The Texas agriculture commissioner is among the state’s most influential executive offices, overseeing Texas’ $100 billion agricultural economy. With the 2026 elections on the horizon, the March GOP primary will shape the future of agricultural development in Texas.
Two Republican candidates have announced their campaigns: incumbent Commissioner Sid Miller and businessman Nate Sheets.
Sid Miller
A twelfth-generation Texan, Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller’s public service began on the board of Stephenville Independent School District in 1999. He then ran for the Texas House of Representatives, where he served for 14 years from 2000 to 2014.
His career has been marked by a laundry list of political accomplishments, especially in the agricultural sector.
Among his achievements, Miller touts his work to improve the nutritional content of school lunches. He has encouraged school cooperation with local farmers and ranchers.
While Miller was quick to support Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Make America Healthy Again movement, he stated in a previous interview that “[w]e were doing MAHA 10 years ago, when I first became ag commissioner.”
He has also enacted a number of reforms that lowered government expenditures, saving taxpayers millions of dollars.
His advocacy with federal regulators—namely, a letter to U.S. Attorney General Bill Barr—led to an investigation of price-fixing market practices that had devastated local ranchers.
He is a strong critic of federal overreach, and during the COVID-19 pandemic, Miller was outspokenly opposed to the Biden administration’s lockdown policy and mask mandates.
Miller has also been a strong Donald Trump supporter during both of the president’s terms.
“I’m Trump’s man in Texas,” Miller told Texas Scorecard. “I’ve had Trump’s endorsement in the last two elections. I expect to get it when the time comes.”
Miller continues to address many pressing issues: exterminating screwworms, removing unsafe pesticides, offering a summer meal program, expanding Texas’ trade with foreign nations, addressing the THC controversy, as well as rolling out a new television show.
Outside of agricultural issues, Miller has opposed DEI practices, gender mutilation of minors, the sale of Texas land to America’s enemies, and cumbersome federal regulations.
Miller faced scrutiny after his current chief of staff, Todd Smith, was arrested for commercial bribery and theft in 2021. Smith pled guilty to the commercial bribery charge in October 2024.
Miller told Texas Scorecard, “For me, I’ve lived and breathed every aspect of agriculture. I’m just gonna keep on doing what I’m doing.”
According to the latest campaign finance reports, Miller has received just over $70,000 from individual donors.
Nathan Sheets
Nathan “Nate” Sheets, a fifth generation Texan, Navy veteran, and businessman is challenging Miller in the agriculture commissioner race.
His campaign website states that he is an “agriculture entrepreneur, family man, [and] Trump conservative.”
After serving in the Navy Reserves, Sheets attended Texas State University, graduating in 1994. He went into business and began beekeeping as a hobby with his wife.
After helping an elderly man who suffered from cancer, Fred Richardson, with his beekeeping business, Sheets felt called to minister to Venezuelans in Caracas. His experiences abroad launched him into full-time ministry with e3 Partners, where he developed ministry tools like the EvangeCube and the “I Am Second” series.
“I never intended to go into ministry. I didn’t go to seminary,” Sheets told Texas Scorecard. “Those are just two ways that God used my skills to make an impact.”
After a 12-year stint at e3 Partners, he acquired Richardson’s honey business, launching Nature Nate’s Honey.
“The way I went about doing that resulted in us becoming the number-one brand in America about three years later,” Sheets stated. His company has received awards for quality products and clever advertising in recent years. “At the end of ‘21, I came to this next phase after I stepped away as a CEO, trying to figure out how God wanted to use my life next.”
His foray into public service started at a lunch with former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum earlier this year, at which Sheets was encouraged to run for agriculture commissioner.
He told Texas Scorecard that he then reached out to Sid Miller, whom he had supported financially in previous years, and asked him what his future plans were.
At the time, Miller was being considered for Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture under Trump. Sheets told him about his interest in running for agriculture commissioner. After talking for 30 minutes, Sheets said Miller told him “Yeah, I think you should run.”
While Sheets’ background has given him leadership experience, he acknowledges that he has a lot to learn about the TDA.
“Earlier today, I met with the Texas Cattle Feeders Association. I met with the Wheat Producers Association. Yesterday, we were with cattle ranchers down in Lubbock. I’m really trying to go around and hear how the Texas Department of Agriculture can best serve these unique constituencies.”
The latest campaign finance data shows that Sheets has received over $410,000 in contributions from associates, business partners, and family members.
Election
The last day to register to vote in the primary election is February 2. Early voting runs from February 17 to 27, and the primary is March 3, 2026. The General Election is November 3, 2026.
