of good nutrition and exercise. TDA’s marketing efforts promote the sale of Texas agricultural products across the state and around the world and help Texans engaged in agriculture find profitable markets for their products. The agency’s regulatory responsibilities establish and enforce standards for agricultural commodities and ensure that certain products offered to Texas consumers are properly measured, priced and marketed. TDA is also responsible for enforcing state and federal pesticide laws. Rural economic development programs within the agency provide broad-based assistance to help local economies expand by assisting with rural tourism, small town revitalization and agricultural diversification. Nutrition TDA’s nutrition objectives include: • Safeguarding the health and well-being of the state’s citizens by ensuring nutritionally adequate meals are provided in schools, child and adult day care programs and through non-profit programs; • Educating the public about the relationship between proper eating and good health; • Providing learning experiences designed to result in healthier lifestyle choices; and • Ensuring all Child and Adult Nutrition Programs and the Commodity Distribution Programs operate within federal and state laws, regulations, and policies. Key functions: • Providing federal reimbursement payments to local educational agencies (public, private nonprofits and charters), childcare centers, day care home providers and adult day care centers; • Performing compliance reviews on program participants; and • Developing and providing training on regulations, policies and procedures. • Note: TDA will begin performing the functions relating to non-public schools, adult services and commodity distribution of the Special Nutrition Program currently under the Health and Human Services Commission after October 1, 2007. Marketing TDA’s marketing and promotion objectives include: • Increasing sales and awareness of products grown, processed or produced in Texas to consumers around the world; • Promoting rural Texas to tourists, retirees, sportsmen and other interested audiences; and • Promoting healthy nutrition for all Texans. Key functions: • Raising awareness to increase demand and sales of Texas products globally; • Partnering with key stakeholders to leverage government and private resources; and • Supporting agricultural producers and rural communities by offering financial assistance through competitive matching grant opportunities. Texas Department of Agriculture 4 August 2007 Regulatory TDA’s regulatory objectives include: • Ensuring the quality of certain agricultural commodities and products offered to consumers before they are sold; • Ensuring price and quantity accuracy for consumers of certain products sold in Texas; and • Protecting against the movement of harmful plant pests and diseases into Texas. Key functions: • Developing and maintaining various consumer protection programs through inspection and certification efforts; • Conducting road station inspections and overseeing insect trapping programs; and • Licensing handlers or dealers who buy or sell Texas grown fruits and vegetables. Pesticides TDA’s pesticide program objectives include: • Administering both state and federal laws concerning pesticide use and application. Key functions: • Educating new and current applicators, licensing pest control applicators and investigating complaints; • Conducting inspections on pesticide applications; and • Regulating all pesticides sold or applied in Texas. • Note: Beginning September 1, 2007, TDA will assume authority over the Structural Pest Control Service, formerly the Structural Pest Control Board. Economic Development TDA’s economic development objectives include: • Facilitating rural job creation and retention through business development and community assistance; and • Promoting statewide economic development through agricultural diversification, value- added processing, rural entrepreneurship, small town revitalization and rural tourism development. Key functions: • Administering the Texas Capital Fund (TCF) program through a contract with the Office of Rural Community Affairs (ORCA); • Administering the Texas Agricultural Finance Authority (TAFA) finance programs; • Administering the Fuel, Ethanol, and Biofuel Incentive Program; • Administering the Texas Certified Retirement Community Program (CRC); and • Advising communities on economic development opportunities and connecting investors with appropriate communities. Texas Department of Agriculture 5 August 2007 B. Do each of your key functions continue to serve a clear and ongoing objective? Why are these functions is still needed? What harm would come from no longer performing these functions? Nutrition TDA is the U. S. Department of Agriculture’s designee to administer the National School Lunch Program
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